"Wonders of the lagoon"

"Falhu therey ge ajaaibu thah" (or literally translated to "Wonders of the lagoon") is a pictorial book for Maldivian children, helping them identify the ecosystems and wildlife under the sea. 

On the cover of the book, it is noted that this book is a recipient in 2006 of the Maldives government's "special award" for children's literature.

Surrounded by 90,000 square kilometers of the vast Indian Ocean, marine life forms a crucial part of the national consciousness of Maldivians as they go about living a life intimate with Nature in the Maldives archipelago.

Written by Ms. Aishath Naseema, and published by the National Centre for Linguistic and Historical Research (http://qaumiyyath.gov.mv/), I came across this book at Novelty Bookshop on my home street Alikilegefaanu Magu in Male', the capital island of Maldives.

This reminded me of the vivid mural that currently graces the perimeter wall of the Social Center facing Rasfannu, the artificially created beach on the western coast of Male'.

There are 2 artificially created beaches in Male', one on the east coast and the other on the west coast, because the government reclaimed the whole lagoon up to the house reef edge to cater to social pressures of providing housing to the congested concrete city-island, which is notorious as one of the world's densest cities.

"The island of Malé is the eighth most densely populated island in the world, and it is the 160th most populous island in the world. Since there is no surrounding countryside, all infrastructure has to be located in the city itself." -- WIKIPEDIA