The lost traditions of Hithi days: a glimpse into Maldives’ Ramadan festivities before the 1960s
A royal Ramadan tradition rooted in Sufi practices, lost to reform and modernisation.
Artwork: Dosain
29 Mar, 5:00 PM
Mohamed Saif Fathih
If one were to step back in time to Malé before the 1960s, the final ten days of Ramadan would have been a spectacle of vibrant religious and cultural festivities. These traditions, deeply rooted in Sufi practices, were an integral part of Maldivian life until the mid-20th century. However, as Maldivian scholars trained at Al-Azhar University in Cairo returned home with a more contemporary interpretation of Islam, these customs began to fade. By the time President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom assumed office in 1978, many of these practices, including the hoisting of white flags and endowments to shrines and tombs, were abolished in favour of mainstream Sunni views.
Among the annulled traditions were the Hithi days, which marked the odd-numbered nights in the last ten days of Ramadan, including the blessed Lailatul Qadr. According to Islamic tradition, worship on this night is believed to hold the reward of a thousand ordinary nights. The term “Hithi” is said to derive from a unique curry-like soup prepared for the occasion. Unlike traditional Maldivian curries, this soup was made with breadfruit and plantain-like fruits, cooked in water with turmeric, and notably lacked coconut milk or curry spices. Similar food-named celebrations include the Day of Kandhi (porridge-like dessert cooked in coconut milk with fruits like plantain), known in the Arab-Islamic world as Ashura, which commemorates the martyrdom of the fourth caliph, Ali Ibn Abi Talib.
The Grand Processions of Hithi Days
The Hithi days were marked by grand processions led by the Sultan, dressed in full regalia, accompanied by royals, senior ministers, elders and military servicemen. These processions attuned to the beating of drums and blowing of horns and trumpets, wind their way from the Grand Palace to the shrines and tombs of specific saints, where Fatiha prayers and other invocations were recited. Each of the four Hithi nights was dedicated to a particular saint, and the public spaces and roads were meticulously cleaned and layered with white sand for the occasion.
The tradition of Hithi days is believed to have been initiated by Sultan Mueenudeen II’s son, Mohamed Manikfan, in 1824. Later known as Sultan Mueenudeen IV, he ruled for an impressive 47 years from 1835 and is affectionately remembered as Muskulhi Bandaarain (the Old Sultan).
The Four Hithi Days
Henveiru Bodu Hithi (Grand Hithi of Henveiru): Celebrated on the 22nd of Ramadan, this day was dedicated to visiting the Habshi’s Maqam, also known as Lonuziyaaraiy. This monument honored Sheikh Najib Al Habshi, an Ethiopian who arrived in Malé on a trade ship. Renowned for his powerful voice and melodious Quranic recitations, Sheikh Najib taught many locals to recite the Holy Quran. Following untoward invitations and offers from Sultan Sayyid Ahmed Sharif al-Mecci (1538-40)’s wife, he chose to travel to the atolls. The maqam, built where he performed Tahajjud prayers, was demolished in 1966 by Ibrahim Nasir, who also destroyed the Grand Palace and the Grand Wall of Malé. The site is now part of Lonuziyaaraiy Park.
Maafannu Bodu Hithi (Grand Hithi of Maafannu): On the 24th of Ramadan, the Sultan visited the tomb of Sultan Ali, who died in battle against Portuguese forces. Following extensive land reclamation, the tomb, once in knee-deep water, is now 300 meters inland. Two palm-fronded houses were built near the shrines for the first two days of Hithi—one for reciters and the other for hosting food and drinks for breaking the fast.
Henveiru Kuda Hithi (Minor Hithi of Henveiru): The 26th of Ramadan was dedicated to visiting the shrine of Medu Ziyaaraiy, located in the compound of Mulee-aage (now the official residence of the President). This shrine also houses the tomb of Sultan Sayyid Shamsuddin I (1692 CE), celebrated for his virtue and justness. He was the son of Abdul Razaq al-Shafiu al-Qadri, a scholar from Medina educated at Al-Azhar.
Maafannu Kuda Hithi (Minor Hithi of Maafannu): The final Hithi day, on the 28th of Ramadan, involved a visit to the shrine of Al-Faqih Sulaiman in Ziyaaraiy Mosque. Faqih Sulaiman, who lived during the reign of Sultan Hassan III (1456), was a revered religious educator. His tomb was removed in 2018 during the mosque’s reconstruction. Sultan Hassan III, however, is remembered as a tyrant, infamous for his brutal punishments, including burning alive of the Shirazi Judge for protesting his cruelty.
The End of an Era
The end of the festivities were announced by the beating of the fas-fulheege-dhamu-beru (tune beaten to indicate the arrival of midnight) at the shrines.
These drums were normally housed in the Naabuskhana (drum hall) of the Grand Palace, beaten to mark different hours of the day with unique rhythms - a defining feature of Maldivian life until the early 1960s.
The Hithi processions, which had continued for 130 years, came to an end in the early 1960s during the reign of the last monarch, Mohamed Farid al-Awwal.
The Hithi days, once a vibrant expression of Maldivian religious and cultural identity, now remain an antiquated memory of a bygone era, preserved only in the annals of history.
Share the story