Kaashidhoo Community Center
Narrative
The early settlers of Kaashidhoo were expected to be Kumbis tribe Indian travellers. They found Kaashidhoo while travelling in Cardiva channel where the island Cardiva (foreign name of Kaashidhoo) is located. Large landscape and availability of resources were the reason for them to settle in the island (Luthfee). As a result, the people of Kaashidhoo survived in a joyful community by using resources of their own. But the concerns began when the colours of modernism showed up. Now the community’s thinking is changed. Some important things were left behind without modernizing.
The intention of this project is to bring up the left behinds of the past to the present. By using the rich resources available to the island, the self sustaining past will be brought back to the people of Kaashidhoo. The community centre will be the atrium to make the island self sustaining.
Tharaagandu
The archaeological site “Kuruhinna tharaagandu” located in Kaashidhoo is considered to be the oldest Buddhist monastery found in Maldives. The site would have been used as a house, to teach or practice Buddhism. Buddhists religious build ups like Stupas, Shrines etc which are built up of firmly curved coral stones makes it an architectural heritage. After Maldives embracing Islam, the site was again buried and found at later ages. The carbon dating of objects found during excavation shows that Maldives practiced Budhism in 1st millennium AD (MIkkelsen, 2000). The presence of this site in Kaashidhoo shows the extreme importance of the island due to its high land mass. The island’s trade with other countries can be found from the ruined objects like bronze bowls, silver rings, pottery and beads and especially vast number of cowry shells, which were used as money.
The early settlers of Kaashidhoo were expected to be Kumbis tribe Indian travellers. They found Kaashidhoo while travelling in Cardiva channel where the island Cardiva (foreign name of Kaashidhoo) is located. Large landscape and availability of resources were the reason for them to settle in the island (Luthfee). As a result, the people of Kaashidhoo survived in a joyful community by using resources of their own. But the concerns began when the colours of modernism showed up. Now the community’s thinking is changed. Some important things were left behind without modernizing.
The intention of this project is to bring up the left behinds of the past to the present. By using the rich resources available to the island, the self sustaining past will be brought back to the people of Kaashidhoo. The community centre will be the atrium to make the island self sustaining.
Tharaagandu
The archaeological site “Kuruhinna tharaagandu” located in Kaashidhoo is considered to be the oldest Buddhist monastery found in Maldives. The site would have been used as a house, to teach or practice Buddhism. Buddhists religious build ups like Stupas, Shrines etc which are built up of firmly curved coral stones makes it an architectural heritage. After Maldives embracing Islam, the site was again buried and found at later ages. The carbon dating of objects found during excavation shows that Maldives practiced Budhism in 1st millennium AD (MIkkelsen, 2000). The presence of this site in Kaashidhoo shows the extreme importance of the island due to its high land mass. The island’s trade with other countries can be found from the ruined objects like bronze bowls, silver rings, pottery and beads and especially vast number of cowry shells, which were used as money.