The Rannamaari was a sea monster from Maldivian folklore that was believed to have sexually abused and murdered countless young women. According to popular versions of the story, a Maghrebi merchant called Al-Barbari performed a ritual after convincing the authorities at the time to let him take the place of girls meant to be sacrificed to the monster in an effort to save them and the islanders. He recited the Qur'an in the presence of the Rannamaari. With this ritual, the Rannamaari fled and never returned and the incident led to the islanders converting to Islam. The story is one of the most popular legends in the Maldives and regularly retold by locals and national media to the present day.
Appearance
According several local accounts, Rannamaari is described as looking like a ship filled with lamps.
Variations and reception
The story of Rannamaari has several versions, but the two most popular include the popular traditional version shared by many locals and the Maldivian government and the other version recounted by 14th century traveller Ibn Battuta. Both versions are very similar and differ in a few details.
The story of Rannamarri is considered an influential narrative of Islamization that has shaped Maldivian perspectives of their history, culture and religion. The tale is regularly retold in schools, in plays, tourist brochures and in local and national media.
Outline of story
Rannamaari, the notorious sea demon that haunted the people of the Maldives since time immemorial. At dawn, the girl's family would return to the temple to find the girl dead and her body violated.