Lakshadweep (Lak)

Mal: ലക്ഷദ്വീപ്  lakṣadvīpu

‘Hundred Thousand Islands’ [Laccadives]

From Skt/Mal: lakṣam/lakh, ‘one hundred thousand’; and Skt: dvīp, ‘island’.

Lakhs (100,000) and crores (10 million) are still used in the Indian counting system. Lakshadweep fails to live up to expectations: it is in fact made up of thirty-nine islands (plus twelve atolls, three reefs and five submerged banks), some 99, 961 islands short; and, with a total area of 33 km2, it is the smallest Union Territory in India.

Only ten islands are inhabited:  Kavaratti, Agatti, Amini, Kadmat, Kiltan, Chetlat, Bitra, Andrott, Kalpeni and Minicoy.

This is why others suggest ‘Landmark Islands’ [Skt/Mal: lakṣam, ‘landmark’, ‘target’, ‘direction’].

This is a common enough name for islands serving, as they do, as ‘markers’ or ‘beacons’ for navigators and trading ships crossing the Arabian Sea. 

For more on Indian place names and history, see Toponymy on the Ashoka Express

For a journey through tribal India and Sri Lanka, see Headhunting with Marguerite

Lakshadweep/Laccadive Islands