The Stupa at Bodugalu Miskiy, Male’
Xavier Romero-Frias
18 September 2011

The "big stone" that gave name to Bodugalu Miskiy in Male', a renowned mosque in thecapital of Maldives, was the remains of a small Maldivian stupa or chedi built with coralstone. It had quietly survived eight hundred years, after having been defaced at themoment of conversion by having had the spire at the top broken. What remained was whatlooked like a big stone (bodugaa) near the small mosque.
The picture shows the ‘Bodugalu’ already broken, in the background on the right a neatrow of graves with their tombstones and the Bodugalu mosque. The evident marks offreshly disturbed earth around the cracked chedi and the whiteness of the coral in thebroken inner sides indicate that the photograph was taken when the chedi was beingdemolished. The mosque seen on the right side of the picture and its adjacent graveyard
were also destroyed in 1976, following new-fangled guidelines in the urbanization of thecapital of Maldives, Male’. The face of the city would change much during the last quarter ofthe 20th century.

Dr. Ahmed Razee pointed out that not all of this stupa was destroyed and scattered, statingthat ‘… a chunk of this is still around in front of Kulunuvehi building.’
The Stupa at Bodugalu Miskiy was a historical landmark that gave name to a mosque and tosome families in Male'. It might be claimed that some Muslims may feel strongly about thedisplay of a symbol of ancient Maldivian Buddhism, a different faith. But that should havenot mattered, because the stupa had lost its most important part, the spire, so it had
become merely a familiar sight, an old stone without religious meaning. There was no valid
reason to destroy it.
However, some Maldivians have reminded me that it is right for such old things todisappear. They don't see such remains as a national treasure at all and often indicate thatthe concern of foreigners for their own cultural identity is misplaced. They basically wish to
be left alone to continue the destruction. On the other hand, I know many Maldivians whocare for such monuments and think they should be safeguarded.

It is not an exaggeration to assert that more of the ancient cultural remains of the Maldiveshave been destroyed in the last fifty years that in the previous eight centuries that followed
the conversion. One only needs to travel to Toddu Island, to realize that not much is left ofthe coral stone stupa in the picture above that was photographed by Ali Najeeb when thetrees and shrubs that were covering the archaeological remains were cleared last century.

The uncontrolled devastation of the cultural heritage is not limited to the ancient Maldivian
Buddhist ruins. Across the Atolls of the Maldives numerous old mosques, graveyard stones
and other ancient remains of Islamic historical value have suffered the same fate in themost recent decades.
No amount of official protection can keep these silent stones from the attacks of a vandal,
or the haste and recklessness of a constructor, if there is not a general agreement about
their importance to the nation. In order to preserve the National Archaeological Heritage ofthe Maldives, there is a need for unanimity. The ancient monuments can only be preserved
for the future generations, when all Maldivian people without exception agree that theirconservation is not only up to the government, but upon a general agreement that they aresomething to be valued and protected.
After the publication of this article Maldivian journalist Sim Ibrahim Mohamed reflected:‘It's a pity that the preservation of the work and craft of our ancestors is and has beenat the mercy of political elites, in Male' and the Atolls. The fact that durable material
except for coral stone was not available to ancient craftsmen here compounded theproblem. Even the hardiest of wood decays exposed to the harsh elements, especially thesun and the rain. It is not too late, I believe, to save what is left after the wanton
destruction of the fifties through the seventies. But how committed are we to reclaim
our heritage? I don’t know.’

2011 article published in A Secular Maldives on 5 August 2014.