The Story of Kehelhaa and Behelhaa

The story of Kehelhaa and Behelhaa is a folklore that has been passed down from generations. The last person to have been known to narrate the story often in Meedhoo was Athiragey Ali Manikfan. There are those still alive who claim to have heard the story from him.

Folklores often have real incidents at its root despite being adulterated for the sake of entertainment. Even though this chronicle makes no claim about its accuracy, it attempts to gather in writing a dying lore that may hold truths – even if exaggerated – of the far gone past.

Kehelhiya and Behelhiya (commonly known with the residents of the islands as Kehelhaa and Behelhaa) were siblings who lived long before the Islamisation of the Maldives. Kehelhaa lived in Meedhoo whilst Behelhaa resided in Hulhudhoo. At the time, Hulhudhoo and Meedhoo were not the single continuous land that we see now, rather two separate islands within the same lagoon. Meedhoo was slightly larger and was far more agriculturally dense. Meedhoo was then ruled by Kehelhaa and Hulhudhoo by Behelhaa. The ownership of these two islands were inherited by the brothers from their father who had ruled over both the islands in his time. The bigger slice of the inheritance – Meedhoo – was taken by the eldest son, Kehelhaa, leaving Behelhaa with Hulhudhoo.

One day, a vigorous rainstorm eroded the lands of Hulhudhoo beyond restore and made life for the residents increasingly difficult. Hulhudhoo was then located in the lagoon southwest from what we now know as Moosaage-fannu in Meedhoo. After Hulhudhoo met its fate, only a big rock stood in place the island once stood. This rock was the original ‘bondo galaa’ (translated to English, it simply means ‘big rock’) as named by the residents, even though another large rock on the reefs visible from the north of Koagannu was later referred to by the same title.

When the fear of Hulhudhoo eroding out of existence grew imminent, Behelhaa sent a letter to his brother Kehelhaa describing the state of the island, and the fear of Hulhudhoo not surviving the upcoming Southwest monsoon. Behelhaa did not dare personally visit his brother after the quarrels prompted by the unfair distribution of their father’s wealth. Nevertheless, he begged Kehelhaa to value the bond of brotherhood and grant him and his citizens a small land to live by from the south of Meedhoo. Kehelhaa answers this letter, giving permission to his little brother and his citizens to land on a small islet south of Meedhoo. However, without any proper resources available on the beaches of the islet, Behelhaa and his citizens were living in distressing circumstances while Kehelhaa and the rest of Meedhoo’s citizens were living a prosperous life on their side of the land. While Behelhaa was starving, Kehelhaa’s people had a surplus of food sources consisting of bananas from their banana trees and coconuts from their coconut palms. Behelhaa was driven to beg for food from his brother each time they were in dire need.

As farming only bloomed further into Meedhoo’s land, Behelhaa asked Kehelhaa of one more favour; to bestow upon him a piece of land rich in coconut palms. Kehelhaa denied the request fervently but contributed young coconut palms to plant in the small islet and wait for it to bloom. Because of the considerable waiting period before the palms fully grow, Behelhaa was left to willow in envy of his brother’s wealthy life. Seeing the comfort of Kehelhaa’s life; eating bananas and drinking coconut water, oiling his skin with coconut oil and in the bed of a wife a night was quite hard for Behelhaa to digest. This was comprehensible considering all of his wealth was once their father’s, and Behelhaa was unjustly robbed off a fair part of it. Behelhaa was left to beg for even the coconut oil to ease the cracks on his skin.

Behelhaa continued begging his brother for more land due to the slow development of the palms in his little islet, until Kehelhaa finally gave in and allowed him to have the ‘Dhookede’ area that was adjacent to the islet and on Meedhoo’s land. Nevertheless, Behelhaa returned a few days later declaring the land was not enough and requested the coconut palm tree farmland in the west of Meedhoo, claiming that it will suffice for all their needs.

When Kehelhaa refused this request, Behelhaa was enraged. Due to Behelhaa’s poor conduct and initiation of an argument, Kehelhaa took back even the land that he initially gave and ordered his little brother to leave. This meeting took place under a Hernandia tree in Kehelhaa Fannu. This tree – which was also Kehelhaa’s property – was quite large and blessed its surroundings with cool breezes. Anyhow, the argument eventually aggravated into a physical duel that took place on the beach of Kehelhaa Fannu (Kehelhaa Fannu is the the beachside near the Hulhumeedhoo Powerhouse of now). The brothers warned the people gathered to not interfere mid-fight, and that the one who wins the brawl would rule over both islands.

However, as the grievous event unfolded both the brothers died at the hands of the other one simultaneously. The graves of Kehelhaa and Behelhaa are side by side and were distinct up until very late. The graves were underneath the aforementioned Hernandia tree; visible towards the left from the Dhookede beach area.

The folklore has inspired an old saying that compares the demise of Behelhaa to ungrateful people. In the olden days, the island folks would often say Nadhur (take vows) on the graves of Kehelhaa and Behelhaa. These Nadhur were fulfilled unlike any other; a coconut or a palm leaf was bashed on top of the graves.

During those days, Hulhudhoo and Meedhoo’s citizens would often get into fights during Eid celebrations. The fights were met with comments likening them to the lore of Kehelhaa and Behelhaa’s legendary fight. These comments were also often used in circumstances of a fight between two siblings.

Generally speaking, it is fair to say that the story of Kehelhaa and Behelhaa has impacted the traditions of the residents of both the islands to a considerable amount.
Retold in English, by A.z.z