Rannamaari
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Rannamaari (Dhivehi: ރަންނަމާރި) (Ranna lit. almighty and Maari meant sea in old Divehi. Collectively means the almighty of the sea "God of the sea") is a mythical story taught in the Maldives which explains how the Maldivian people converted their faith from Buddhism to Islam. According to the story, Rannamaari, a sea demon haunted the people of the Maldives and he had to be served with a virgin girl once every month for him not to harm the people.
[edit] The Myth
Rannamaari, the notorious sea demon haunted the people of the Maldives since time began. Every month, a virgin had to be sacrificed for the demon, or the people were to face his wrath. A girl was chosen from the inhabitants by the king or his advisors and she would be kept alone on the first night of the month in an isolated temple at the eastern seafront in Malé. At dawn, the girl's family would return to the temple to find the dead body of the girl.
