Explaining harubas: Maldivian proverbs with love and wisdom

Turquoise waters, white sandy beaches and vibrant coral reefs - this is the Maldives the world knows. Visited by millions annually, every bit of the country has been explored twice over by bloggers, honeymooners, adventurers and luxury travellers. But beyond the picture perfect scenery, the people who call Maldives their home hold dear a lesser known treasure; their language, Dhivehi.

Dhivehi is the official language of the Maldives, a language so unique that only about 500,000 in the entire world understand its spoken and written form. Adding to its uniqueness is Thaana, the script in which Dhivehi is written - a letter system with origins as fascinating as the early days of Maldives itself.