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Maldives National Day Celebrations in Male
Maldives National Day, known locally as Gaumee Dhuvas, commemorates Muhammad Thakurufaanu al-Auzam's 1573 victory over Portuguese colonial forces, ending fifteen years of Portuguese occupation. Observed on the first of Rabi al-Awwal in the Islamic lunar calendar, the date shifts each Gregorian year, with celebrations in Male and other islands including parades, colour festivals, and route marches.
Maldives National Day, or Gaumee Dhuvas, commemorates a defining moment in the country's history: the 1573 defeat of Portuguese colonial forces by Muhammad Thakurufaanu al-Auzam, a victory that ended fifteen years of occupation that began when Portugal seized control of the islands in 1558.