Santhi Mariyambu Enters the Digital Age in Ooredoo’s 2025 AI Calendar

Ooredoo Maldives has breathed new life into one of the nation’s most chilling folklore figures—Santhi Mariyambu—through the latest chapter of its AI-powered 2025 calendar. For the month of April, the haunting character known for her eerie visits in the night takes center stage in a digital reimagining that merges age-old storytelling with cutting-edge technology.

Santhi Mariyambu, a spectral figure from Maldivian oral tradition, is remembered for her unnerving ritual: quietly trading worn teeth for flawless ones, but only for the well-behaved. More than a myth, her story has long stood as a cautionary tale, discouraging idle gossip and promoting mindfulness in speech. Now, thanks to Ooredoo’s innovative platform, users can interact with the legend like never before.

Launched at the beginning of the year, Ooredoo’s AI-powered calendar is a year-long project that revives 12 traditional folklore characters, including Foolhudhigu Handi and Safari Kaiydha. Each month unveils a new figure, brought to life with artificial intelligence that allows users to chat with the characters, ask questions, and explore the cultural fabric behind their stories.

Through this initiative, Ooredoo aims to fuse tradition with technology as part of its broader “Digital Maldives” vision—a mission to preserve and promote local heritage through digital platforms. “Let April be a month of reflection and curiosity,” the company announced, encouraging users to engage with the tale of Santhi Mariyambu and discover the values embedded in Maldivian folklore.

The interactive calendar is available at ore.do/aifolktales, where each character becomes accessible at the start of their featured month. For April, that means a virtual encounter with one of the archipelago’s most enigmatic guardians of behavior, reimagined for a new generation.