Once upon a time . . . Well, not that long ago, I made a trip to the Andaman islands. It is India’s farthest outpost and stone’s throw away from the coast of Myanmar and Thailand. You will see Krabi type small islands in the middle of the sea and enjoy the calm lapping waves of the bay waters.
But Andaman and Nicobar Islands is also an important part of India’s history and freedom struggle. It was India’s Alcatraz, if you will – more popularly known as Kaala Paani. Which translates to Black Water. Influential freedom fighters were sent to the cellular jail at Andaman when the British did not want them to have any contact and access to the general population. Keeping them here meant they could not talk to people outside and could not plan or execute new non-cooperation strategy with other freedom fighters.
Getting to Andaman’s is a long trip, over the main land and across the sea. You can either take a flight from Chennai or Kolkata, or hop on to a boat if you wish to experience traveling on a boat. Indian aviation industry wasn’t booming at the time an there were only a few flight connecting from different places in India. The idea of a long boat ride wasn’t too enticing to all in our group, and to save traveling time, we decided to reach Chennai by train and then take a Air India Airlines flight to Veer Sawarkar International Airport, Port Blair. The sparsely populated, winding island roads took us to our hotel, which was near to the airport as well as not too far from the cellular jail and the marina.
It has been some time now, and I can’t remember the name of the hotel. But I do remeber the bustling marina. After settling in, we made our way to the cellular jail. You can’t miss the feeling of doom as soon as you enter the jail premises. The feeling of surrounded by hundreds of prison cells, with moss all over the walls and humid damp smell gives you a glimpse of life in the jail. But that is just the beginning. The tour of the jail with Gallows, Veer Sawarkars prison cell at the end of the upper floor and the manual oil mill operated by prisoners can make the strongest among us feel the pain.
These were not the days of digital cameras, and adding a film to the camera was tricky. Unfortunately the idiot who did that for us got it wrong and none of the photos I thought I was clicking made it throuh. So I don’t have a single picture of this iconic cellular jail. But as long as I have my memory, this emotional experience will stay with me forever.
There is more than just a tour of the cellular jail. You must return in the evening to experience the sound and light show in the jail premises. A baritone voice of Amrish Puri – or was t Om Puri – will take you through the history of the jail and day-to-day life and battles of the freedom fighters lodged in the cellular jail. These prisoner were no ordinary men. They were intelligent, resourceful, and motivated. Motivated to endure and do all that is required to free their motherland.
To keep the British workforce and families safe, the British government used an island just across the jail and the marina – the Ross Island. You can take a short ferry ride to the island, where the old houses and halls are still preserved for tourists. The position of the island was such that the jailer and other staff could always see the jail from the island and keep a watch.
Although all this can be very disturbing, it is an inalienable part of our history and as important as the visit to the Taj Mahal or Red Fort. And there is lots more to explore here that you can’t on India’s mainland. After an exhausting day we retired to our rooms and planned for the next day.
The next day we traveled to the opposite side of the island to visit the Jolly Buoy island. You need to travel by road to the other end of the island and then take a boat – which might not seem fit for travel – to this small island surrounded by coral beds. This a eco protected territory and you cannot take any water bottles or plastic with you on the island. So don’t carry a lot of stuff or you will have to throw it away. Once you reach the island you will get some time to explore the uninhabited land mass and walk along the beach, before you hop on to the glass bottom boat to watch the coral formations. Don’t forget to step a bit onto the waters along the shore. You will soon surrounded by small fish that will tickle you and nibble at your feet.
There will be many other small Islands that you will get to visit around the main landmass like the Viper Island and the Chidiyatapu, each with a history and significance of it is own. These island tours took most of our day and we returned to spend the evening at the Marina before heading back to our hotel.
I was completely enamored by the laid-back life of the island by the third day and was dreaming about finding a job here and spend the rest of my life. This happens always almost I am near a small sea town. :)
But wait, it’s not all over. When you are around so much water, there has to be a trip to the beach. Most of the coastline is rugged and mountainous, but there is a little cove on the eastern shore of the island where the calm Andaman waters lap over you as you swim along the shore. The almost empty beach has a restaurant a few feet away where you can enjoy fresh seafood and sip on cold beer as you enjoy the balmy breeze and tepid water of the Corbyn’s Cove beach.
It’s been a long time now. I never returned to find my dream job here, but I am still hopeful of living here some day. And until that happens, I am ready to revisit this beautiful island and explore Nicobar territories, where the government have allowed the aborigines to live and exist the way they have for centuries.
What about you?
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