Alluring Andaman: Inside The Cellular Jail

At the entrance, there are two chambers on either side of the gate where pictures and other memorabilia are on display. Further ahead, two flames burn continuously in memory of the inmates. An ancient peepal tree which has been standing there since the jail's heyday, greets visitors with a gentle rustle of its leaves and comforting shade.

We make way to the central tower. The seven arms are long and imposing. Inside the tower, lists of prisoners' names adorn the walls. We walk along to check out the cells. They are under renovation. The plaster on their walls has been scraped off revealing the bricks inside. All the cells are identical, with just a tiny window for ventilation.

Veer Savarkar, who spent 10 years in this prison from 1911 to 1921, occupied a cell on the top floor at the end of the corridor. We walk up to his cell. The whitewashed walls are bare, except for some pictures of the cell's celebrated inmate. Savarkar composed his epic poem "Kamala" by scribbling it on the walls of his cell.

We walk up the tower to the terrace and are treated to a beautiful view of the sea. The lovely Ross island sits just across like a green jewel in the shimmering blue waters. What a contrast from the suffocating cells to this heavenly spectacle under the open sky!

Befitting its status as a national memorial,  the premises of the prison are very clean and well-maintained. The historical importance attached to this place and the chilling stories of the harsh conditions in which prisoners were kept here, make it an awe-inspiring monument.

Photos by Lata

Downstairs, in one of the common areas between two arms of the prison, some models are on display depicting the harsh punishments meted out to prisoners. Just a short distance away are the gallows where three people could be hanged at once. As we approach, a young man is busy taking pictures of his blushing wife against the backdrop of the three nooses.

Right next to the gallows is the prison kitchen. Isn't it quite paradoxical that the place where the prisoners were terminated is beside the place that kept them alive?

Read the previous post in this series here.

To be continued.

Alluring Andaman: Hello Port Blair!

As we begin our descent into Port Blair, the emerald-green mass starts looking more animated with streets, buildings, and vehicles. For some reason, blue seems to be the popular colour for rooftops, punctuating the dense vegetation with blue rectangles of different sizes. Soon, the aircraft aligns itself over the landing strip in preparation for landing. The touchdown is gentle, followed by gliding on the runway before coming to a complete stop. It is a sunny morning outside with temperature at 28 degrees.

Veer Savarkar's bust at the airport

The long-awaited trip to the Andamans has finally materialised. I am excited to be here in Port Blair! We get out of the aircraft and take the bus to the terminal. The Veer Savarkar International Airport operates out of only one terminal. A new terminal is under construction and will be ready later this year. International operations are also slated to start later. 

Most of those who have arrived are tourists, eager to explore the islands that have become a popular tourist destination. There is one celebrity amongst passengers in our flight: actor Rahul Bose. Later we came to know that he was in Port Blair to take part in the Andaman Marathon of which he is the brand ambassador. 

The Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar comprises 572 islands scattered at the juncture of the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea, of which only about 38 are permanently inhabited. Port Blair is the biggest city and the capital.

We collect our bags and come out of the terminal to meet our escort. He receives us warmly and takes us to our hotel which is just a short ride away. The check-in is smooth and the rooms are clean and comfortable. The escort asks us to rest for a while and be ready at 13:30 to go to the Cellular Jail. That's when it opens after a break. All that I have heard and read about the historic jail comes to my mind, and I am eager to see it.

Known as Kaala Paani during the British rule, the Cellular Jail is an important national memorial monument. It was constructed by the British to keep political prisoners and revolutionaries who were active during India's struggle for independence, in exile. Construction started in 1896 and went on for 10 years. The prison was ready in 1906 for independence activists to be kept in isolation. It was designed especially for this purpose, consisting of a central watch tower from which emerge seven radial arms in such a way that the back of one arm faces the front of the next, ensuring solitary confinement for each of the inmates.  Each arm has three-storeys, containing cells running along the length of the arm. Each cell opens out into a common corridor. There are 696 cells. 

Photos by Lata

Some of the most well-known inmates of the prison are  Batukeshwar Dutt, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, his elder brother Babarao Savarkar, Yogendra Shukla, Bhai Parmanand, Sachindra Nath Sanyal, Sohan Singh, and Subodh Roy amongst many others.

We are on our way to the prison. The road is wide, nice and clean. The vegetation and weather makes the place feel somewhat like Goa and Kerala, but still it is different. Hindi and Bangla are the most commonly spoken languages. Soon, the front facade of the jail comes into view. Part of it is covered because of the ongoing renovation.

Our escort gets the entrance tickets (Rs. 30 each), and we are ready to set foot inside the once-dreaded prison where many lived and died for India's freedom.

To be continued.