The Light and Sound Show at the Cellular Jail is a must-watch for every visitor. Hordes of people descend at the jail to witness the show every evening. Four or five shows take place daily to accommodate the large number of tourists. The ticket costs Rs. 150 per person.
We arrive for our show early and find that many people have done the same. The park outside the jail is an ideal place to spend time in when you are waiting for your show.
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| The stage is set for the Light and Sound Show! |
Soon, the previous show is over. We enter the jail compound and take our seats. It is a full house. The show begins with a recital of Jana Gana Mana. It is very thrilling to listen to the strains of the familiar tune, standing here in these hallowed premises. For the next one hour, as accounts of inhuman treatment of inmates emerge during the narration, people sit spellbound with a lump in their throat and tears in their eyes.
The inmates were subjected to physical and mental torture in order to break their resolve of fighting for India's freedom. They were routinely employed in
kolhu machines in place of bullocks, to extract oil from coconuts. If they failed to extract their quota, they were subjected to severe punishments like flogging, starving, or being asked to perform more difficult tasks. They were already weighed down by solitary confinement, separation from their homes and families, exile in a remote island, uncertain future, humid weather, insects, bug-infested food, and harsh conditions. What kept them going was their dream to see India achieve independence.
The show tells their story with words, music and lights. One cannot help being sad, as well as proud of the sacrifices these extraordinary people made to set our country free from the British rule. The show gets over, and we leave the jail compound with deep gratitude for all the inmates who lived and died in this jail.
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| View at arrival in Havelock |
The rest of our trip was filled with touristy activities, like watching the sunset at the lovely Wandoor Beach, taking the hour-long cruise to Havelock, visiting the beautiful Radhanagar Beach with its pristine white sands and bright blue waters, 20-minute speedboat ride to the Elephant Beach, and looking at exquisite corals from a glass-bottom boat.
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| Photos by Lata |
All the outings were very enjoyable indeed, but the high point of the trip for me will always be the visit to the Cellular Jail, and the Light and Sound Show!
Read the first post in this series
here and the second post
here.
