Fresh from the polluted confines of Mumbai, we draw in lungsful of clean air as we deplane at the end of our three-hours long flight to Port Blair, Andaman. The airport building with its’ lofty roof and shiny glass walls, white paint and tall potted plants is fairly new. This renovated swankiness has a bust of Veer Savarkar right opposite and reminds us that we now walk on the land where martyrs were once incarcerated. There are 572 islands in Andaman and Nicobar of which only 38 are inhabited and many have been renamed to honor freedom fighters.
PORT BLAIR- the capital
Our prepaid taxi takes us through Port Blair (Or Shri Vijaya Puram as it is now called) with its’ winding roads that play peek-a-boo with the ocean along their route as well as green expanses that flourish as you go inland. Should one wish to stroll around, the presence of pavements all along the road makes walking safe as well as pleasurable. Three-wheeler as well as four-wheeler taxis are easily available everywhere for those who wish to travel in comfort
The cellular jail is the main tourist draw (more of that later). There is a Maritime Museum as well as an Anthropological one for those of us who wish to familiarize ourselves with the original inhabitants (aquatic as well as human\ terrestrial) of these islands. We visited the latter, but found the exhibits lack-lustre and in sore need of being updated.
We did learn however that nestled like a cluster of deeply emerald jewels amidst an azure blue sea, these islands have changed hands more than once in the last one hundred and fifty years. The native Jarawa and Sentinelese tribes (who still inhabit some islands) were followed by the British who mostly used it for their infamous jail until 1939. Later the conquering Japanese as well as the Indian National Army who hoisted the tricolor here stayed briefly before these islands became part of independent India.
A quaint old-town Aberdeen Bazar with an original clock tower is worth a visit. Near the ocean is a flagpole at Tiranga Point that flies the Indian flag with a sign that proclaims that in 1943 this was the first place that Netaji Bose had unfurled the tricolor in defiance of the British. The promenade that curves around this point is selfie worthy and a great place to relax.
Chidya Tapu which is some distance away with a sunset view was also recommended to us, but we did not visit it.
Although Hindi and English are primarily spoken here, Port Blair has a smattering of inhabitants from all corners of India and is thus a ‘mini-India’- a fact that was pointed out to us more than once. In spite of the influx of tourists, it remains clean and relatively crime-free.
CELLULAR JAIL-An ode to our heroes
No visit to Port Blair is complete without a salute to the inhabitants of the cellular jail. Built with prison labour and completed in 1906, it housed hundreds of prisoners for over thirty years. The jail is a place of suffering and tragedy, but also a testament to the resilience of human strength.
This jail was used by the British to isolate those who were particularly stubborn in their resistance to foreign domination. A guide recounted the series of sadistically torturous punishments to weaken these freedom fighters physically as well break their spirit. Beatings, starvation, forced labour, public hangings where the norm for prisoners as was complete isolation in a cramped cell for months on end.
It is said that no prisoner was able to successfully escape the confines of the Andaman Jail.
Such was their despair that the serene blue sea around the island was ironically christened Kaala Paani (black water) a name which was later attached to any form of life imprisonment in Indian jails. It was only in 1939 that widespread protests forced the British to repatriate the prisoners to the mainland.
The visit to the jail is incomplete without a viewing of the ‘Light and sound Show’. Tickets to this show are available online and are in great demand and thus need to be booked in advance.
HAVELOCK ISLAND
Over an hour away by ferry from Port Blair, this island is where most tourists head to enjoy and unwind. The beaches here are clean, the pastimes plentiful and the stay options are varied to suit most pockets.
The ferry from Port Blair to Havelock need to be booked well in advance especially during tourist season. Although more than one ferry line operates with a good frequency between these islands, they are usually full.
The ferry ride is a well-managed affair. Copious amounts of luggage were handled smoothly with little or no adversity, with a system of seat numbers allotted and adhered to, life-jackets for each passenger, food options available as well as barf bags for weak stomachs in choppy seas. The process of actually boarding the ferry though, is an experience that I would hate to repeat. From the craggy cratery ramp over which one rattles one’s luggage over to the muggy overcrowded waiting halls and multiple queues with no supervision or guidance other than the occasional drowned-out shout of “Chaar baje ka ferry ke liye kaun hai?”, this one-hour ordeal represents all that is wrong with Indian officialdom. Irate and worried tourists are largely left to their own devices for figuring out of their departure process with the occasional breakout argument over queue-jumping.
Havelock island itself lived up to its’ promise of being a relaxed destination and pleasing to everyone of all ages. Nature has been bountiful here. The sand was smooth and soothing to bare feet, the sky overhead and the water below clear and blue.
The beaches are many and thus uncrowded and also rather clean for the most part. Many options exist for enjoying the sun, water and sand. Radha Nagar (which we visited), Kala Paththar are the most popular. Taxis are available for a standard fare for travel throughout the island. Beaches have lockers for depositing valuables (charged by the hour), changing rooms, toilets, shower areas.
Havelock is a great destination for families. Entire families with grandparents as well as grandchildren were frolicking on the beach. Beach chairs with umbrellas are also provided for those who wish to sit for a bit.
WATER SPORTS
Elephant Island is the popular place to be if one wishes to indulge in water sports and can be reached via ferry. The jetty for the ferry to Elephant Island is way too chaotic yet surprisingly organized. We purchased tickets, had a number scribbled on our palm and waited to be summoned. Soon, we were bundled onto designated boats and after an exhilarating forty-minute ferry ride we were deposited on a swaying floating jetty into even MORE organized chaos.
Elephant Beach is choc-a-bloc with tourists seeking ‘adventure’ and the entire scene is reminiscent of a Mumbai railway station at peak hour. Rushing, eating, sitting, shouting, waiting for your turn……
A variety of water sports were available to suit all ages and temperaments as well physical abilities.
“Over fifty years of age, asthma, cardiac problems? No SCUBA!” Announces the operator. Undaunted we choose deep-sea snorkeling, which was enchanting enough. Multicolored fish darted by in an undersea wonderland and attracted by the fish-food tossed at them at intervals. The whole experience was recorded with an underwater camera for us to marvel at later.
SUMMARY
Andaman is place for making memories provided one also remembers.
- Prior booking of stay, ferry ride and light and sound show is essential.
- The best weather for tourism here is winter.
- Women of all ages and body-types were unabashedly flaunting summer fashion and enjoying themselves while doing it. Women (even Indian) here are clad in beach-wear and swimming costumes with no lifted brows or lecherous looks sent their way. Therefore, female tourists can don the western outfits and swimwear that one usually wears on trips abroad or in indoor pools.
- Medical attention in case of emergencies although available is not of the level one sees on Baywatch. So, knowing one’s limitations and staying away from crazy risks is advisable.
- Trips to some islands such as Ross Island, Neil Island are worthwhile and can be undertaken if there is time (although we unfortunately did not)
- Stargazing is another way to spend an evening as the clear skies are conducive to this. Hotel receptionists can connect one to the people concerned.
Although the plane ride is longish and expensive, the prospect of a beach vacation without food and language issues or visa and foreign exchange hassles makes Andaman a great destination for any Indian traveler. Unlike Goa which is over-run by foreign tourists and is synonymous with partying, Andaman trips are for family.
A trip worth planning for sure!
