Andaman - Chota Break

Andamans or Kala Paani (Black Water)

For centuries, Andamans have been nicknamed Kala Paani. So much so that people on the mainland often relate it to a punishment center (details are furnished later on the page). But truly, Andamans is much more than simply a cellular jail and sea beaches.

The Islands are located in the Bay of Bengal at a distance of more than 1200 Km from the mainland. This Union Territory is stretched over an area of more than 700 Km. from north to south with 36 inhabited islands and is divided into two districts – Andaman to the North and Nicobar to the South. The Ten Degrees Channel separates the two by about 90 nm of sea. These islands are the continuation of the Arakan Yoma mountain range extending from Myanmar to the Achin Head of Indonesia.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands comprise 572 islands of which 32 are inhabited. Earlier, pre-tsunami, 38 of them were inhabited but after the Tsunami, two islands viz., Trinket and Bambuka were evacuated. The islands have a coverage of evergreen tropical rain forests up to 86%.

History of Kala Paani

The modern history of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands begins with the bringing of 200 mutineers of 1857 in January 1958. The construction of the Cellular Jail (present National Memorial) began in 1896 and was completed in 1906. In the year 1789, they first discovered the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. However, due to the natural calamities, they left the island by 1796. The second settlement was a penal settlement, taken up in 1858, after the First War of Independence, followed by the settlement of convicts, Moplas, some criminal tribes from Central and United Provinces, refugees from erstwhile East Pakistan, Burma, and Sri Lanka as well as ex-servicemen.

Penal Settlement

It was in 1857, after India’s First War of Independence, that a penal colony was attempted at Port Blair with an initial lot of 200 freedom fighters who, for the first time, attempted to overthrow British rule in India. The number of freedom fighters increased to 773 within three months.

During 1869 – 70 many Wahabi Movement activists who rose against British rule were deported from the Central and United Provinces of undivided India to Andaman. One amongst them was Mohd. Sher Ali Khan (a Pathan), assassinated Lord Mayo, the Viceroy and Governor General of India on 08 February 1872 at Hope Town Jetty (now called Panighat) Later, in the same year, Sher Ali Khan was executed in Viper Island by the British. On 13 September 1893, the British Government of India ordered the construction of a cellular jail to accommodate 600 prisoners. Prior to the construction of the Cellular Jail, male convicts were held in a jail on Viper Island and women convicts in South Point barracks (near the present-day hotel Sinclair).

Japanese Invasion

During the 2nd World War, the British hastily evacuated and abandoned these Islands in the face of advancing Japanese Forces, allowing Japanese occupation of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The Japanese brutally ruled the territory for four years from 1942 to 1945. During this period, the Japanese took up massive fortification on these islands through the construction of airfields (Port Blair, Rutland, Car Nicobar), the installation of Radars and guns for an air defense network, chain of foreshore concrete pill boxes.

On the morning of 7th October 1945, the Armada carrying 116 Indian infantry brigade of South East Asian allied Land force under the command of Brigadier A.J. Solomon surrounded Port Blair Compelling about 20,000 armed Japanese forces to surrender on 9th October 1945.

With the advent of Indian Independence on 15th August 1947, these islands were merged with the Indian mainstream.