Cellular Jail National Memorial at Port Blair is the
most important monument of these islands. It has been a witness to the
inhuman tortures meted out to the freedom fighters incarcerated in this
Jail. Completed in 1906, this jail came to be known as 'cellular'
because it is entirely made up of individual cells intended for the
solitary confinement of the prisoners. Out of the 7 prongs, only three
have survived and the place is now a pilgrimage for the people who love
their motherland and its freedom. all freedom loving people, has been
declared a National Memorial. After the First War of Independence in
1857, British transported the most unrelenting patriots to first the
awful jails at Viper Island and then the Cellular Jail and most of them
used to perish here itself. This was the reason that the place came to
be known as Black Water Prison and 'Kala Pani'.
Netaji Subash Chandra Bose hoisted the tricolor flag to proclaim
Independence on 30th December 1943 at a place near this three-storeyed
jail where inhumane atrocities were meted out to the said-convicts or
the most influential freedom fighters. It also houses a Museum, an Art
gallery and a Photo gallery. Ross Island, the erstwhile capital of
Andaman Islands during the British Raj period houses the colonial ruins
of old buildings like Ballroom, Chief Commissioner's House, Govt. House,
Church, Hospital, Bakery, Press, Swimming Pool and Troop Barracks that
are all in dilapidated condition. During British occupation, the island
was the seat of power and was developed into a self-equipped civilized
town. It was Dr. Walker, Chairman of the Andaman Committee who
established the infamous and the dreaded Penal Settlement with 200
convicts.
The British persuaded the tribals to live at Ross Island and
established an Andaman Home for them in 1863. Later on, these Andamanese
were used to catch the escaping convicts. Navy has established a museum
on the Island known as 'Smritika' depicting the history of the Island.
It is difficult to imagine what has passed in this tiny, serene,
beautiful Viper island where influential freedom fighters proclaimed as
dangerous convicts were put in fetters and forced to work with them.
Owing to the atrocious working conditions, the jail earned the notorious
name of Viper Chain Gang Jail. Gallows were built here on top of a
hillock so that all the prisoners can see the execution of the
said-convicts. Sher Ali, the Pathan who murdered Lord Mayo was hanged at
Viper Island.
Anthropological Museum at Phoenix Bay exhibits the life of the
Paleolithic Islanders while Aquarium or Fisheries Museum exhibits
species of marine life peculiar to the islands. Samudrika or Naval
Marine Museum at Delanipur aims to create awareness on various aspects
of oceanic environment and has a good collection of shells, corals and a
few species of colorful fishes found in these islands. Zoological Survey
of India Museum exhibit a good variety of sponges, corals, butterflies
and centipedes while Forest Museum at Haddo offers an insight into
forest activities through scale models and displays decorative wood
pieces made up of Padauk, Marble, Peauma, Gurjan and Satin Wood.




