Just my luck, my good luck!! The Ministry called for a meeting in Port Blair to discuss connectivity and other issues. So off I went to Port Blair in the Andamans alongwith my colleague MadhuShankar.
Got off at the airport, which was quite small. Foreigners had to register themselves and show their permit at the immigration counters. Strange to see immigration counters at a domestic airport! Anyway went straight to the meeting venue and finally finished around 5 pm. However, we were in the Andamans and because of the common time zone with the rest of India, 5 pm was actually about 7 pm! This meant that we were about to miss the sunset and had barely time to check in at our hotel, dump our stuff, change and venture out for some sightseeing.
That evening we were invited for dinner at the Defence Ministry guest house as guests of the Jt Secretary of Civil Aviation. So before the dinner, we walked around the pier. There was a fireworks display and ships anchored in the harbour were illuminated with lights. It was a full moon night and absolutely beautiful. Then we went for the English session of the sound and light show at the Cellular Jail which is a historic place for all Indians. Learned a bit of the history of the place and the freedom movement.
The next day we took the Makkruzz ferry to Havelock Island which is about 2 hours away. Hired a car and went around the place, first to RadhaNagar Beach and then back to the pier. We hired a boat and went to Dolphin beach for some snorkelling. The beaches are amazing and the water is breathtakingly blue. We had just about enough time for some lunch and then we were back to Port Blair.
That evening we went to Carbyn's cove and had dinner with the ground staff. The moon was supposed to have been 15% bigger and brighter as it was closer to the earth. Tried to capture the beautiful moonlight but my camera failed me. :(
The next morning, admired the view from my hotel balcony which overlooked the bay. Then I went to the Cellular Jail for a daytime visit. Having been for the sound and light show, I kind of knew what to expect and I appreciated the visit better. The museum adjoining the jail had some great paintings depicting the jail, life in the jail, on the island and during the freedom struggle. Learned that there were stamps printed in Germany for the Azad Hind movement to be used in India.
When you think of it, what were the British trying to achieve when they sent prisoners to Port Blair? Were they trying to replicate a similar scenario as the one in Australia? They built a jail which could accommodate 700 prisoners, most of them political ones. However the irony of it is, the view from the jail is spectacular. Hope it made up for the rest of the terrible time the prisoners must have faced there.
The trip reminded me once again about the diversity of our country. I have to go back there to experience the uniqueness of the place before it gets corrupted by commercial tourism.
Got off at the airport, which was quite small. Foreigners had to register themselves and show their permit at the immigration counters. Strange to see immigration counters at a domestic airport! Anyway went straight to the meeting venue and finally finished around 5 pm. However, we were in the Andamans and because of the common time zone with the rest of India, 5 pm was actually about 7 pm! This meant that we were about to miss the sunset and had barely time to check in at our hotel, dump our stuff, change and venture out for some sightseeing.
That evening we were invited for dinner at the Defence Ministry guest house as guests of the Jt Secretary of Civil Aviation. So before the dinner, we walked around the pier. There was a fireworks display and ships anchored in the harbour were illuminated with lights. It was a full moon night and absolutely beautiful. Then we went for the English session of the sound and light show at the Cellular Jail which is a historic place for all Indians. Learned a bit of the history of the place and the freedom movement.
The next day we took the Makkruzz ferry to Havelock Island which is about 2 hours away. Hired a car and went around the place, first to RadhaNagar Beach and then back to the pier. We hired a boat and went to Dolphin beach for some snorkelling. The beaches are amazing and the water is breathtakingly blue. We had just about enough time for some lunch and then we were back to Port Blair.
That evening we went to Carbyn's cove and had dinner with the ground staff. The moon was supposed to have been 15% bigger and brighter as it was closer to the earth. Tried to capture the beautiful moonlight but my camera failed me. :(
The next morning, admired the view from my hotel balcony which overlooked the bay. Then I went to the Cellular Jail for a daytime visit. Having been for the sound and light show, I kind of knew what to expect and I appreciated the visit better. The museum adjoining the jail had some great paintings depicting the jail, life in the jail, on the island and during the freedom struggle. Learned that there were stamps printed in Germany for the Azad Hind movement to be used in India.
When you think of it, what were the British trying to achieve when they sent prisoners to Port Blair? Were they trying to replicate a similar scenario as the one in Australia? They built a jail which could accommodate 700 prisoners, most of them political ones. However the irony of it is, the view from the jail is spectacular. Hope it made up for the rest of the terrible time the prisoners must have faced there.
The trip reminded me once again about the diversity of our country. I have to go back there to experience the uniqueness of the place before it gets corrupted by commercial tourism.
View from the Cellular Jail. Spectacular.
View from my balcony at the Sea Shells, Port Blair.
The Makkruzz ferry from Port Blair to Havelock Island.
The jetty at Havelock Island.
Radha Nagar Beach
Dolphin beach
The eternal flame at the Cellular Jail.
The Cellular Jail, Port Blair.
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