Pandiyan
Black waters
A standing testimony to the unwholesome aspect of imperialism, the Cellular Jail in Andamans has been made a National Memorial.
The British used to banish the political prisoners during the Indian independence struggle far away from the mainland to the Kaala Pani (Black waters) and send along the sadistic jailers. Records talk about inhuman treatment of the prisoners who had to endure hard labour, physical torture and help the British secure the colony, build roads, bridges and ports in the strategically located cluster of islands.
After 40 to 50 years of such brutality, two prolonged hunger strikes and the intervention of national leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore brought about some changes in the 1930s and finally the repatriation of the inmates.
WW II in Asia saw relentless advance of the Japanese and Andamans were occupied them for three years. Netaji Subhash Bose of Indian National Army who sided with Axis powers for liberating India, in fact, went there to plant the Indian Flag.
British reoccupied Andamans in 1945 and the jail was closed. Surprisingly they started demolishing the jail. Huge protests ensured that at least three wings of the original seven stayed intact. The empty cells today still echo the pain and suffering brought about by unbounded European imperialism of the last few centuries.
Black waters
A standing testimony to the unwholesome aspect of imperialism, the Cellular Jail in Andamans has been made a National Memorial.
The British used to banish the political prisoners during the Indian independence struggle far away from the mainland to the Kaala Pani (Black waters) and send along the sadistic jailers. Records talk about inhuman treatment of the prisoners who had to endure hard labour, physical torture and help the British secure the colony, build roads, bridges and ports in the strategically located cluster of islands.
After 40 to 50 years of such brutality, two prolonged hunger strikes and the intervention of national leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore brought about some changes in the 1930s and finally the repatriation of the inmates.
WW II in Asia saw relentless advance of the Japanese and Andamans were occupied them for three years. Netaji Subhash Bose of Indian National Army who sided with Axis powers for liberating India, in fact, went there to plant the Indian Flag.
British reoccupied Andamans in 1945 and the jail was closed. Surprisingly they started demolishing the jail. Huge protests ensured that at least three wings of the original seven stayed intact. The empty cells today still echo the pain and suffering brought about by unbounded European imperialism of the last few centuries.