Before you book a package tour to Andaman for a trip just get to know A Brief History of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands: These islands are steeped in history. Each location engulfs a harsh or beautiful history, bringing to light the struggles we endured and the optimism we fought for.
One of the primary reasons Andaman has a historical stamp is due to British control. The island fell under British rule in the nineteenth century and has a strong connection to the war for freedom.
Book a package tour to Andaman for travel to a memorial place and must make a point of seeing these historical locations, each of which has a great story to tell.
Visit the following significant historical landmarks:
- Cellular Jail, also known as Kalapani Jail, was a prison where independence fighters were imprisoned.
- Ross Island was the first British colony in the Andaman Islands.
- Viper Island, where female and male inmates were tortured.
- Chatham Saw Mill, where Indians were forced to labor as slaves cutting wood.
- Hopetown
- Harriet
You should be cognizant of knowledge and statistics:
- Ancient archaeological evidence indicates that the islands were inhabited circa 800 BC.
- This occurred somewhere during the middle Paleolithic period.
- The Andaman Nicobar Islands were first mentioned in Ptolemy’s geographical treatises in the second century AD.
- The islands were mostly inhabited by the Great Andamanese, Jarawas, Onges, Shompens, and Sentinelese tribes.
- In its early years, the Chola dynasty used the Andamans as a naval base for excursions to the Sriwijaya Empire in Indonesia.
- Soon afterward, the Danish occupied it and called it the Danish East India Company.
- The islands were prone to unexpected epidemic outbreaks, the most prevalent of which was malaria.
- Following the Danish abandonment of the Andamans, the British began colonization.
- The British purchased the islands from the Danish and attempted to establish a colony here.
- In 1777, British Lieutenant Archibald Blair selected Port Blair as the location for the prison colony.
- In 1858, the colony was formed successfully.
- The British exploited the Andamans Islands to confine political prisoners in Cellular Jail.
- Political prisoners imprisoned during the 1857 mutiny were compelled to construct their jail on the island.
- 773 captives were sent to the Andaman Islands, of whom 292 died, fled, or were hung in less than two months.
- By 1864, the jail population had risen to 3,000.
- The jail remained operational until 1945 when it was closed and remains standing today as a monument of the past.
- Cellular Jail was also known as Kalapani because of the near-impossibility of escape.
- The islands were seized by Japanese forces during the Second World War.
- It was one of the most heinous periods in the Andamans’ history, with hundreds of indigenous tribe members accused of working with the British being slaughtered.
- During this period, bombings and surprise operations against the Great Andamanese and Jarawas were regular.
- British abandoned Andamans shortly after independence, and it became a part of India in 1950.
- In 1956, the islands were designated as a union territory.
If you are planning Book a tour packages Andaman and you must make an effort to learn about these Indigenous Peoples and Isolated Tribes of the Andaman Islands, each with its own unique tale.
Indigenous Peoples and Isolated Tribes of the Andaman Islands: (Jarawas, Sentinels & More)
- The indigenous tribes of the Andamans are classified as eramtaga and ar-yuato.
- Eramtaga was known to reside in the forest, whereas ar-yuato were known to live by the coast.
- Shompens with Asian appearances and Mongolian traits are believed to have arrived from east and north Asia.
- The origins of Andaman’s black population, which is considered to have African ancestors, remain a big enigma.
- In the twentieth century, Alfred Radcliffe-Brown did fieldwork and study on the Andamanese, but the origins of the indigenous community remain unclear.
- Chinese, Japanese, and British traders and settlers posed a challenge to the earliest indigenous residents.
- The tribal population was wiped off by tree felling, alcohol and opium addiction, and disease introduction.
- The indigenous people of the Nicobar Islands, dubbed Nicobarese, have embraced the contemporary culture, most notably Christianity.
Before you Book a package tour to Andaman consider something unusual, such as The Sentinels, who live on an isolated island with no connection to the outside world.
The Sentinels: The Sentinels dwell on a remote island with no touch with the outside world.
- Sentinel Island is the name of the island, which is located in the Middle Andamans.
- They are hostile to outsiders and deny entry to their island.
- Numerous instances of antagonism have been documented, the most recent being in 2018.
- Boats approaching Sentinel Island’s beach are frequently assaulted with spears and bows.
- Until recently, there appears to be a scarcity of knowledge concerning them.
- It is prohibited to travel or approach Sentinel Island.
The Great Andamanese were the biggest group during colonization.
- At the moment, just 50 Great Andamanese are known to exist.
- In the 1860s, Rev Henry Corbyn established a home on Ross Island and required that the residents learn English, reading, and writing, as well as how to dress.
- In 1864, five children and three adults were taken on a sightseeing tour of Calcutta.
- Within three years, the majority of the people perished through sickness and addiction.
- Recently, Great Andamanese was forced to establish a breeding center on Strait Island, located in the Middle Andamans.
- They are now obliged to seek food, clothes, and shelter from Indian officials.
- The Great Andamanese spoke their language, which they called “Bo.”
- The last tribe member to speak Bo passed away in January 2010.
The Jarawas: The Jarawas were Port Blair’s indigenous people, who were relocated to off-areas when Port Blair was developed.
- Around 300 Jarawas remain alive and are found in isolated parts of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- Their estates were used to construct the Great Andaman Trunk Road (ATR).
- During the 1980s and 1990s, Jarawas were enraged by land encroachments for road construction and settlements, and petty clashes costing tribe lives were regular.
- The Jarawa Lands have been expanded by 190 square kilometers by the government.
- Following a 2002 Supreme Court order to close the ATR (Andaman Trunk Route), the road was reopened in 2013 following a legal reversal, allowing visitors and civilians access.
- The voyage to Baratang and other Middle Andamans attractions must be made through the ATR road, which passes through the Jarawa lands.
- Despite several attempts to keep Jarawas and residents apart, the Jarawas occasionally visit surrounding communities and cities.
The Onge: The Onge are sometimes referred to as Gaubolambe.
- They are said to be of Mongolian ancestry, hailing from northern and western Asia.
- Throughout the years, the connections with the Onge have been quite pleasant.
- They are largely isolated from civilization and have established themselves on Little Andaman.
- They are identified by their use of white clay and ochre body paint.
- Both residents and outsiders are severely prohibited from entering the Onge reserves.
- Only about 100 Onge’s remain were alive today.
- Vushwajit Pandya researched their hunting abilities, beliefs, and traditions.
- This ethnographic research is included in his previously released book, Above the Forest.
- Outside their reserve, which is usually visited by anthropologists, Onge’s rarely established contact.
Geographical Facts, Flora, and Fauna: Andaman and Nicobar consist of 306 islands and 206 rocks and islets.
- The tropical rainforests of this region are home to around 6400 marine and terrestrial species.
- Additionally, there are about 240 species of birds, both indigenous and migratory.
- Additionally, the rainforests are home to 3000 plant species. The most prevalent are palms, mangroves, and woods.
- The Andaman Islands are home to one of the world’s largest wildlife reserves.
- Additionally, it is home to nine national parks.
- Coral reefs thrive in the Andaman Islands and are a major tourist attraction.
- Corals, along with shells and pebbles found along shorelines, are protected by the forest department.
- To return with a memento of shells, rocks, or any other marine decorations, you must provide an official receipt from an Andaman government-recognized handicraft shop
package tour to andaman at the airport.
