History Of Andaman

By Author: JINTO VARGHESE
Total Articles: 2
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Andamans often also called the Kaala Pani or Black Waters are usually referred by the people in mainland India that it is where the prisoners are kept for punishment. However, people often are unaware of the many other important things about Andamans. These bunches of islands are located on the Bay of Bengal and is divided into Andaman and Nicobar covering a total area of 700 kms. Andamans like Nicobar has many tropical rain forests.
There is a myth that the name Andaman was derived from Lord Hanuman. People living there are tribals and are the original inhabitants but no one has been able to tell with accuracy as in when they arrived in the island. Some say that the Negrito race were present there some 2000 years ago but apart from there is not many information. For many years it was believed that it was the Portuguese ship that was wrecked and the African slaves that were there in the ship became the ancestors of present Andamanese but later it was confirmed that it was not the Africans but it was Negritos.
The largest tribe here is the Great Andamanese for they are said to be the first ones who arrived here. ...
... Jarawa tribe and the others followed for in Great Andamanese Language Jarawa means stranger. Andamans is also called Kaala Pani due to the existence of the Great Cellular Jail here. This was started by the British Administration in India when the 200 mutineers of 1857 were transported here from the mainland as a form of punishment. However the natural calamity which occurred in 1789 forced the British to leave the place.
This beautiful island was also occupied by Hindu King Rajendra Chola of Chola Dynasty between 1014 to 1042 CE. They came here to make it a strategic naval base for launching naval expedition against Sriwijaya Empire that belonged to island of Indonesia. Andamans in those days was called Tinmaittivu which in Tamil means impure islands. Also in the 17century the island was used by the Marathas as maritime base for ships.
Next settlement in Andamans was the Penal settlement which started in 1858, after the Great Sepoy Mutiny which was then followed by others such as Moplas, refugees from East Pakistan, Burma and Sri Lanka. Various freedom movements that were started against the British rule brought some more prisoners to the Island. This was called the Penal settlement.
Then, the Japanese came who ruled the islands from 1942 to 1945 after they chased the British from there. Japanese showed brutality by taking up massive fortification on these islands. They built airfields, installed Radars to increase their defence network chain. But soon the Japanese had to leave the island for British command of brigadier A. J. Solomon surrounded the island with 116 infantry in 1945. Thus, came the Japanese’s rule to an end in the Andamans go ahead for a romance tour to andaman.
Soon with the advent of Indian independence these islands were merged with the Indian Territory by the British. Therefore, there is more to Andamans than just a cellular jail, exotic beaches and luxurious resorts .
Besides these in andaman we can see so many tourist locations for newly weds. so let's go and enjoy with us.