Port Blair

Entrance to the historic Cellular Jail

Template:Infobox Indian jurisdiction Port Blair (Hindi: पोर्ट ब्लेयर, Bengali: পোর্ট ব্লেয়ার, ) is the largest town and a municipal council in Andaman district in the Andaman Islands and the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a union territory of India. It lies on the east coast of South Andaman Island and is the main entry point to the islands.

Port Blair is the headquarters for the Indian district of South Andaman, and the local administrative sub-division (tehsil), which is also called Port Blair. It is home to several museums and a major base for the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard. It is also the headquarters of the Tri Services Command.

History

The Ross Island Prison Headquarters, 1872

In 1789 the government of Bengal established a penal colony on Chatham Island in the southeast bay of Great Andaman, named Port Blair to honour Lieutenant Archibald Blair of the British East India Company. After two years, the colony moved to the northeast part of Great Andaman and was named Port Cornwallis after Admiral William Cornwallis. However, there was much disease and death in the penal colony, and the government ceased operating it in May 1796.

In 1824 Port Cornwallis was the rendezvous of the fleet carrying the army to the First Anglo-Burmese War. In the 1830s and 1840s, shipwrecked crews who landed on the Andamans were often attacked and killed by the natives, alarming the British government. In 1855, the government proposed another settlement on the islands, including a convict establishment, but the Indian Rebellion of 1857 forced a delay in its construction.

However, since the rebellion provided the British with a lot of new prisoners, it made the new Andaman settlement and prison an urgent necessity. Construction began in November 1857 at the renovated Port Blair, avoiding the vicinity of a salt swamp which seemed to have been the source of many of the old colony's problems. The penal colony was originally on Viper Island, named after Lieutenant Blair's vessel, The Viper. The convicts, mostly political prisoners, suffered life imprisonment at hard labor under cruel and degrading conditions. Many were hanged, while others died of disease and starvation. Between 1864 and 1867 a penal establishment was also built with convict labor on the northern side of Ross Island. These structures are now in ruins.

As the Indian freedom movement continued to grow in the late 19th Century, an enormous Cellular Jail was constructed between 1896 and 1906 to house Indian convicts, mostly political prisoners, in solitary confinement. The Cellular Jail is also known as Kala Pani (translated as "Black Waters"), a name given to it due to the torture and general ill-treatment towards its Indian convicts.

For a time during 1943 and 1944, Port Blair was the headquarters of the Azad Hind government under Subhash Chandra Bose.

Although affected by the Tsunami and 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, Port Blair survived sufficiently to act as a base for relief efforts in the islands.

Geography and climate

Port Blair has a tropical monsoon climate, with little variation in average temperature and large amounts of precipitation throughout the year. All months except January, February and March receive substantial rainfall.

Climate data for Port Blair
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	29.4 (84.9)	30.2 (86.4)	31.5 (88.7)	32.5 (90.5)	31.1 (88.0)	29.6 (85.3)	29.2 (84.6)	29.1 (84.4)	29.1 (84.4)	29.6 (85.3)	29.7 (85.5)	29.4 (84.9)	30.0 (86.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	23.1 (73.6)	22.5 (72.5)	23.2 (73.8)	24.7 (76.5)	24.7 (76.5)	24.4 (75.9)	24.3 (75.7)	24.2 (75.6)	23.7 (74.7)	23.7 (74.7)	23.9 (75.0)	23.6 (74.5)	23.8 (74.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	46.4 (1.83)	26.5 (1.04)	29.3 (1.15)	69.0 (2.72)	360.4 (14.19)	501.1 (19.73)	423.7 (16.68)	425.1 (16.74)	463.0 (18.23)	300.7 (11.84)	235.0 (9.25)	154.6 (6.09)	3,034.8 (119.49)

Demographics

As of 2003 India census, Port Blair had a population of 100,186. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Port Blair has an average literacy rate of 81%, higher than the national average of 79.9%: male literacy is 81%, and female literacy is 72%. In Port Blair, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age. But the current population could differ by much because of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.

Education and Institutions

There are a number of both government and private schools and colleges. Some of the better known schools are:-

• Mahatma Gandhi International School
• Carmel Senior Secondary School
• Naval Children School
• Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya
• Kendriya Vidyalaya-1
• Nirmala School

Colleges and Institutes at Port Blair

• Jawaharlal Nehru Rajkeeya Mahavidyalaya (JNRM), Port Blair
• Mahatma Gandhi Government College, Mayabunder, North-Middle Andaman
• Govt. Teachers Training Institute, Port Blair
• Dr BR Ambedkar Government Polytechnic, Port Blair
• Tagore Government College of Education, MG Road, Middle Point, Port Blair (http://tgce.and.nic.in/)
• Regional Medical Research Institute (RMRI), Port Blair

Transportation

Travel to Port Blair

Port Blair is connected to mainland India through flight and ship. Daily flights ply from Chennai and Kolkata to (Veer Savarkar Airport) Port Blair. Beside this a chartered flight organised by the website makemytrip.com takes off from Bangalore about once a week during tourist seasons (based on demand). There is also a regular Jetlite flight from New Delhi via Kolkata during tourist seasons. One can also take a ship from the Indian cities of Chennai, Kolkata or Vishakapatnam to Port Blair. There is a sailing generally twice or thrice a month from Chennai/Kolkata/Vizag to Port Blair.

Travel within the Andaman Islands and Port Blair

Ferry Boats link Port Blair to outlying islands. Private and state-owned "State transport service" buses are available for intra- and inter-island travel. Inter- island buses are available for Baratang, Rangat, Mayabunder and Diglipur.

Places of interest

1.) Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park

The Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park at Wandoor, at a distance of 29 km from Port Blair, covers an area of 281.5 km². This marine park, made-up of open sea, creeks and 15 small and large islands, is one of the best found anywhere in the world. Viewing of rare corals and underwater marine life through glass bottom boats, SCUBA diving and snorkelling are a lifetime experience for anyone.

2.) Gandhi Park

This beautiful park at Port Blair has facilities like amusement rides, safe water sports, nature trail around the lake, garden, restaurant and historic remains like Japanese Temple as well as a bunker. The erstwhile Dilthaman tank, which was the only source of drinking water to Port Blair, and the area around it was developed into Gandhi Park in an unbelievably short time of 13 days.

3.) Sippighat Farm (14 km)

Sprawling over an area of 80 acres (320,000 m²) is a Government farm. Research & Development programmes for cultivation of spices like cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, coconut and pepper are conducted here. A research and demonstration farm of the Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI) is nearby.

4.) Chidiya Tapu (25 km from Port Blair)

Chidiya Tapu is the southernmost tip of South Andaman. The lush green mangroves, forest cover with numerous chirping birds and the Sylvan Sands and Munda pahar beaches make it an ideal picnic site. The forest guesthouse situated on top of a hillock provides a fabulous view of isolated islands, submerged corals and the breath-taking sunset. Conducted tours are available from Andaman Teal House, Port Blair.

5.) Collinpur (36 km from Port Blair)

Situated near to Tirur, this place has a beautiful sandy beach with shallow water. Suitable for swimming, sun basking and viewing sunset.

6.) Madhuban (75 km by road/20 km by ferry and road from Port Blair)

This place is a trekking area, north east of South Andaman. Exotic endemic birds, animals, butterflies, and elephant lumbering are the most interesting part of the trek.

7.) Mount Harriet (55 km, by road/15 km by ferry and road from Port Blair)

The summer headquarters of the Chief Commissioner during British Raj, this is an ideal place for a fascinating over view of the outer islands and the sea. It is the highest peak in the South Andamans (365 metres high). One can trek up to Madhuban through a nature trail and can find rare endemic birds, animals and butterflies. Conducted tours to Mt. Harriet are available from Andaman Teal House.

8.) Mini Zoo

Mini Zoo situated at Haddo (Delanipur - Chatham road). It houses some of the rare species of endemic birds and animals found in these islands.

9.) Wandoor

A beautiful beach located 25 km from Port Blair, with shallow green waters.

10.)Ross Island

Referred to as the Paris of the East , Ross Island was the administrative headquarters of the British. It extends over an area of around 0.6 sq km. Ross Island is famous for its historical backgrounds and ruins which give a vivid depiction of the bygone era. One will find here well-landscaped lawns leading up to clubhouses, swimming pools, granaries, officer messes, tennis courts, a majestic church now ruined after the earthquake of 1941, graveyard with headstones of army officers who saw an early death and also of an infant who lived only for 22 hours and a small museum Smritika which depicts the history of the island and has been set up by the Navy.

One can visit Ross island during day time as the boat services are available from the Phoenix Bay jetty at 8.30 AM, 10.30 AM, and 12.30 PM.

Images

Centre of Port Blair in December 2004, a couple of days before the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.

Chatham Island off Port Blair

Vir Savarkar Airport, Port Blair

References

• World Gazetteer: Port Blair (coordinates and population)

External links

• Andaman Tourism
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Port Blair
• http://www.and.nic.in/ [Andaman & Nicobar Administration Web site]
• Andaman & Nicobar Islands - Places of Interest