The old tree:
As we entered Cellular jail, one
big peepal tree drew our attention.
Over the years, this tree stands as mute testimony of the torture inflicted on
the prisoners, nay inmate of this jail. They were mostly freedom fighters and
calling them prisoners will be an insult to those great men. It has witnessed
people being brought here. It has seen them made to work against their will. It
has heard them shouting “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” as they were flogged. It has
silently watched them taking to gallows for hanging till death. If only, it
could speak, it would tell us in detail what all, the inmates of this jail
suffered.
The Jail:
This remote Island had been used
by the British mostly to exile political prisoners since 1857. As the
Independence movement picked up in late 19th Century, the number of
prisoners being sent to this Island grew and the need to construct a high
security prison was felt. Construction of this jail started in 1896 and it was
completed in 1906 at a cost of Rs. 5.17 lacs.
Architecture:
The original building had seven
wings. At the center, a tower served as watch tower used by guards to keep
watch on the inmates. The wings originated from watch-tower in shape of radials.
The wings were so designed that each wing saw the back of another wing. This
was purposely kept so to avoid the inmates of one wing to communicate with the
inmates of other wing. They were all in solitary confinement. A large bell was
kept in the tower to raise an alarm. Whenever someone was hanged till death,
this bell was sounded to instill fear in others.
Each wing had three stories (G+2)
comprising a total of 693 cells. The size of each cell was 13.5 x 7.5 feet and
a single ventilator was given in each cell at the height of 3 meter. The design
of latches of cells was such that in no case it could be accessed from inside
the cell.
The Jailer:
David Barry, the jailer was a
cruel and ruthless jailer. He would hang the inmates’ upside-down who refused
to follow his orders; would keep them without food for days together, and would
flog them on not meeting the targets given to them. The life of the inmates was
so arduous that some of them tried to end their life. Inmates resorted to
hunger strike to protest against the inhuman treatment being meted out to them.
But it hardly had any impact on Barry. Mahavir Singh, who was an associate of
Bhagat Singh, died while during a hunger strike, he was force fed milk that
went into his lungs. British tied his body to a stone and threw it in the Sea.
The Japanese control:
The Andaman Island was taken over
by the Japanese in 1942. This was the time when Subhash Chandra Bose visited
this Island. At the end of World War II, however, the British regained the
control of this Island.
After Independence:
After independence, demolition of
this jail started but it drew protests from former prisoners as well as leaders.
In 1969, the remaining three wings with the Central Tower were converted into a
National Memorial by the Government of India in memories of all those who suffered
here at the hands of British. It draws large crowd every day and the visit to
Andaman Island is not completed without visiting this Memorial.
Vir Sawarker Cell;
We visited Vir Sawarker Cell that
is situated at far end on one of the wings at 2nd floor. We also saw
gallows where three nooses are still hanging in cruel testimony of the British
era. I put myself in one of the cell and closed the door to feel how the
inmates used to feel during confinement. The two minutes stay was more than
enough for me though I knew that I was free to come out at will.
The Light and Sound Show:
I also observed that lights were
put in veranda at each floor in front of each cell. Electric lanterns were also
hanging there. I could not figure out
why so many lights were there. While watching Light and Sound Show in evening,
I realized that these lights were part of the show to give colorful effect to
these cells and to the veranda.
The Light and Sound Show was
superb and what I have written above was gathered from the commentary during
that show. Om Puri’s deep voice, surrounding sound effects and display of
colorful lights made it an event to remember. All chairs were full and some
extra plastic chairs had to be put to accommodate people. To enjoy the show, it
is advisable to sit in the back rows. As we came out of the Building, equally
large numbers of people were waiting in another queue for their entry for the
second show.
End of first day:
For dinner, we were taken to Vegan
Creek Vegetarian restaurant at M.G.Road in the city. We requested them to
provide some food without onion and garlic and they served us yellow Dal and Gobhi-Masala.
We somehow ate it and reached our Hotel. We were so tired that we did not realize when sleep took over us.
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