The capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Port Blair is famous for the historic Cellular Jail that was built by the Britishers in ten years. It was constructed as solitary confinement for Indian political prisoners. This was the most dreaded and grueling colonial jail, which was also referred to as Kala Pani.
It has witnessed the most atrocious punishments imposed on innumerable freedom fighters of India. Open to the public as a national memorial, you can see the whole place soaking in the misery and pain of the revolutionaries. You can climb the stairs, walk through the corridors, get inside the cells, and see the gallows where executions were done by hanging.
At present, the entrance block of the national memorial houses freedom fighters photos and an exhibition gallery on the ground floor. An art gallery (Netaji Gallery) and a library on the Indian freedom movement are on the first floor of the building.
Galleries on the first war of independence and another one displaying a rare collection of old photographs are also on the premises. In memory of all freedom fighters and martyrs, there is an eternal Flame “Freedom-Swatantrya Jyot” that has been erected in the vicinity of the jail.
Timings for Cellular Jail and Jail Museum: 9 am to 5 pm (Open all days except national holidays)
Address: Atlanta Point, Port Blair, Andaman, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, 744104, India
The Light and Sound Show at Cellular Jail is a must-see when in Port Blair. Son-et-Lumiere (Sound and Light Show) presents the saga of the heroic freedom struggle. The entry fee for kids is Rs. 25 and for adults, it is Rs. 50. Along with the language (Hindi or English), you can also choose any of the following timings to watch the one-hour show:
The construction of Cellular Jail began in 1896 and was completed in 1906. This unique three-storied structure was the first of its kind in India. Spread as seven spokes of a bicycle wheel, it had 693 cells specially built for solitary confinement of the prisoners. The front of the row of cells faced the back of the other. Thus, there was a complete absence of communication between prisoners housed in different wings.
Near the entrance of the jail, a two-storied building on the left side was built to be used as the hospital. The Martyr's Column now stands on the plinth of this building. At the right side of the main entrance near the compound wall, there are gallows where three persons could be executed simultaneously. There was a separate door in the outer compound wall to carry the corpses.
Cellular Jail imprisoned many freedom revolutionaries of India. Savarkar brothers, Babu Ram Hari, Pandit Parmanand, Ullaskar Dutt, Bhai Parmanand, Prithvi Singh Azad, Trailokyanath Chakravarthy, etc. were incarcerated here among many others. Many charismatic freedom fighters involved in Alipore Bomb case, Lahore Conspiracy Case, Inter-Provincial Conspiracy Case, etc. were also brought to this jail under long terms of imprisonment.
There is no water sport available at Cellular Jail. However, there is Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex nearby and you can try your hand at the following exciting water sports there:
Cellular Jail is a major attraction in Port Blair and there are a number of hotels located nearby. Some of them are as follows:
There are various good restaurants near Cellular Jail. Some of the best ones are as follows:
Located in Port Blair, Cellular Jail is easily accessible. Just about 7.8 km from the center of Port Blair via RGT Road, it is located in a very good area. To reach there, you can either hire a cab or take any local transport like taxi, auto, bus, tuk-tuk rickshaw, and minibus. You can also easily hire two-wheelers and cycles in Port Blair. However, travelling via a cab is the most recommended option. Cellular Jail is well-connected and once you are here, you can visit other tourist hotspots as well.
The Andaman Islands are known for their warm and pleasant tropical climate round the year. Thus, you can visit this paradise at any time of the year. April to June is the summer season here and the weather is sunny. So this is the perfect time to visit Cellular Jail if you don’t mind sweating a bit.
The duration from June to November is the rainy season here. Generally, it is the offseason here and it is quite secluded at this time of the year. Hotels and resorts offer great discounts during this period and thus, it is also the cheapest time to visit the island. You can travel to the Andamans at this time if you are not scared of getting a little drenched in the rain. The most popular season to visit Cellular Jail is the winter season from November to March. The climate is not too hot and is quite pleasant for tourists to explore the whole place.
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