ABOUT
ANDAMAN & NICOBAR A bird's eye view
shows this cluster of 350 small and large island as small, green speaks
staggered on the vast blue waters. Situated midway between India and Burma,
in the Bay of Bangal, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands were at one time
inhabited by various tribes which strongly resisted any efforts at
civilization. some of these tribes are perhaps among the oldest tribal
communities in the world, and tourists are prohibited from establishing
contact with them. Owing to prolonged isolation they are somewhat hostile
and are also under the danger of catching infection from outsiders.
Indian legend traces the name Andaman to a derivation of Handuman or
Hanuman the Monkey God of the epic Ramayana, who is said to have used these
islands as stepping stones on his way to Sri Lanka, to save Goddess Sita,
consort of Lord Rama.
Modern history perhaps dates to 1789 when
Lord Cornwallis, the British Governer -General commissioned a survey of the
islands.
Later, after the First War of Independence in 1857 the
British established a penal colony here and Andamans and Port Blair, the
capital, came to be a dreaded word. For, known as 'Kala Pani' of 'Black
Water', the city was the site of the Cellular Jail - a panel colony where
political prisoners were banished, perhaps never to be seen again.
During world War II, the Japanese occupied the Islands and held them
from 1944-1945. The Andamans today present a totally different picture. Some
tribes have opened up, and the British rule is no more. The islands are now
fast becoming an attractive holiday destination-for the anthropologist and
the beach lover.
The Islands are a living museum of planet earth.
Dense rain forests, and canopies of luxuriant green branches host a variety
of birds, insects, and all kind of life. There are beautiful tropical
flowers and orchids. The jungles shelter about 242 species of birds, 46
species of mammals and 78 species of reptiles comprising the wild cat,
iguana, green lizsards, deer, wild pig, goats and a wide variety of snakes.
The water are clear and beautiful, and the beaches at Corbyn's Cove,
Wandoor, Jolly Boy and Cinque offer an excellent sea for swimming. Numerous
other beaches are open to holidayers out to enjoy water sports. Tourists can
surf, ski, scuba dive, snorkel, sail, fish or just enjoy the sea, the sun
and the sand. For the more adventurous, deep-sea diving unfolds precious
treasures of corals, vegetation, sponges and fish life.
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