On the second day of our tour, it was destination Ross Island. It is a small island very close to Port Blair. There are a number of boats ferrying visitors from Port Blair to this island and back. In addition to Ross Island, the boat takes us to two more nearby islands. A mesmerising view of the corals underneath the seabed will be the highlight of the day.
Touring Andaman is very easy. No need to involve a tour operator well in advance and do extensive research to have a nice trip to the islands. Once a good hotel is traced, the rest of all falls in place. Hotels, unlike in other tourist places in the main land are not so expensive, though I have no first hand information about the tariff. There are a number of tour operators in Port Blair. It is very easy to get in touch with one of them with the help of the hotel reception. They take care of our tour needs. Hindi is the most common language but there are people who talk many other Indian languages apart from English. Communication is not at all a problem because we get a feeling that we are still in the main land. Port Blair, to me. looked just like any other Indian town.
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| Ross Island |
Most of the tourists I came across were government employees. They come in small and big groups availing LTCs. I was told by the driver of our vehicle that most of the tourists who visit Anadaman are from Steel Plants, Refineries and other government organisations in India. The best time to visit The Islands is December. We must certainly avoid a visit after May 15th as monsoon sets in by that time. During monsoon, travel to many islands will be difficult as boat and ship services will be disrupted due to bad weather.
We too tried to claim LTC but failed to get the money back from the government as we traveled by Kingfisher airlines instead of the state carrier Indian Airlines. Still, we felt the tour highly entertaining and worth the expenses incurred. We got a chance to see the beauty that has been abundantly bestowed by the nature on a handful of islands.
Ross Island was the place where the British Masters, in charge of the Cellular Jail lived. They constructed many buildings to help them live a luxurious life. All these symbols of tyranny against a helpless lot over the opposite side, ie, the Cellular jail, are in a dilapidated condition at present. Only the church used by the officers remain in its shape there. Cellular Jail is visible from the Ross island. Sitting comfortably in the sprawling bungalows' balcony, the babus would have planned many a method of torture to be used on those helpless but highly spirited human beings toiling their life in solitary confinement.  |
| Port Blair - a view from Ross Island |
There is nothing great to see in the island except getting a feeling of a place where so many heartless men spent their good time in a picturesque island wining and dining. Of course, we too can enjoy ice creams, cool drinks and snacks if we do not feel anything about the abominable colonial babus. The administration is collecting an entry fee to 'maintain' the island. They, it looks, allow the remnants of slavery consign to earth slowly.
The boat took us back from the island after an hour or two. The boat operator loaded additional tourists who were left out by another boat. The boat started off with more people than it could carry. The operator was forced by the Tamil speaking tourists of the boat to off load the extra persons at the starting point itself. That was very heartening- people responded to a potential hazard in time and avoided a disaster.
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| Collecting 'Souvenirs' - the sea shore is full of breakaway pieces of corals |
As the boat moved around, an amazing view of the corals under the sea bed unveiled in all its beauty. Different kinds of corals in myriad colours and shapes were a scene that could never have been missed. We have to visit the Islands at the least to have a look at these beauties lying in the womb of the sea.
Have a look at the corals on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATWcS-BLGWs
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