The Cellular Jail - Andaman and Nicobar Islands

[JANASENA]

The Cellular Jail, also known as Kala Pani or Black Water, was an infamous colonial prison situated in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Indian Ocean, where Indian political prisoners were kept in exile. The jail stands a symbol of colonial oppression, cruelty and untold suffering. Hundreds of political prisoners were transported to the Andamans where they remained cut off from home in mainland India by over a thousand miles of sea. The sadistic jail superintendent David Barry would tell the freedom fighters, "The wall around the jail has been deliberately built low since, even if you escape, there is nowhere you can go to."

Photo credit: unknown

Advertisement

The Cellular Jail was devised by the British as a mean to break the spirit of the freedom fighters. In fact, the jail acquired the name ‘Cellular’ because it is entirely made up of individual cells for solitary confinement. The first prisoners were tied three-at-a-time to a wheel which operated a pestle for crushing oilseeds. The prisoners were required to crush thirty pounds of coconut and mustard oil each day. Being unable to meet the quota would result in severe punishment shackling and flogging. There are no records of how many died or were executed.

Although the prison complex itself was constructed between 1896 and 1906, the British had been using the Andaman islands as a prison since the days in the immediate aftermath of the 1857 War of Independence. Shortly after the rebellion was suppressed, the British executed many rebels. Those who survived were exiled for life to the Andamans to prevent them re-offending. The remote islands were considered to be a suitable place to punish the rebels. Not only were they isolated from the mainland, the overseas journey to the islands also threatened them with loss of caste, resulting in social exclusion.

By the late 19th century the independence movement had picked up momentum. As a result, the number of prisoners being sent to the Andamans grew and the need for a high-security prison was felt. Construction of the prison started in 1896 and was completed in 1906.

Originally the jail consisted of seven prolonged, puce-coloured wings with a central-tower acting as its fulcrum and a massive structure comprising honeycomb like corridors. Each wing is three storey high and radiated out of the central tower like the spokes of a wheel. Also, the spokes were so designed such that the face of a cell in a spoke saw the back of cells in another spoke. This way, communication between prisoners was impossible. There were no dormitories and a total of 693 cells.

The building was demolished after India gained independence and only three wings remain today. In 1969, the complex was declared a national memorial monument.

Photo credit

Photo credit

Photo credit

Photo credit

Photo credit

Photo credit

Photo credit

Photo credit

[mybabyboy]

good post

[crazymatta]

gp

[JANASENA]

Why don't they just demolish this building ?

[4Vikram]

15 minutes ago, JANASENA said:

Why don't they just demolish this building ?

we are so generous and this is historical place to show British's greatness no anduke we wont 

[JANASENA]

2 minutes ago, 4Vikram said:

we are so generous and this is historical place to show British's greatness no anduke we wont 

Love da greatness gurinchi cheppu baa

[4Vikram]

2 minutes ago, JANASENA said:

Love da greatness gurinchi cheppu baa

valu manani sava engiru ga adhe greatness ani chepkuntaru inka, its like a monument now.. see this..

Post Independence[edit]

Another two wings of the jail were demolished after India achieved independence. However, this led to protests from several former prisoners and political leaders who saw it as a way of erasing the tangible evidence of their persecution. The remaining three wings and the central tower were therefore converted into a National Memorial in 1969.^[cita

[MRI]

25 minutes ago, JANASENA said:

Why don't they just demolish this building ?

we are planning on putting sonia raul bianca robert chidambaram karthi in it 

[mekapichal_mnthmkora]

28 minutes ago, 4Vikram said:

we are so generous and this is historical place to show British's greatness no anduke we wont 

aa jail ippatiki kuda vadochu kada.. jagan anna.. Gali uncle laanti politicians ni veyyataniki andulo

[MRI]

9 hours ago, mekapichal_mnthmkora said:

aa jail ippatiki kuda vadochu kada.. jagan anna.. Gali uncle laanti politicians ni veyyataniki andulo

 

9 hours ago, MRI said:

we are planning on putting sonia raul bianca robert chidambaram karthi in it 

first these people bro 

[k2s]

The colonia movie soodandi 

 

[mahesh1]

GP

[JANASENA]

8 hours ago, BurqaBandit said:

With the help of Central Gov, A non-commercial English movie should be produced with all Tax exemptions, & to be shown to global audiences.,

on how the pre-independence Indian political prisoners had miserable death in this prison.

All indian top stars & technicians should come forward free of remuneration for this project.....

It should be a Slap on British-East Indian for generations......

 

[mekapichal_mnthmkora]

14 hours ago, MRI said:

 

first these people bro 

@MRI sab ko lagaadengey ba...

[MRI]

14 hours ago, mekapichal_mnthmkora said:

@MRI sab ko lagaadengey ba...

nenedo bratikestunnanu bro..nannenduku pettadam..