Port Blair
Port Blair, is famous not only as the capital town of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, but is also one of the most favoured tourist locations of vivid people from various corners of the globe. This small city, with different religions and cultures, have number of museums, monuments, historical important places and beautiful beaches that allure tourists. Some important areas in Port Blair that should not be missed during one’s Andaman and Nicobar Island’s tour are discussed here. The island groups of Andaman and Nicobar has witnessed the regime of several rulers pre-Independence.
The British established a penal colony named Port Blair, in the Andamans during 1789. It was to honor Lieutenant Archibald Blair of the British East India Company. Later, this colony was renamed as Port Cornwallis after Admiral William Cornwallis. However, as many people suffered several diseases and succumbed to death, the government had to cease operating it in May 1796.
Even though limited, the history of Andaman and Nicobar Islands is interesting. It is believed that the Andaman Island got this name after a Hindu God, Hanuman. Marco Polo was the first man to have visited these islands from West. Andaman and Nicobar Islands were in dark unknown to the world until the 18th century.
Port Blair is not complete without mentioning Cellular Jail, which was constructed between 1896 and 1906. The jail was used to accommodate Indian freedom fighters in solitary confinement. During the Second World War, Japanese troops conquered the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and ruled thr islabds from 1942 to 1945.
After independence in the year 1947, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands became a part of the Indian Union. Post independence, Bengali community came to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as a part of the rehabilitation scheme of the Government of India, which was started in 1949 and continued till 1970s. Now, it is one of the seven union territories of India.