On Ross Island Soil
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Ross Island off Port Blair is one of the must visit islands in Andaman. The current name of Ross Island is 'Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island'. The small island can be seen very clearly when standing on the seashore of Port Blair. The British rulers chose the island as their headquarters with its beautiful natural beauty. The British ruled the entire Andaman and Nicobar Islands from this island. Although unparalleled in natural beauty, Ross Island is associated with a painful story of brutal torture of Indian freedom fighters.
In the morning I left for Ross Island. I reached Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex near Cellular Jail by car. After buying tickets at the counter, our journey started by speed boat. The speed boat is moving forward crossing the turbulent waves of the Sunil Sagar. The boat master is reporting the position of the boat to the control room on a walkie-talkie while the boat is underway. The beauty of Ross Island is visible from the boat. Rows of coconut trees all around. Red wall in between. It is clear from the style of the wall that the wall is very old. Within ten minutes, the boat reached the jetty of Ross Island. A herd of deer is roaming in front of the jetty. This island is a paradise for deer. There are plenty of deer here. Various ruins of British bungalows on the seashore are still standing in dilapidated condition. Tree branches cover the walls of a British bakery. Brick skeletons all around. There is an abandoned swimming pool. It's time to walk up the slope of the mountain path. For the convenience of tourists, a cast-off road has been constructed. Proceed along that winding road. The right and left sides of the road are one after the other. From British luxury bungalows, big churches, ballrooms, bakeries to burial grounds, everything can be seen in Ross soil. However, according to the rules of time, everything is abandoned today. Scattered around are the skeletons of British rule. Rows of coconut trees all around. There are many coconuts scattered around. I reached the highest point of the island through the hilly path. Sunil Sagar all around. And the ceremony of green trees. The sea is bathed in sunlight. Cloudless blue sky, blue sea and greenery — this is a unique moment. This moment from the top of Ross Island was one of the best natural beauty of my visit to Andaman. Besides seeing this magnificent form of nature with my eyes, I captured several moments on my phone. After spending some time, I went down the stairs. The light house is located right next to the sea. The black-and-white lighthouse, however, is now abandoned. I crossed the bridge and went in front of the light house standing on the lap of the sea. Enjoyed some time standing next to the silent Sunil Sagar and slowly walked towards the Jetty Ghat in the same direction.
The small island in the lap of the Sunil Sagar has an area of 0.3 sq km. Although the natural beauty of the island is incomparable, there is a tragic story associated with this island. The British established a base at Ross Island due to its short distance from Port Blair and its availability of drinking water. It is known that two hundred prisoners were taken from Kolkata to Andaman in 1858. They were mainly the opponents of Sepoy mutiny and Wahhabi movement. They were sent to Ross Island under the orders of the district chief. On the one hand brutal torture, on the other hand they were used to create settlements by cutting forests. Sahibs' bungalows from their own tents were built with the labor of starving prisoners. Ross Island was densely forested. The prisoners had to do the hard work of clearing the jungle and making the island habitable. British gentlemen were on board at that time. They did not step into a riot. The British made Indian prisoners the centerpiece of their rule to their heart's content. From luxurious bungalows, large churches, ballrooms, bakeries to burial grounds — the British made this island habitable with the toil and sweat of hundreds of Indians. On the other hand, Japan occupied Ross Island during World War II. Ross Island was occupied by the Japanese from 1942 to 1945. At this time Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, the hero of Mother India, set foot on Ross Island in December 1943. He spent the night on this island one day. Later, the British took possession of this island. However, at the time of independence in 1947, like other parts of the country, the tyrannical British had to give up their rights and leave for their own country. Since then, the island was abandoned for decades. In 1979, the Indian Navy established a center here. Currently, this island is embedded in the memory of Netaji Subhash Chandra on the world tourism map. In 2018, the island was named Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island. This uninhabited island has been developed in various ways to entertain tourists. Many deer are kept. Casting roads have been constructed. Lights are installed all over the island. Toilets and drinking water taps have been installed for the convenience of tourists. Dustbins are provided along the way. Battery operated vehicles are also available for island hopping from the jetty.
Over time, the country became independent. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island has taken the place of Ross Island. But even today, this island is bursting with history. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island or Ross Island in Andaman still lies with all traces of past vibrancy.
