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There
are two groups of islands – The andaman and Nicobar Islands in the
Bay of Bengal, and the Lakshwadeep and Minicoy Islands in the
Arabian Sea.
The first is a group of 204 islands, believed to be extensions of
the mountain system in the northeastern part of the country. Some of
them are volcanic in origin.
The second group has about 43 islands, surrounded by beautiful coral
reefs. The beauty of the andamans notwithstanding, their history is
tainted with blood. Known as Kaala Paani, or black waters, Port
Blair, the capital city of the andamans was the dreaded site of the
Cellular Jail, used by the British for banished convicts.
Andaman & Nicobar Islands
The
Union Territory of Andaman & Nicobar Islands Stretches over a length
of more than 700kms from North to south floating in the clear blue
waters of Bay of Bengal, East of the Indian main land and consists
of 572 emerald Islands (36 of which are inhabited), islets and
rocks.
Since pre-historic times aboriginal tribes have lived on these
Islands. The Andaman group is inhabited by tribes of Negrito origin,
while the Nicobar Islands are inhabited by Mongloid stock.
The topography of the islands is hilly and they abound in evergreen
forests. Timber is plentiful and of a vast variety. These undulating
islands are covered with dense forests and endless variety of exotic
flora and fauna.
Entry Formalities:
Indians:
Indian Nationals need no permit to visit Andamans. However, visiting
tribal areas of Andaman and Nicobar Districts is prohibited. Permits
to visit the tribal areas can be granted by the Deputy Commissioner,
Andaman District, Port Blair in special cases on receipt of
application in prescribed form.
Foreigners:
Foreigners require a permit to stay in the islands, which can easily
be obtained on arrival at Port Blair (either by Air or Sea) from the
Immigration authorities for 30 days. This can be extended by 15 days
with permission. In addition, permits can also be obtained from:
Indian Mission Overseas, Foreigners Registration Offices at Delhi,
Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkatta and the immigration authorities at the
airports at Delhi, Mumbai Chennai and Kolkatta.
Getting there:
By Air: Port Blair is connected with Chennai and Calcutta. The
journey time is approximately 2hrs. Presently, flights are operated
by Indian Airlines (Flights operate on Daily basis expect on
Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays) Jet Airways (Flights operate from
and to Chennai on Daily basis).
By Sea: Regular passenger ship services are available to Port Blair
from Chennai, Calcutta and Vishakapatnam. There are three to four
sailings in a month from Calcutta and Chennai to Port Blair. There
is a single sailing from Vishakapatnam once a month.
Lakshadweep
Islands
Lakshadweep is not as renowned a destination as Goa or Kerala, but
its lagoons and beaches are just as beautiful. The wealth of coral
formations attracts a variety of tropical fish – angel, clown,
butterfly, sturgeon, sweetlip, snappers and groupers. Kavaratti,
which is the administrative capital of Lakshadweep, is located in
the centre of the archipelago.
Its two most significant mosques are the Ajjara and Jamath Mosques,
which are characterised by exquisite woodcarvings. The former in
particular has a beautiful ceiling carved out of driftwood, which is
the handiwork of local craftsmen.
The Aquarium at Kavaratti with tropical fish and corals, the
Kavaratti Lake, and the splendid tombs it houses, are the other
attractions of the place.
Island Attractions
Kalpeni -- Famous For Its Water Sports
Those keen on water sports will enjoy visiting Kalpeni along with
its three uninhabited satellite islands.
Surrounded by a lagoon rich in corals, Kalpeni offers excellent
facilities for water sports such as snorkelling and diving. The
coral remains on the eastern shores of the island are the remnants
of a violent storm that took place in 1847. The main monument at
Kalpeni is the Moidin Mosque that has walls made of coral.
The best part of the Kalpeni Islands is that it is crime-free –
women dress in wrap-around lungis (sarongs) and wear heavy gold
jewellery without fear of being assaulted.
While in the area, do not miss the two traditional dances of Kalpeni
– Kolkali and Parichakkali – which illustrate themes drawn from
folklore and religious legends to the accompaniment of music and
song.
Minicoy Island
One of the most interesting islands in Lakshadweep is the Minicoy
Island – not only, because it is the largest, but also because it is
closer in language and culture to the Maldives.
While the rest of the archipelago speaks Malayalam, the lingua
franca in Minicoy is Mahl. Mahl is written from right to left and is
very similar to Dhivehi – the language of the Maldivians. Many of
their customs are similar to those of the Maldives.
The people of Minicoy are a sea-faring community and have a
closely-knit matrilineal society. In fact, the dominance of women
led the famous explorer Marco Polo to dub Minicoy as a ‘female
island.’ Minicoy is a picturesque island dotted with palm trees and
enclosed with coral reefs. One of the most spectacular sights of
Minicoy is a 50 metre tall Lighthouse, built by the British.
Amindivi Group of Island
The Amindivi group consists of the Islands of Chetlat, Bitra, Kiltan,
Kadmat and Amini.
Bitra, the smallest of the group is an ornithologist’s delight – it
is heavily populated with birds and is a rich source of birds’ eggs.
Kiltan is located on an ancient trade route – ships travelling from
Aden often made a stopover at the Island en route to Colombo.
The densely populated Amini and Kadmat are rich in coconut palms and
were occupied by the Portugese for a short while.
Kadmat is an island, nine kilometres long and only 200 metres in
width. However it has a fine beach and a beautiful bay and is ideal
for swimming and diving.
Pitti Island
Finally, Lakshadweep boasts of the barren and desolate Pitti Island,
comprising of a square-shaped reef with a sand bank at its southern
end.
Pitti Island is a vitally important nesting place for terns (a kind
of sea swallow), and has been listed as a Wildlife Sanctuary. Terns
are an endangered species and conservation groups are pressing for a
ban on the planting of trees and the mining of coral – which they
believe, threaten its habitat. However, the main threat to terns
comes from anglers who collect terns’ eggs for food and disturb the
birds’ natural habitat.
ENTRY FORMALITIES
Indians
All visitors to Lakhsdweep require entry permits from Lakshadweep
administration. Out of 10 inhabited isalnd only 4 islands viz.,
Kalpani, Kavaratti, Minicoy, ad Kadmat have been opened for domestic
tourists and SPORTS, a wing of Lakshadweep Administration is
organising package tours by ship covering the above 4 islands from
September to May every year and suspended during the monsoon period.
Foreign Tourists
Foreign tourists are allowed to visit Bangaram island and Kadmat
island only. They are not permitted to visit any other islands in
Lakshadweep.
ACCESS
By Air: Indian Airlines connects Agatti Island, Lakshadweep's only
airport, with Kochi on mainland.
By Sea: Ship cruises are available as packages designed for the
tourists. SPORTS(Society for Promotion of Recreational Tourism &
Sports). |
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