My pictures with their little stories

Solitary confinement cells at Cellular Jain, Andaman islands A walk down this corridor at the cellular jail is bound to make you sad and angry. Sad when you see first hand the inhuman torture and suffering that our freedom fighters were subjected to by the British and angry because you realise that you have not done much to justify their sacrifices and have not even bothered to preserve their memory befitting their stature.  ( Cellular Jail, Port Blair , Andaman Islands , 2008 )

Stark and harsh at Cellular Jail, Andaman islands It is stark and harsh at Cellular Jail , Port Blair , Andaman Islands . Posting this on the birth anniversary of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar .

from the prison cell at cellular jain where Veer Savarkar was imprisoned Tribute to Vinayak Damodar Savarkar on the day this great son of India was born. From the prison cell at Cellular Jail , Andaman islands , where Veer Savarkar was imprisoned by the British. ( Cellular Jail, Port Blair , 2008 )

Ruins of a church at Ross island, Andamans The main edifice of this church at Ross island , Andamans is fairly intact although everything else is gone. One look at it and you can make out that this must have been a beautiful church which served the British settlement on this island which is across the sea from Port Blair . With its stained glass and other paraphernalia, this structure would be very charming and inviting.  (Ross island, Andamans, 2008)

Twilight at Viper Island, Andaman sea The mood was sombre while returning from Viper island in Andaman sea . It was here that the British used to imprison convicts and political prisoners. There are ruins of the notorious gallows which the British must have used remorselessly to crush the radicals amongst the freedom fighters.  The jail here was abandoned after the construction of cellular jail at Port Blair in 1906.

Corridor at Cellular Jail, Port Blair So many years after visiting cellular jail at Port Blair, the memory sends a chill down my spine. Emotions are strong - anger at the extreme torture inflicted by the British on the freedom fighters, sadness that these bravehearts had to suffer so much and that we continue to bicker over honouring them, frustration that despite all these sacrifices where we are today and pride that there was a bunch of people who had the guts to take on the might of the British Raj and dream of throwing them out despite all the adversities and personal risks to their life and family. It is indeed a vortex of emotions that run high when you visit cellular jail. It is the ultimate temple of independent India.

Andaman sea The jetty at Port Blair is quite busy. Never realised that there would be so much traffic to not only islands in Andamans nearby but also to ports in mainland India. The sights at sea were spectacular with ever-changing sky and the movement of ships and boats.

Fortune Resort Bay Island, Port Blair I pulled out this picture after much searching as soon as I read the news that eminent architect Charles Correa is no more. While we have all seen some of his great creations such as the Gandhi Memorial at Sabarmati Ashram , Ahmedabad; we happened to stay at Fortune Resort Bay Island at Port Blair when we visited Andaman Islands . This hotel has been designed by Ar. Charles Correa.  There is a fond memory associated with this visit which is connected with Ar. Charles Correa which I must narrate. Our son Aalok who was 9 years then learn to swim in the little pool of this hotel. We kind of liked the place but Aalok had some suggestions to make. I told him that if he would write down his suggestions on a piece of paper, I would arrange to send them over to the architect who designed the hotel. Aalok did write down his suggestions with a pencil on a piece of paper he could lay his hands on. Thanks to Ar. Arun Ogale, I could get the