IN THIS WEEK'S ISSUE
The Andamans: an India apart
A sea of separation has done little to dampen the patriotism of Andaman residents.
- By Omar Shariff, Staff Writer
- Published: 23:59 August 7, 2008
- Image Credit: Omar Shariff
- Port Blair, the capital city, has the look of a sleepy small town where people go about their lives quietly.
Few Indians, let alone foreigners, know much about the 572 islands that are an integral part of the country, separated by 1,200 kilometres of the Bay of Bengal.
Though they are geographically closer to Myanmar and Thailand, for the people of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India — or the “mainland'', as they call it — is central to their existence.
Almost the entire population — with the notable exception of the islands' six indigenous tribes (see sidebar) — is of ethnic Indian stock, hailing mainly from the eastern and southern states of West Bengal, Orissa, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Hindustani — a mix of Hindi and Urdu — is the lingua franca and almost everyone understands English. Only 38 islands are inhabited.
Port Blair, the administrative capital, has the feel of a well-to-do small city where little happens and people go about their lives quietly.
But it is a city of contrasts: Slums and abject poverty — a fixture in other Indian cities — are conspicuous by their absence. There is no apparent wealth either.
The literacy rate is very high but there are few opportunities for higher education (there is no engineering, dental or medical college in the archipelago).
The crime rate is extremely low but the city wears a deserted look after dusk and even public buses stop operating at 7pm. There is no shopping mall, no cinema and no nightlife.
But the standard of living of an average person here is probably higher than that of an average mainlander. And though the natural beauty is indescribable, tourism infrastructure leaves much to be desired.
Despite being Indian citizens, people of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have little or no say in the way in which they are ruled.
The archipelago is a union territory of India but, unlike Pondicherry, which is also a union territory, there is no elected assembly.
The Andamans are administered directly from New Delhi through a lieutenant-governor based in Port Blair, who is appointed for a three-year term.
Almost all top government officials, including the police chief, are deputed from mainland India. However, there is one elected representative from the Islands in the parliament in New Delhi.
Marsehala Dung Dung, editor of Andaman Herald, told Weekend Review that, ideally, most people on the islands would like to have their own elected assembly but there is a general apathy towards politics.
“The politicians too say they want an assembly here but I doubt their commitment. Besides, there are more important problems in the Andamans.
Development or the lack of it is an issue. Because of the strategic location of the islands, no real development has been allowed to take place here.
Whenever someone tries to do something, it gets blocked. There is too much bureaucracy here.
The majority of the population works in one way or another for the government. Others are small traders and some depend entirely on the tourist trade.''
Dung Dung also said there was a dire need for better transportation links, both within the islands and with the mainland, from where all fresh produce arrives.
Local agricultural production fell greatly after low-lying areas were washed away in the 2004 tsunami.
But asked if she would consider relocating to mainland India, the answer was a firm no.
“There are too many good things here. First, these islands are a microcosm of India but without the kinds of problems that plague the mainland.
There is social peace and communal harmony. Religious strife is unheard of.
Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and the tribals coexist peacefully. Besides, casteism among Hindus is also not a problem here.
The crime rate is extremely low. The air is fresh and pure and the place is not densely populated. Though there is little development, there is not much poverty around the islands either.
If the development aspect is taken care of, then I can say with confidence that there will be no place like our Andamans.''
Look at the map of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and you will see it dotted with English names such as Port Blair, Ross Island, Havelock Island, Phoenix Bay, Corbyn's Cove and Mount Harriet.
This is the result of the colonial past of the Andamans. But unlike mainland India, where Madras has been renamed Chennai and Calcutta Kolkata, there is no clamour for change.
“People ask, ‘What is the fuss all about?' They like the names of the places the way they are. In fact, this has never been an issue here.
I myself have never given it any thought. But if you are naming anything new, yes, the name should sound Indian,'' Dung Dung said.
The question of “Indianness'' elicits passionate response from people in the Andamans.
Given their remote location, they look to mainland India for protection and, basically, for ensuring their survival.
“We would not last a month without the mainland,'' said Hasina Bibi, who works in the hospitality sector and was born and brought up in Port Blair.
“All essential supplies come from the mainland. When ships get cancelled due to extreme weather conditions, the islands suffer. There is also a huge contingent of the Indian army, navy and air force protecting us here.
“When I went to mainland India on a college tour, I was heartened by the welcome we received.
People there have just vaguely heard of the Andamans and are surprised to see that we look just like them and speak just like them.
They are full of questions about life in Port Blair. We were treated very well in places such as Bangalore and Chennai.
Someone there asked me, ‘How Indian do you feel?' I just answered, ‘We love Bollywood and we love cricket. Guess that makes us very Indian!'''
No mainland dreams
It was difficult to meet anyone who said he or she would rather live in mainland India.
And Bibi was no exception. “No, I would like to live here all my life. This is a quiet and safe place. Plus, there is religious harmony.
I am a Muslim, just like 20 to 25 per cent of the islands' population. And we get along well with members of all other communities.
The only problem for me is the near-total lack of higher education institutes.
I am a business studies graduate, and would like to do my MBA. But I will have to go to Bangalore or Chennai, spending much more and having to live away from my family.''
Pravin Puthra, a senior scientist at the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology in Cochin, Kerala, knows more about the Andamans than most other mainlanders.
Puthra, who has been a regular visitor to the islands, believes the business opportunities here are immense.
“People from mainland India are eager to invest but the administration has imposed restrictions.
For instance, they don't allow trees to be cut. This has given rise to illegal logging. The local administration believes investment from the mainland will benefit only mainlanders.
This is a misconception. Besides, they must realise that tourism here has immense potential. They must allow investment from the mainland.
There are other restrictions, too. For example, you cannot take a live specimen from here for research or otherwise.
As a scientist, I find that quite frustrating, as these islands are a treasure trove of biodiversity.''
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