Amazing Andamans - Day 7

18 hours of Exploration…. And almost getting lost 

The alarm screamed at us at the ungodly hour of 02.30am as it tried to wake us up for another day of adventure and discovery. We had tied up with a tour operator to go on a tour that said Baratang, Mud Volcano and Mangrove tour.  We had no idea what the day had in store for us but we were sure that it would be as special and exciting as the rest of our holiday had been.

We drove through the streets of Port Blair, picking up people at varied stops even as the sky drew closer to a sunrise. Finally we reached a spot in the middle of nowhere where the driver ceremoniously announced that we were about to enter Jarawa territory. This would be last stop before we reached the jetty to continue our journey. As we waited for our armed escorts, rules were being drilled into us:

·         No pictures of the Jarawas if they were to be seen

·         No mobile phones in sight

·         No stopping of the bus on the way for any reason

·         No throwing of anything out of the bus

It was gratifying to see the extent the Government is going to preserve the Jarawa ecosystem. No bending the rules here. Other buses soon joined us and soon we left as a caterpillar – the armed escort in the front and all the other buses following at a steady pace. We drove through some amazing forests – so dense at times you couldn’t see beyond your eyes and at other times teasing you with a glimpse what lay inside the deep green cover. We made our way through the slinky roads that overlooked rivers that rambled though the rocks and trees. You could see mud roads created into the forest at regular intervals and your imagination could do wonders imagining the wonders that lay at the end of those roads. I envy the forest officials who interacted with these indigenous tribes and were privy to their way of life and to the hidden secrets of the Andamans.

We arrived at a jetty and as we looked around we were astounded by the beauty of the place – tall trees, dense mangroves, a swollen river and the constant reminder from the guides that we were in crocodile country. Eyes craned to find a croc – hoping that every still rock would turn into one. After a short ferry ride, we get into speed boats after donning our life jackets – the futility of which crosses my mind. We were in croc infested waters and were wearing life jackets in case the speed boats toppled! The next half hour was an exhilarating ride through the mangroves. What a different experience compared to the lazy discovery we did with Tanaz at Havelock. 

Views from the Ferry

Suddenly we slow down and take a turn. The guide at the stern warns us not to put our hands out of the boat. The hair at the back of my neck stand up as we make our way slowly through the mangroves, ducking one moment and gazing in wonder the next. Soon we arrive at a makeshift wooden jetty and the announcement is made – we have a 3 mile trek to the limestone caves.

The Lone Hutment

We set off walking through some difficult terrain - uphill at times, downhill the others, balancing on narrow bridges, slushing through some mud, holding on to huge rocks trying to find footholds, seeing basic civilisation at its basic best and some amazing foliage. 

The Rainforest at Baratang...these forests have been evolving for more than 30 million years and occupy only 2% of the earth's surface today ... however they contain 50% of all species of living things..

The caves loom up ahead and we just look at each other in silence. As throngs move in and out of the caves we hear the guides narrate in a monotone the features of the caves. Am sure given some space, silence and access to more caves would have made the experience better but this was no less magical. As the light of the torch played on the formations, I wonder about what lies ahead and wish I could just stay back and explore. I leave with a silent prayer that we maintain the integrity of these places for future generations. It would be criminal to loose all of this in the name of development and growth.

Spot the Ganesha!

Walking back, we notice a spider weaving a web and we set about trying to take the perfect picture. Rice fields on one side and forests on the other for neighbors as we make our way back to the speed boat. A ride later we reach the jetty and set off in jeeps for our next destination - a mud volcano.

The Prolific Weaver.... One of the 10 pics I submitted for the Tamron Challenge and won it!!!

We look at the road ahead and rue the fact we are not wearing better walking shoes. After slipping and sliding across a muddy road, we reach a sign that points a road uphill and says “Way to the Mud Volcano”. Next to the sign is a noticeboard cautioning you to walk carefully as you tread the trail – the hill is a live volcano and its an exhilarating feeling as you make your way to the top. Once there, you notice a cordoned off area. In the centre is a small cone shaped structure which rumbles & boils. The mud slowly seeps across the sides and flows down. Unlike other volcanos, there is no lava. This is the only live mud volcano in India. The Geological Institute has a base camp stationed near the volcano site to constantly monitor the seismic and volcano activity.

The Mud Volcano....created by natural gases emitted by decaying organic matter underground

We made our way down the mountain and downed huge but refreshing coconuts filled with sweet water. Then to our dismay we realized, our jeep was nowhere to be seen; nor were the group of people we had ascended the volcano with. We asked around and were told that our tour guide would send the jeep back to pick us up. We settled down on some makeshift benches and began waiting. It soon dawned that it might be a huge possibility that we had been left behind. No one was coming back for us. Thoughts of being stranded in the middle of nowhere began running through our minds. Each of us were keeping up a calm exterior to calm the other one down but our minds were running helter-skelter with varied thoughts filled with fear and trepidation. Finally Medha approached a jeep that had relatively less people and they agreed to take us back to the jetty. Guess our sad faces helped as well. Medha also managed to click an amazing pic of a gecko that popped his head out for a moment on the makeshift benches we were sitting on.

Sitting on this makeshift bench...  a bit tense, on having missed our cab...that my eyes wandered around... and I noticed my neighbor... with no time to plan a click, i just pointed my camera and clicked... there was no second chance... it vanished the next second

We needed to rush to the other side of the river as the bus was set to leave with the armed escort. Left with no choice, we rushed to the ferry and made the crossing. The tour guide was waiting at the other end, impatiently. Everyone was relieved on seeing us and gave the guide and driver a piece of their mind. We settled down in our seats and then the exhaustion of the day took over. We were soon fast asleep.We drove back through Jarawa territory and finally reached Port Blair. We decided to get off in town and explore a bit and try our luck with the sound and light show at the cellular jail.

 

We first went to the Archaeological Museum where we saw some very well preserved artefacts of the natives of the islands as well as a well-crafted documented story of the islands. A nice walk along the halls of history and some souvenir shopping later we set off for the Cellular Jail. We were hoping that the clouds would not play truant and the light and sound show would go on. 

 

We reach the jail and find ourselves waiting in a long queue where hordes of people were impatiently waiting for the ticket counter to open. An hour later, tickets in hand, we enter the jail again - this time to find the best seats available for the light and sound show. Strains of a patriotic song playing in the background we settle down and wait for the show to begin.

We had received recommendations that we should attend the Hindi version of the show as it was very moving and powerful. We were not disappointed. A poignant narrative draws you into a slice of history that you want to wish never happened. Tears flow freely amongst all those gathered as the tale of atrocity is shared. The show ends in an hour and there is a sense of pride in the crowd. Everyone seemed lost in their thoughts as they made their way to the door. I turn and take a last look at the jail as I leave wondering what kind of guts the prisoners had, to undergo all of this and still have a sense of survival, patriotism and pride. I wonder if we would be able to do the same if we were to face the same scenario today. While my heart says yes, my mind says it would take a huge sense of introspection and will power. 

Its late in the night and we finally find an auto to take us back to Noble House. Realization soon sinks in that this is our last night in the islands. We settle down for the night and talk ourselves to sleep – sharing all that has passed across the last few days.

Our Been There Done That Tips:

- Book the tour on the previous day. 

- Ensure that the trip is a round trip and includes lunch. Please carry snacks with you as well as water.  

- The line for the ticket at the cellular jail is a crowd. So make sure you are there with plenty of time in hand  

- There are separate lines for ladies and gents

- Inside it is free seating so make sure you are early enough to find a good seat