By Shama Shams
Some journeys can’t be understood by reading. You have to live them. And for me, Andaman was that kind of journey.
I started, with a dream in my heart, from Raipur, Chhattisgarh, by flight to Kolkata, then from Kolkata to Port Blair. The moment when I stepped out of the airport and felt that fresh, salty air was extraordinary.
First off on the itinerary was the Havelock Island’s Radhanagar Beach. One could sit there for hours, simply gazing at the sea. The sand was so clean and soft, it felt like walking on cotton. Neil Island, the next, felt even calmer, and more peaceful. When the sun’s rays hit the water there, it looked like the sea was wearing jewellery. Ross Island was full of historic ruins, giant trees, and a deep silence that made you feel like you had really stepped back in time!
I did scuba diving in the Andaman sea and believe me, it was the most beautiful experience of my life. When I saw the world beneath the water, I literally forgot to breathe. Corals, so colourful, they looked like paintings. Some alive, some dead yet each one with its own story. Fish swam around me like I had entered a fairy-tale world. I also tried paragliding and up in the sky, for the first time, I truly understood what freedom means. The ocean below, the open blue sky above, and me… like a bird. I didn’t cry, but my soul smiled.
Andaman’s beauty isn’t just in the places it’s also in its fish, sorry food. Freshly fried fish, coconut-based fish curry, and the traditional tribal-style flavours… everything was a new experience. We even dined at a famous restaurant where stars like Priyanka Chopra and Farah Khan had once shot scenes for their films. The grilled fish, wooden décor, and dinner by the beach made the night unforgettable.
Deep down south stands the Cellular Jail, which was designed by the British in such a way that one prisoner couldn’t even see, let alone speak to, another. It was built in seven wings connected to a central tower where the guards could monitor everything. Each prisoner was kept in complete isolation the goal was not just to break the body, but to break the spirit. And the cruelty didn’t end there.
Freedom fighters were shackled by the neck, hands, and feet and forced to operate massive oil mills by hand. They were made to peel hard coconut shells, work under the scorching sun, and survive on dry chapatis and boiled vegetables or rice water. It was not just punishment, it was torture. When I stood inside those cells, I felt like the walls were still echoing the cries, the strength, and the undying spirit of our freedom fighters. That day, I truly understood the real cost of freedom and silently promised myself, “I’ll never forget this sacrifice.”
Andaman is not just a tourist destination. It’s an emotion. The sea, the trees, the wind, the people, the food, the history — everything touches something deep inside you. Ever since I came back, it feels like a part of me is still flowing somewhere over there.