Experience · Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India
Cellular Jail National MemorialA place with a story.
The British colonial prison in Port Blair where Indian freedom fighters were exiled across the 'black water'.
A closer look
The story
Built by the British between 1896 and 1906, the Cellular Jail was designed on Jeremy Bentham's panopticon plan: seven wings of solitary cells radiating from a central watchtower, meant to stop any communication between prisoners. Exile here was called 'Kala Pani' (black water) because crossing the ocean was believed to cost a Hindu prisoner his caste, adding a psychological weight to the physical punishment.
The full story
Around 795 political prisoners and freedom fighters were held here, including Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, Batukeshwar Dutt and Yogendra Shukla. Conditions were brutal; the jail became a symbol of colonial repression and, later, of the independence movement. Most political prisoners were released by 1938 after campaigns by Gandhi and Tagore.
An earthquake in 1941 and later demolition left only three of the original seven wings standing. Declared a National Memorial in 1979, it is now a museum with a nightly light-and-sound show recounting its history, in English and Hindi.
Written from the sources listed at the end of this page. If we have something wrong, tell us.
What you will see
Stops on the trail.
- 01Solitary cells and gallows
- 02Light and Sound Show
- 03Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Island (formerly Ross Island)
- 04Museum galleries
When to go
October to May, the dry season for Port Blair, is most comfortable for visiting and for the evening show.
Getting there
Veer Savarkar International Airport, Port Blair, is about 4 km from the jail; taxis and autos cover the short city drive.
How to visit
- Maintain quiet, respectful behaviour inside the cell blocks — this is a memorial to imprisonment and death, not a general tourist attraction.
- Photography is generally allowed in the museum, but follow posted signage in specific galleries.
Before you plan
- The jail is closed on Mondays for general visits even though light-and-sound-show listings sometimes show a Monday slot — check the current schedule before travelling.
- Let time pass
- Behave as a guest
- No smiling selfies
- Tread lightly
- Leave something behind
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