Port Blair capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, offers a unique blend of natural beauty, historical significance, and cultural diversity. Port Blair is the 8th major city to have been renamed in the last decade. It has been officially renamed to ‘Sri Vijaya Puram’.
Here are 10 interesting facts to know about this captivating city
One of the longest and darkest episodes in the Indian struggle for freedom was the jailing of Indian freedom fighters in the Cellular Jail, the historic building that later became a museum.
The A&N Islands are inhabited by several indigenous tribes which include Jarawa, ONge, and Sentinelese. These tribes inhabit forests and are very shy of contact with the outside world for centuries and as a result, they have a chance to pass on their unique culture and traditions to the next generation.
Also known as the Barren Island, this one is the only active volcano present in Asia. It has erupted a few times amongst them the most recent one was in 2010, thus displaying an incredible sight of a geological formation in the vicinity.
The fact that it served as the British head office before turning into a tourist spot really makes Ross Island an unusual place to explore. The site was chosen for its strategic view of the sea and other land to be developed. It has ruins of the old town, the Japanese tunnel, which kept soldiers at bay, and, of course, a beautiful beach.
Marine life such as most of the corals and various kinds of fishes, including the most common dolphins and whales, populate the water bodies of the island. Once given the nickname – coral reef “undergrowth,” the water bodies have essentially the “blow” of around 50 of the 250 known coral reefs known to be occupied by members of the fish community rely on them as shelters and nurseries, while magnificent species like whales and dolphins occasionally breech the animals are passing by, and many sailors in particular watch them when they take recreational trips to the underwater scenes, usually when the water is clearest.
Coconut crabs, which can grow up to 1 meter in length and weigh as much as 4 kg, can be found only in Andaman Nicobar Islands, making them unique to one part of the world.
Port Blair is a navy base for the Indian Navy and its being a strategic and vital component of coastal defense demonstrates India’s maritime security objectives in the region.
Port Blair’s climate is tropical and so it is warm all year long with heavy rainfall.
One of the main riches of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is the rich biodiversity with a large number of unique plant and animal specimens and species.
The city of Port Blair puts on cultural festivals during the year that are typical for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, such as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Tourism Festival and the Independence Day celebrations. Anytime you go, one of these will be an event for sure.
I’m Jagpreet, an engineer and web developer with a passion for sharing insights on lifestyle. Through my website, I write articles and share news that inspire, inform, and help readers improve their everyday lives.