Lesser-known facts about the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
A splendid island like Andaman is known for its silvery beaches and golden sunsets. But wait a minute, Andaman is more than just its beaches. And what’s that? Well, right from the name of the island to its underwater mystery, this archipelago has a lot to tell. So if you’re ready, let’s unleash all its secrets and lesser known facts one by one.
If you are a beach lover like me, then the thought of Andaman’s gorgeous beaches in itself would excite you. Before taking off to the islands, I made sure that I researched about all the beaches right from Havelock to Neil island and so many more. And as the date of my trip neared, I knew everything about its beaches.
While I was going through all the blogs about Andaman’s beaches, I came across one blog that had nothing to do with its ‘things to do’ and ‘top 10 beaches’. So what was this blog about? Well, it was about all the untold yet interesting facts about Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Here’s a look at what I found that would definitely leave you amazed by the end:
- ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NAME
Andaman and Nicobar Islands. What does the name stand for? Well, both the words come from the Malay language. While Andaman stands for a Hindu deity ‘Hanuman’, Nicobar stands for ‘The land of naked people.
- ABOUT THE BRITISH & JAPANESE
Yes. You read that right. Both, the British as well as the Japanese had small roles to play that marked the history of this island.
Coming to the British, they built a prison to disconnect the prisoners from the outer world. That jail was known as ‘Kala Pani.’ Today, it is popularly known as the ‘Cellular jail’ and is one of the major tourist destinations in Andaman.
Talking about the Japanese, they inhabited this island for a period of at least 6 months.
- ABOUT THE LANGUAGE SPOKEN
If Spain speaks in Spanish, France in French, then what do the people of these islands speak in? Andamanese? Nicobarese? No. It’s not what like you think. Then what is it? Well, Andaman speaks in a very familiar language. And that’s none other than Bengali followed by Tamil and Telugu.
- ABOUT THE INDIAN 20 RUPEE NOTES RELEVANCE
If you’re wondering what an Indian 20 rupee note has to do with Andaman islands, then you have to see this.
So can you spot the difference? No, right? Nobody can!
- ABOUT THE STATE ANIMAL
If you’ve been following a lot of Andaman articles, you must have come across a sea mammal spotted in the Andaman while scuba diving. Although this sea mammal called Dugongs is a rare creature, it is also the state animal of Andaman and Nicobar islands.
- ABOUT THE LARGEST SPECIES
Unlike its tiny space, the island is a home to unusual as well as the largest species. Having said that, Andaman nests the largest living arthropod called Birgus Latro. Birgus Latro is a crab that feeds on tender coconuts. The highest number of these crabs are found at Andaman.
Other such species are the sea turtles. It has the three huge marine turtles living here. And these turtles are Hawksbill- Green turtle, Leatherback- World’s largest sea turtle, and Olive Ridley.
- ABOUT THE ONLY VOLCANOES
Volcanoes on an island may sound strange. But as strange as it may sound, Andaman has India’s only two most popular volcanoes.
First, do you know where is the only active volcano of India (Barren Island) present? Well, it is present at this island which is 135 km away from Port Blair. In order to see this island, one requires a special permit from the Forest Department.
- ABOUT THE FIRST SUNRISE
Sunrises and sunsets are the most common and gorgeous phenomena of any island destination. But have you ever wondered which island was the first to receive the stunning sun rays? Of course, Andaman. To be more precise, Katchal islands at Andaman received the first rays of the sun.
- ABOUT THE TRIBES
Another interesting and lesser-known facts about the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is that it is an abode to a lot of tribals. These tribes reside in different parts of Andaman including North Sentinel. However, tourists are not allowed to enter their region and nor do these tribes interact with the outsiders of the island.
- ABOUT THE FIRST COMMERCIAL SEAPLANE
We all know that Andaman is popular for its seaplane rides, but do we really know about the first seaplane ever? While some do, a majority of people are unaware of the same. The first commercial seaplane was launched in Andaman called ‘Jal Hans’ in 2013. Jal Hans is a seaplane with modern navigation features that operated on the sea as well as the ground.
To conclude:
Did we ever imagine an island like Andaman popular only for its beaches to have such untold secrets? No, right? Trust me, I was surprised when I read it for the first time too. And now I am even more excited about this trip. Well, that’s because I was going to visit this place for only its beaches. And now with all these revelations, these islands are differently going to be one enthralling experience.
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