Interesting facts about Cellular Jail(kala pani) | Historical Facts

Cellular Jail(kala pani)-

The British had taken every step to give severe torture to the freedom fighters fighting for the independence of India. In this episode, to keep the rebellious people away, from the general public, a prison was created which is outside the whole of India. The British had taken every step to give severe torture to the freedom fighters fighting for the independence of India. In this episode, to keep the rebellious people away from the general public, a prison was created which is outside the whole of India. The name of this jail is Cellular jail. This prison was used by the British to imprison political prisoners on remote islands. Many freedom fighters like Batukeshwar Dutt, Yogeshwar Shukla, and Vinayak Damodar Savarkar were kept in this prison when India was fighting for independence. Presently the premises of the jail has been given the title of National Memorial.

When the prison proceeded between the cells, the Central Watch Tower arrived. All seven (now three remaining) prison rows were attached to it, in which 698 isolated cells of 13.5 by 7 by 10 feet, were located. Each of these was given a ventilator of 3 times 1 feet, on the backside. After being sentenced to Kala Pani, the freedom fighters spent their lives in these and sacrificed their lives for freedom while suffering at the workhouse of the jail. It is, said that being punished for ‘black water’ means the end of life. No one could even think of running away from jail after breaking that his bones would reach home after martyrdom. Because, all the cells entered from the only central tower, and the prisoners could not even see each other after going inside.

Nelong valley

It is, said that behind every tradition there is some solid reason and an interesting story is hidden. But many pumps are difficult to believe. But it is played nonetheless. One such tradition also plays a soldier working duty on Nelong Valley Nelong Valley in Uttarkashi district and this tradition is as unique as the eye-opener. Because this tradition makes people realize what kind of hardship the youth of our country goes through for our safety. Let us tell you about this unique tradition.

Uttarkashi, located in the state of Uttarakhand, India, has a valley named Nelong (110 km) from the district headquarters of Uttarkashi. And there is no population living in this Nelong valley. Because there is a lot of snow here due to which it is not possible to stay here, but there are posts of Indo-Tibetan Border Police and Army here. Due to which the soldiers of the country remain stationed here for 12 months on duty. Even in summer, it is not so difficult to do service here. But due to heavy snowfall here in winter, the soldiers have to face many difficulties. Even the soldiers posted here have to drink water by melting ice and the unique tradition performed here is also related to water.

According to the stories, in 1994, three soldiers of the Army’s 64 Field Regiment, Havildar Jhoom Prasad Gurung, Bahadur and Nayak Surendra Singh were on a walk here. But during the walk the soldiers finished drinking water and to quench their thirst, the soldiers were going 2 kilometers down the Nelong valley where there was a source of water. But on the return, three soldiers were buried in the snow as soon as heavy snow fell and they died. After searching for several days, the army found the bodies of those soldiers in the snow.

It is, believed that sometime after this incident, all the soldiers who came to visit here, in the dream of all those soldiers came and started asking for water. After which ITBP built a memorial of those soldiers here. Since then, all the soldiers or tourists who pass through here offer water to this monument. However, Nelong Valley has been, opened for tourists since 2014. Now you can call it superstition or faith, but it can be, said that this memorial and tradition gives us a sense of what circumstances our soldiers fight for us and lose their lives and maybe that is the reason Here, by offering water, the youth and tourists thank them for their sacrifice. By the way, let me tell you that this is not the only place in India where water is allowed in the soldiers’ memorial, one such place is also in Biaban Desert of Rajasthan. Where some soldiers died due to lack of water. Because of this, the BSF built a small temple there and kept a big pot in which the people coming and pour water and pay homage to the martyred soldiers.

The story of the cruelty

At the end of the show, the mood of the freedom fighters, who are awake at the time of independence, the admiration of the tree does help in wiping the audience’s tears.

From hanging cell to Veer Savarkar’s closet

After entering the prison, a closed room finally appears on the right. There is also a door adjacent to it, which opens to the sea outside. When we moved towards it, we came to know that it is a hanging cell. There are two parts below and above it. Three traps at the top and clean floors at the bottom. During the British rule, after being hanged in the upper part, the bodies used to go down as soon as the fret was, removed. Then the dead bodies were taken out of the adjoining gates and drained from the sea through the river. For this reason, they were kept here for 10 consecutive years while other prisoners, were not kept in a cell for more than 30 days. Despite this, he did not break and today in the history of India, his name is written, in the golden letters.

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Construction and Architecture

• The construction of Cellular Jail started in 1896 AD, and it was completely formed, in 1906 AD. It was built, by the British government, the cost of making it was about five lakh seventeen thousand five hundred and thirteen rupees.
• There are 694, cells inside this prison, the cell which, is built in it is called Cell whose size is 4.5 meters × 2.7 meters.
• The purpose of building these cells was to stop the mutual interaction of the prisoners so that they could not come together nor form a strategy.
• Its outer wall is very small, its height is about three meters, which can be jumped out by anyone, but this cellular prison is built, in the sea far away from the land of India and after jumping that wall there is only water around it which no one can cross.
• The names of the brave, martyrs are written on the walls of these prison cells.
• There is also a museum in this prison which has weapons which used to torture the freedom fighters.
• Its main building was constructed, from red bricks brought from Burma in what is now known as Myanmar.
• This jail was named Cellular jail because it was constructed, in the shape of an octopus. The octopus is a marine organism that is 8-legged. Seven sections were built, in this jail and each section of it was of 3 floors.
• A large pillar was, placed between the seven blocks from where all the inmates of the prison, could be seen together and their movements, could be monitored. Above this pillar was a huge bell, which was played, when there was a possible danger.
• In the memory of those who sacrificed their lives for freedom, the unbroken flame is burning in this prison.
• Photographs of freedom fighters displayed in the photo gallery are honoring them. But what we see in the light and sound show held in the jail every evening, proves that we Indians may not be able to pay the price for the freedom that we have endured.

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Kala Pani punishment and atrocities with freedom fighter

When we remember the freedom fighters, then we also cherish the punishment of black water, it is such a punishment which the people of that time used to tremble as soon as they heard the name Kala Pani. However, the punishment of black water (Kala Pani) has no longer existed in the country. This cellular jail came to be known as Kala Pani Jail because this place was thousands of kilometers away from the land of India, this area falls in the Bay of Bengal, the prisoners who were, kept in this, jail were kept separately. The purpose of keeping the British apart was that, if all the prisoners remain separate then they will not be able to make any freedom struggle strategy and if they are lonely, then they will break from the inside and they, will have to accept the government’s point. Inmates in this jail were, tortured a lot, in which every prisoner had to crush 30 pounds of coconut and mustard every day. And the one who could not do this work was beaten very badly and kept in fetters.

Name of some of the big prisoners who have been punished in the Cellular Jail

Dr. Deewan Singh, Yogendra Shukla, Vaman Rao Joshi, Gopal Bhai Parmanand, Batukeshwar Dutt, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, Baburao Savarkar, Sohan Singh, Maulana Ahmedullah, Mawali Abdul Rahim Sadiqpuri, Maulana Fazal-e-Haq Khairabadi etc.
Which freedom fighters were kept here? How many freedom fighters were there in total? Nobody knows it well till date and what freedom fighter did the painting done on the walls of the Cellular Jail that till date, there is no information about it. After India succeeded independence, two more blocks were destroyed, now only three sections and the tower are left in the middle.
In 1963, Govind Ballabh Pant Hospital opened here, in which 500 beds have been set up for patients, 40 doctors posted here served the residents there. In 1969, three volumes and pillars were declared a national monument.
The centenary year, celebrations of the Cellular Jail were celebrated, on 10 March 2006. In the centenary year celebrations, tributes were paid, to all the freedom fighters who were, punished here.

Now it has also become a kind of tourist place people come from far and wide to see it. They have to pay some money to get inside the jail, to carry the camera, etc. stuff and to take advantage of the facilities.

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Why was black water (kala pani) called?

It was called black water because that prison was located thousands of kilometers away from the mainland of India. In the capital Port Blair, the place where this jail was built was filled with water because the whole area is under the Bay of Bengal. Cellular prison walls, cramped chambers, convey the pain of hundreds of freedom fighters who endured the oppression of the British rule.

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Time for cellular jail and jail museum:

09:00 AM to 12:30 PM, 01:30 to 04:45 (open all days except national holidays)

• Entry Fee (INR): Rs. 30
• Camera: Rs. 200
• Video Camera: Rs. 1000
• Film shooting (prior permission) Rs. 10000 per day