Cellular Jail
A haunting colonial prison in Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, used by the British to isolate Indian freedom fighters in solitary confinement—now preserved as a solemn national memorial.
Cellular Jail, known as Kālā Pānī, was constructed by the British between 1896 and 1906 on remote Andaman Island to inflict isolation and silence dissent among Indian political prisoners. Its panopticon-like design features seven radiating three‑storey wings centered on a solitary watchtower, preventing communication among inmates.
Its walls imprisoned countless freedom fighters—from Vinayak Damodar Savarkar and Batukeshwar Dutt to Yogendra Shukla—who endured forced labor, starvation, torture, and psychological torment. Hunger strikes became acts of resistance; a 36-day strike in 1937 compelled the colonial authority to transfer prisoners back to the mainland.
The prison was severely damaged by a 1941 earthquake. During WWII, the Japanese occupied it and dismantled wings for materials. By independence, only three wings remained. In 1979, the site was designated a National Memorial. Today, visitors experience its history through galleries, a poignant light-and-sound show, and the eternal flame honoring its martyrs.
Location: Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, India
Address: Atlanta Point, Sri Vijaya Puram, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands 744104, India
Category: prison, museum, colonial repression, national memorial
Tags: Cellular Jail, Kala Pani, political prisoners, prison, solitary confinement, hunger strike, independence martyrs
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Gallery