Andaman and Nicobar Islands conjure up images of blue and green waters, of pristine sea beaches, of nature in beautiful colours, of the Cellular Jail, of the struggle for independence, of settlement and resettlement, of the islands strung together with the waters in between. For most it is a tourist destination that is a must visit one too.
Hari Pulugurtha, my father, often spoke about Port Blair. There was a time when he was looking for a job and was toying with the idea of finding one in Port Blair and settling there. He spent some time in Port Blair too. However, that did not materialise and he moved back to Calcutta. Port Blair was a part of his life and work and this story was something that I grew up listening to. A story that came back to me when I was on my trip to the islands in early December 2023.
When our plan to visit the island was shaping up a friend who had spent a considerable number of her school vacations there (her father had been posted on work in Port Blair for some years) told me to visit the Chatham Saw mill if I could manage time. It is a very old mill, she had said, and would be a nice experience. Travel itineraries are usually tight and decided much earlier but we accommodated the new location into it.
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We had an afternoon free and that was when we decided to take an auto to Chatham saw mill. A short ride by auto from Haddo, across the Chatham bridge and in about ten minutes we were in front of the mill. A small counter beside the imposing huge gate is from where one could get entry tickets and a guide as well. The first Chatham bridge was made of timber and later gave way to the present concrete structure.
Established in 1883 by the British colonial administration, the timber produced at the mill was used locally and was ferried across the seas as well. As one enters into the compound one gets to see several historical signposts that speak of the mill and its history. During the Second World War, the mill was badly hit by bombs and work was hampered. A bomb crater is seen in the premises and one needs to climb up a small flight of steps to see this crater. There is much foliage around the crater with the brown and green leaves and the trees in the area adding to its feel.
We walk down the steps and visit the museum in the premises that gives details history of trees and the quality and nature of the wood, local to the islands. Photographs and models and actual furniture made from wood native to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are on display in the museum. There are also wooden artefacts crafted by locals on display. Some of the items on display are fascinating, revealing the skill of the makers. Set up by the department of forest, the museum reveals much about the flora of the islands.
As one moves ahead from the museum and takes a few steps up one gets to see a Japanese bunker dating to the period of the Second World War, a stark reminder of all the violence. From the steps is seen the blue waters beyond the land, with the green foliage hiding much, yet managing to reveal something of the vast expanse of the sea that stretches all around.
After World War II, the mill again began to produce timber to meet the needs of the people. One can walk through the saw mill, making sure to keep to the designated areas as this is a working mill. We saw mill workers at their work, the logs being sewn, polished and readied in much the old way. The hard work and labour still on with the sound of the machines cutting away the sound of the sea.
Here and there throughout the premises are plaques with historical information, a small rail track used to ferry the timber, the yellow and brown leaves drenched in the spells of rain adding some colour to a dull, grey afternoon. While most tourists are unaware of the place or leave it out of their itineraries, Chatham Saw Mill is a place that has seen much, a testimony to the changing tides of time, of colonialism, war, violence and exploitation.
As we leave the premises, the Chatham bridge stretched out in front of us, connecting strips of land, the moving waters all around, no big waves here. Across the bay could be seen ships of diverse sizes, harboured and sailing, containers and stuff, the world of the sea. The land of blue-green-white, where the sea predominates had a tad bit grey due to the dark clouds.
All Images: The Author
