Viper Island at Andaman Islands

– A Quiet Witness to a Dark Past

Just a short boat ride from Port Blair, Viper Island sits quietly in the Andaman Sea — its tranquil beauty belying a grim and powerful past. Though often overshadowed by the more well-known Cellular Jail, Viper Island was the original stage for some of the darkest chapters of colonial punishment. Built by the British in 1867, under the supervision of Major Fort, the Viper Chain Gang Jail became a symbol of pain and resistance. Here, prisoners — including revered freedom fighters like Nanigopal, Nandlal Pulindas, and even Maharaja Brij Kishor Singh Deo of Puri — were shackled in chains, confined in isolated cells, and subjected to brutal treatment. The island derives its name from H.M.S. Viper, the ship that brought Lt. Archibald Blair to the islands in 1789, which later wrecked near its shores.

Today, Viper Island may be covered in overgrowth and inhabited by birds and squirrels, but its ruins still whisper stories of courage and cruelty. The two-storey red-brick structure, now in a state of decay, features a hilltop gallows, a stark reminder of colonial oppression. Though time has softened its scars, the island remains a poignant memorial to India’s freedom struggle, offering visitors a quiet yet emotionally powerful experience. Far from just a sightseeing spot, Viper Island is where you walk through the shadows of history — not to dwell on the pain, but to remember the price of freedom.