History of Baratang Island
By the end of the nineteenth century India, due to a political disturbance in Ranchi, many locals converted to Christianity to seek refuge. India was still under the reign of the British Rule during that time. When the British realised the forests of Andaman and Nicobar had future growth prospects, they decided to send the people who converted to Christianity as labour to cultivate crops on the Baratang Island. The island was therefore also known as the Ranchiwalas Island. The immigrants thus created new lives for themselves on Baratang Island.
Geography and Demographics of Baratang Island
The Baratang Island expands over an area of about 243 square kilometres and is considered as one of the primary islands of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands archipelago in the Bay of Bengal. To the north of the Baratang Island is Middle Andaman; to the east is the archipelago of the Islands of Ritchie and Port Blair lies to the south of the Baratang Island.
The landscape consists of lush green tropical forests, limestone caves, mangrove creeks, pristine beaches, a couple of active volcanoes and a mud volcano. The island consists of three main villages, Nilambur, Adozig and Rangat and has an approximate population of about 5700 inhabitants which mainly include the Jarawa Tribe population. In India, the Jarawa tribe is identified as the Adivasi group who have avoided contact with non-locals to a great extent.
Things To Explore at Baratang Island
Mangrove Creek
A boat ride in the beautiful mangrove creek of Baratang Island will calm jittery nerves and offer so much more. The sight of the thick green plantation canopying the creek has a haunting yet enticing character to the location that travellers must experience.
Limestone Cave Nature is breathtakingly beautiful and Baratang Island has landscapes that prove the same. The untouched beaches of Baratang islands are the unmatched beauty of the place, but the limestone caves will mesmerize you to the core. The caves were formed millions of years ago due to the slow deposition of lime on the earth's surface. The caves can be accessed by a 45 minutes boat ride from Baratang via a scenic route through the Andaman Sea. The ride through the mangrove reserves to the wonderful limestone caves is truly an exhilarating experience.
Mud Volcano
We all surely have heard of the lava volcanoes, but here one can come see the unique volcanoes that erupt in the mud. The mud volcanoes are sprawled over a huge area of 1000 to 2000 square metre. The first eruption of the mud volcano on the island of Baratang was seen in the year 1983 and the last eruption was seen in 2003. These volcanoes also emit a number of gasses and the eruptions in mud have formed various craters all over the island. The mud volcanoes are truly unique and attract nature lovers and geography enthusiasts from all over the world.
How to Reach Baratang Island
Baratang islands are located 100 km from the capital of Port Blair. From Port Blair, you can find various government buses plying to Baratang islands. To reach the limestone caves, you need to take a boat ride.
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Tips
1. While visiting the limestone caves, do not try to make contact with the tribal people.2. The mud volcano isn't an ideal destination for the children below 10 years.3. Always stick to your routes and not venture into the restricted areas.
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