Andhaman Kathali !!

Nature’s unbridled beauty – Andaman and its islands !

 

Half a century or so ago, there were so many Sivaji Ganesan fans, who would be exhilarated by every moment of Sivaji.. .. for those and for many this song –lyrics of Kaviyarasu Kannadasan, music of MS Viswanathan, sung by Vani Jayaram and KJ Yesudas would ring a bell !!    

 அந்த மானைப் பாருங்கள் அழகு! இளம் பாவை என்னோடு உறவு!

அந்த தென்னை தாலாட்டும் இளநீர்-இந்த தீவில் பெண் தூவும் பன்னீர்

இந்தமேகக் கூந்தல் கலைகள்-கடல் நீரில் ஆடும் அலைகள்

உந்தன் மோக ராக நாதம்-இந்த  ஏழை பாடும் வேதம்!

The hero is a  millionaire who believes money alone is God and is capable of solving all problems. He is the guardian of his boss' daughter who wants him to buy a statue by a sculptor she is crazy about. She wants him to come to Andaman for the same. However, in the past, Shivaji was an inhabitant of Andaman and was in love  of Sujatha. They had married in secrecy and at a time when she was pregnant, he goes to bring a  doctor who insults them. In a rage, he kills the doctor and in fear, runs away from Andaman. A millionaire hires him as a servant, sees his good heart and after a good many years, leaves all the money to him with the clause that he has to keep his daughter happy. 

Andaman Kadhali -   directed by Muktha Srinivasan, produced by Muktha Ramaswamy and written by A. S. Prakasam starring  Sivaji Ganesan, Sujatha, Chandra Mohan and Thengai Srinivasan, as released on 26 January 1978 and ran full houses. It was  remade in Telugu as Andaman Ammayi

 

            Andaman and Nicobar islands is now named ‘Sri Vijayapuram’ – removal of colonial vestige.  

Port Blair is the capital city of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and also the local administrative sub-division (tehsil) of the islands, the headquarters for the district of South Andaman, and the territory's only notified town.  It is connected with mainland India by both air and sea. It is a two to three-hour flight from mainland India to Port Blair's Veer Savarkar International Airport and three to four days by sea to reach Kolkata, Chennai, or Visakhapatnam from Haddo Wharf in the city. It is home to several museums and the major naval base INS Jarawa of the Indian Navy.

The most important place is the historic Cellular Jail is in the city, and nearby small islands such as Corbyn's Cove, Wandoor, Ross Island and Viper Island were once home to British colonists.  The city was named after Captain Archibald Blair, a British colonial navy official of the East India Company.  

At the start, an aerial photo of Andamans taken by me a few years ago and at the start Ananda Vikadan review of movie Andaman Kathali

 
Regards – S Sampathkumar
4.7.2025