The Paris of the East: Splendor of the Penal Capital
Guarding the entrance to Port Blair's natural harbor just two nautical miles east of the capital city, the tiny seventy-acre island of Ross—officially rechristened Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Dweep in December 2018—presents one of the most hauntingly poetic and evocative ghost-town landscapes on earth. From 1858 until catastrophic damage during the 1941 Andaman earthquake, Ross Island served as the administrative capital and nerve center of the entire British penal settlement in the Indian Ocean.
While Indian freedom fighters toiled in agonizing misery in the quarry pits and brick kilns of the mainland, British colonial officers transformed this compact island into a self-contained enclave of lavish European aristocracy. Dubbed the 'Paris of the East,' Ross Island featured magnificent teak-paneled colonial bungalows, a grand ballroom with stained glass, manicured Italian tennis lawns, a water desalination distillation plant, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, and an open-air printing press. Paved stone avenues were illuminated by gas lamps and shaded by introduced royal palms, creating an insular world of colonial privilege perched amidst a prison archipelago.
Ferries to Ross Island depart regularly from the Rajiv Gandhi Water Sports Complex (Aberdeen Jetty) in Port Blair, taking approximately 15 minutes across the harbor (round-trip boat ticket ₹350 to ₹500). An eco-heritage entry token of ₹50 per adult is collected by the Andaman Forest Department upon arrival. Battery-operated golf carts (₹80 per person) are available on the island for senior citizens.
Nature's Reclamation: Banyan Roots Strangling Gothic Stone
Following the devastation of the 1941 earthquake and subsequent wartime evacuations, Ross Island was abandoned to the elements. Over the ensuing eight decades, the relentless subtropical climate and vigorous marine rainforest launched an astonishing campaign of natural reclamation. Today, walking across Ross Island feels like exploring an ancient, forgotten civilization submerged beneath emerald vegetation.
Colossal ficus and banyan trees have wrapped their thick, muscular aerial roots around crumbling Victorian brickwork, stone balustrades, and gothic lintels. The iconic Presbyterian Church of St. Andrew, built in 1863 from Burmese teak and dressed stone, stands with its soaring gabled arches completely encased in giant living root networks that hold the fractured masonry in place. Sunbeams filter through the forest canopy, casting dramatic shadows across moss-covered mosaic tiles, offering an extraordinary spectacle for photographers, architectural historians, and travelers alike.
World War II Japanese Bunkers and Defensive Fortifications
In March 1942, during the height of the Pacific War, the Japanese Imperial Forces seized Ross Island without resistance, establishing their military garrison headquarters on the island's high ridges. Recognizing the island's strategic command over Port Blair harbor, Japanese military engineers heavily fortified the perimeter, constructing reinforced concrete pillboxes, coastal artillery bunkers, and subterranean ammunition storage tunnels.
Visitors walking along the northern and eastern cliff paths can inspect these surviving World War II Japanese defensive redoubts. The dark concrete slits of the machine-gun bunkers still look out over the turquoise waters of the Andaman Sea, bearing battle scars and weathering from decades of salt spray. The juxtaposition of Victorian British colonial ruins, World War II Axis fortifications, and triumphant indigenous jungle makes Ross Island a unique multi-layered historic palimpsest.
The colonial stone ruins of Ross Island are fragile and subject to structural crumbling; do not climb over safety railings, enter collapsed archways, or disturb supporting banyan tree roots. Spotted deer (*Axis axis*) and peacocks roam freely across the island; visitors are strictly prohibited from feeding, petting, or teasing wildlife, carrying a mandatory fine under wildlife conservation statutes.
Wildlife Haven: Roaming Spotted Deer and Avian Sanctuaries
Despite its tragic penal and military past, Ross Island has evolved into a serene, tranquil wildlife haven. The island is populated by hundreds of spotted deer (*Axis axis*) and Indian peafowl originally introduced by British officers as decorative game species. Today, these gentle animals roam freely through the forested courtyards and ruined church halls without fear of humans, often grazing peacefully alongside visiting travelers beneath towering rain trees.
The island's coastal forest canopy teems with vibrant birdlife. White-bellied sea eagles soar on ocean thermals high above the rocky headlands, while Andaman woodpeckers, emerald doves, and kingfishers dart among the wild bamboo thickets and flowering bougainvillea vines. A wooden pathway descends to the tranquil eastern pebble beach, where visitors can watch gentle waves lap against volcanic reef stones while looking out toward Viper and North Bay islands.
Visiting Logistics, Guided Trails, and Evening Sound & Light
A visit to Ross Island is seamlessly completed as a half-day excursion from Port Blair, frequently paired with a morning visit to neighboring North Bay Island. Ferries run continuously throughout the morning and early afternoon from Aberdeen Jetty, taking roughly fifteen minutes each way. Visitors typically spend two to three hours exploring the shaded pedestrian trails that crisscross the island's ridges.
A highlight for evening visitors is the Ross Island Sound & Light Show, an innovative outdoor multimedia projection presented against the stone facade of the ruined Chief Commissioner's bungalow. The show narrates the dramatic history of the island, from its penal colony founding and wartime occupation to Netaji's historic arrival. Travelers should wear comfortable walking shoes, carry drinking water and sun hats, and ensure they return to the jetty before the final scheduled boat departure back to Port Blair.
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