Andaman 5 - Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Poem by Geeta Radhakrishna Menon

When the waters of Andaman Island became
‘Kalapani' or jet black and soiled,
Andaman became a frightful destination;
Then, the heavens had to intervene to clear
All dirt, all blood, all treacherous misdeeds,
The time had arrived to retrieve and to restore
The beautiful Island to its original beauty and glory,
Of an emerald green paradise on earth!

This happened when the prisoners
Began resisting, defying, striking against
The nightmare of confinement in dingy cells,
With bugs, mosquitoes centipedes and even snakes.
The day was wrought with crushing boulders, clearing jungles, coir
pounding
Besides many unbearable tasks, strenuous tasks that squeezed their blood out.
That's when Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose visited Andaman
As a beacon of light and as a saviour.

During the Second World War,
The Japanese had taken over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Netaji Chandra Bose, the supreme head of Azad Hind Government,
Demanded from the then Premier Tojo of Japan,
To hand over the islands to the Azad Hind Government.
Netaji with his powerful intervention succeeded in retrieving
The island and made it an independent state on 7th Nov 1943.
Although India was still under the bondage of British rule

When Netaji visited Andaman on 29th December 1943,
He was received by the Japanese commodore and
The members of Indian Independence league.
The very next day, he visited the cellular Jail,
Though he did not meet the Indian prisoners,
With his deep intuition and farsightedness,
He became fully aware of the mismanagement and cruelty.
He ordered the under trials to be set free with immediate effect.

For the first time, Netaji hoisted the Indian Tricolour flag
In the soil of Andaman at the Gymkhana ground on 30th December 1943,
Much before the independence of India.
He addressed a large crowd and mesmerised them
With his stunning and spell binding patriotic speech.
The historical slogan "Jai Hind" was uttered loudly
By Netaji with a resounding applause from the crowd
The national anthem was sung with reverence by the entire crowd.