May 7
1845 hrs
Port Blair
Middle Andaman is entirely forested and uncivilised (for lack of a better word), populated by the Jarwa tribes of Andaman. It is a dense, thick rainforest with just one commutalbe road that connects North and South Andaman. And since this is a forest reserve and a protected tribal habitat, commuting by this road requires a special permit from the forest dept. Vehicle convoys in limited number are allowed to pass the checkposts at the stroke of every hour. Its a 3-4 hour jurney through thrilling, unraped mountainous jungles. And its commonplace to sight tribals along the way. Commuters aren't allowed to stop or take pictures.
The Jarwa Tribals are short and of coal dark complexion. Both man and women have extremely short, often braided hair. Sometimes they are found wearing a leaf garment below the waist but mostly they attire in birthday suits. Although few of the tribeswomen seen today were in house coats and some children in shorts. Obviously for the misplaced generosity by the superior ones among us. A solitary tribal we saw earlier today scampered away on seeing the convoy and crouched behind a tree watching alertly. Its uncetrain whether that was a man or a woman. We came across only women and children thereafter. There was a mother calmly breastfeeding a child on a pavement beside the road. Others we saw were mostly in groups. They waved, they hollered, they cheered, they jeered at the passing cars. They probably were just as curious and amused by this wierd humankind, a tad overdressed in bark, zipping past in funny shaped moving huts.....
But what took us aback was a tribal kid hollering something that sounded distinctly like "Humara photo nai nikalneka!" It turns out that they've picked up our language through this limited contact with the world outside. They're said to have unbelievably powerful memory....
We also visited limestone caves and a mud volcano (oozing liquid cementlike mud and gases from tiny pores on a mound) in the Baratang area today. And we did glimpse a sunbathing croc in the mangrove swamps from a distance.
1845 hrs
Port Blair
Middle Andaman is entirely forested and uncivilised (for lack of a better word), populated by the Jarwa tribes of Andaman. It is a dense, thick rainforest with just one commutalbe road that connects North and South Andaman. And since this is a forest reserve and a protected tribal habitat, commuting by this road requires a special permit from the forest dept. Vehicle convoys in limited number are allowed to pass the checkposts at the stroke of every hour. Its a 3-4 hour jurney through thrilling, unraped mountainous jungles. And its commonplace to sight tribals along the way. Commuters aren't allowed to stop or take pictures.
The Jarwa Tribals are short and of coal dark complexion. Both man and women have extremely short, often braided hair. Sometimes they are found wearing a leaf garment below the waist but mostly they attire in birthday suits. Although few of the tribeswomen seen today were in house coats and some children in shorts. Obviously for the misplaced generosity by the superior ones among us. A solitary tribal we saw earlier today scampered away on seeing the convoy and crouched behind a tree watching alertly. Its uncetrain whether that was a man or a woman. We came across only women and children thereafter. There was a mother calmly breastfeeding a child on a pavement beside the road. Others we saw were mostly in groups. They waved, they hollered, they cheered, they jeered at the passing cars. They probably were just as curious and amused by this wierd humankind, a tad overdressed in bark, zipping past in funny shaped moving huts.....
But what took us aback was a tribal kid hollering something that sounded distinctly like "Humara photo nai nikalneka!" It turns out that they've picked up our language through this limited contact with the world outside. They're said to have unbelievably powerful memory....
We also visited limestone caves and a mud volcano (oozing liquid cementlike mud and gases from tiny pores on a mound) in the Baratang area today. And we did glimpse a sunbathing croc in the mangrove swamps from a distance.
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