A trip to Indira Point: Down memory lane, 37 years back
- Part 2 -

S Balakrishnan *

A few employees of the Lighthouses Department, along with their family members, including infants (Believe me!), were living in that remotest edge of the remotest island, 51 kms away from any sort of basic amenities and civilisation. I could not help admiring their tenacity to live in such an out-of-the ordinary place to eke out a living. No electricity, no tap water, no doctor and no school. If at all they had a transistor radio, it was their only mode of keeping in touch with the outside world.

Out of the provisions we carried with us, the men prepared stew for us. I washed it down with water, as it was neither sufficient for the three of us who were hungry having trudged all the way, nor tasty. As there was no electricity and nothing to do, we went to bed by 6.30 PM itself as darkness had already swooped over the area by 6 PM itself.

Located 1,200 kms. East of mainland India, there is a time difference of one hour. We slept on the open verandah, just 200 metres away from the ocean, in peace with Mother Nature. As if to bless me, there was a light drizzle in the midnight. This very building was toppled and damaged during the tsunami.

The dawn found me at the beachfront by 4 AM. The roaring ocean, buzzing breeze, chirping birds and rustling flora – it was tranquil Nature all around. Intoxicated with the beauty of the place, I was foolishly gazing at the southern side, mistaking it for east, and completely missed viewing the sunrise! Of course, it was cloudy and hence confusing; I consoled myself thus for having missed the once-in-a-lifetime sunrise. How stupid of me!

The view from atop the lighthouse lifted my spirits and compensated – a marvelous blue ocean on one side and lush forest in different shades of green (never again witnessed by me anywhere) on the other, with a clear blue sky spread over. As there was no gas supply, the light was not functioning.

How pathetic! A wooden plaque announced that the lighthouse was inaugurated by the then Vice-President, Pathak, in 1973. The men told me that construction work had started way back in 1969 itself. It is situated in the South Bay of the Parsons Pygmalion Point. Yes, I prefer calling it as PPP rather than Indira Point; the point is that the Point was known thus when I visited.

So you got the point? Besides, I am against rechristening, particularly the sycophancy type. They had even installed a massive statue of Indira at that Point. Luckily (yes, luckily) this was toppled by the tsunami waves and washed elsewhere, removed from that PPP. So now it is in Campbell Bay, I suppose.

As we climbed down, the men were gracious to share their morning black tea with us. Before they left for a hunting expedition into the forests along with their dogs, I took a snap of them at the base of the lighthouse. Thanking them sincerely for all their help and secretly admiring them for living so close to Nature, I left Parsons Pygmalion Point, leaving my heart there and carrying a cute shell and a handful of beach sand, besides photos and everlasting memories. I must admit I was even jealous of them – to live in the lap of Mother Nature and to get paid for it too! It was 7 AM, the same time we had left Shastri Nagar the previous day.

As we had ample time and were neither in a hurry to return to the hustle-bustle of the so-called civilized society, we took the roundabout foreshore path on our return journey. On the way, we saw a ship wreck, a rusted piece of which is still in my collection. We rested for a while in the settlement of the labourers clearing the forest who were only too happy to share with us their chukka rotti to be dipped in black tea and eaten. Indian hospitality thrives even in the remotest island and deepest jungles!

As we walked on, we came to the Chingen hamlet of the Nicobari tribal. My guides, Balaiah and Veeriah, automatically braked there and bought two toddy bottles (at my cost). Though the pungent smell was just unbearable for me, I had to literally grin and bear it and them. Yet, I too had a gulp of it, just for the heck of it.

There I picked up a piece of the hard outer skin of the Pandanus fruit, the staple food of the Nicobarese which can be pierced open only with an axe. It looked like a brush and my escorts-cum-guides told me that the Nicobarese use them as bathing brush.

As we reached River Galathea, she was flowing in her full might. Maybe it had rained in the catchment areas. After waiting for the low tide to set in, we crossed her on a dinghy (small country boat), which whirled once violently in the midstream. My expert guides managed the situation tactfully and we landed safely on the other bank in one piece, without falling prey to the hungry crocodiles or the mighty ocean.

Now that I had risked my precious life twice, I am sure this trip qualifies to be an expedition. God had destined that I escape and write this hysterical … oops … historical history for humankind’s benefit!

As we proceeded towards Shastri Nagar, we came across gangs of naughty Nicobar Macaque monkeys which had plundered and squandered almost all the coconuts in the trees. I also noticed squirrels which did not have the legendary three stripes on their back, said to have been caused by the gentle patting of Lord Sri Rama in appreciation of a squirrel’s help to Him in the construction of a bridge across Sethu Canal to cross over to Sri Lanka to retrieve Sita.

By 3.15 PM, we were barging into the tiny restaurant at Shastri Nagar. Starved of a good meal for almost a whole day, we stuffed in whatever was available. After a refreshing bath, I took photographs of all those kind souls who helped me reach my enamoured destination – the Land’s Tip.

It is saddening that many of those kind and helping souls both at Shastri Nagar and Indira Point could be living only in my photographs because the destructive Tsunami of December 26 2004 has not left any trace of them!

Recently, during a trip to Andamans in June 2009, I tried my best to visit Great Nicobar with family, but could not make it. There was great demand for helicopter service as it was school reopening time and preference was given to teachers & local people and not to tourists. I was also told that the road to Indira Point beyond a distance was yet to be re-laid, hence I would not be able to reach the Point on road. As the sea was very rough, travel by boat to that Point was quite risky, especially with family members.

Even the patrol boat had to return a few times without landing at the Point, I was told. A friend told me recently that nothing was left beyond Campbell Bay town; even the L-shaped jetty was torn off by the earthquake and tsunami. This town was saved mainly because it is in the Bay area. So my desire to visit Parsons Pygmalion Point again still remains a dream.

Concluded....