MY BOOK - "The Islands and Tribes of Andaman and Nicobar"

Photo credits @Priti Singh

Defogging the islands 
Author Priti Singh tells NANDINI NAIR that "The Islands and Tribes of Andaman and Nicobar" clears popular misconceptions about the archipelago. "I wanted to defog mindsets. People view them with much trepidation."

It's a coffee table book but meant to be seen and read. Priti Singh's "The Islands and Tribes of Andaman and Nicobar,"published by Prakash Books, and dedicated to the people of the islands, is an appreciation of their resilience and hope. Initially apprehensive about her husband's transfer, she ended up discovering and loving the islands. Having grown up in Zambia, she says, "The germ (for the outdoors) was laid there." Of the 300-odd islands she says fondly, "They have a siesta like atmosphere. It's a place that prefers to trot rather than gallop."

In a relaxed mood, Singh describes her motive, "I wanted to defog mindsets. Many people view the islands with so much trepidation. The hideous appellations of `Kaalapaani' still stick with it. People still associate it with cannibalistic tribes and think the sea is crawling with leviathans. There is so much fiction out there, it's hard to winnow out the facts."

Broad scope:

Singh is a research scholar with Delhi University's Department of Chinese and Japanese Studies. An initial suggestion from the Department encouraged her to look into the 1942 Japanese occupation of the islands. But she soon broadened her scope to include their historical, ecological and social makeup. Using her research skill and outdoor affinity, she documented this book for six years. Her research took her from the Teen Murti Library, National Archives to the interiors of the islands. Her sources cover George Whitehead's book on the Nicobari tribe to documents of the "tribal captains."

Singh speaks with an engaging tone about their history and people. "There are six tribes, five of which have been pathetically decimated to negligible numbers. The Nicobaris have modernised and prospered. The rest are very primitive and live in tribal reserves."

Fierce history:

She explains that while the Japanese invasion began on a "benevolent note," the scale of their destruction is yet unknown. From 1942 to 1945 the population is thought to have dwindled from 34,000 to 18,000 people. Strangely, people of the island don't harbour any resentment towards the Japanese, says the author. The book also chronicles the penal past of the islands. The Cellular Jail was built on the recommendation of the British. The first batch of convicts arrived in 1858.

"You don't come out unscathed from the jail. You question the loss of life and liberty," she reminisces. She found the sound and light show at the jail especially evocative. With the voice of Tom Alter, songs by Sonu Nigam and patriotic lighting, the show is stirring. Essential to a coffee table book, it is replete with amazing photographs that the author has taken herself though the book also boasts of some brilliant images from the lens of the world renowned wildlife photographer, Mr. Rajesh Bedi who was kind enough to mentor Singh on her first pictorial. Untrained, she initially took all the photos on film, not knowing that transparencies were required for the book. "Anyone can buy expensive equipment," she adds, glad with the results and feedback, "But not everyone has an eye for pictures."

With 60 per cent of the islands dependent on tourism, this book gains relevance post-tsunami. Believing that "the mainstream is unfair to those who live on the peripheries, be it the North-East, Andamans or Lakshadweep, she sees this book as "the next best thing to a visit." It is priced at Rs.3500. Priti Singh is currently working on a book that traces the life of the Buddha and another one on pregnancy and parenting in the Indian context.

The following is the link to the published interview in "The Hindu" (Delhi edn).
http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/10/26/stories/2006102601250300.htm