Category Islands

  The Philippines is an island nation in South East Asia. It lies in the Pacific Ocean, near the equator, and is made up of around 7641 islands. The Philippines are a part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, which means it has many active volcanoes. It is also prone to earthquakes and typhoons.

At the same time, these islands are blessed with abundant natural resources. There are beautiful beaches and coastal areas, as well as towering mountains and lush valleys.

The Philippines has a rich and varied wildlife, and the highest rate of discovery of new animal species. Sixteen new species of mammals have been discovered just in the last 10 years.

 Interestingly, there are between 120 and 175 individual languages spoken in the Philippines, 171 of which are living, while the other four no longer have any known speakers. 

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are two groups of islands located at the meeting point of the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. These islands form one of the seven union territories of India. The Andamans, consisting of some 300 islands, were the site of a British penal colony from 1858 to 1945.

This was the famous Cellular Jail where many of India’s freedom fighters were imprisoned. The Nicobars, which comprise 19 small islands, are separated from the Andamans by a channel.

 Since World War II and Indian independence, some of the islands have undergone significant population growth and economic development.

There are Indian military bases here, and regular air and ship services connect the islands with the mainland. The islands are crucial for controlling India’s interests in South East Asia, because of their strategic location. 

The Lakshadweep is an archipelago of islands that lie in the Arabian Sea, off the coast of Kerala. The archipelago forms the smallest among the union territories of India.

            These islands get their name from the Sanskrit word ‘lakshadweepa’ which means ‘one hundred thousand islands’. The 36 main islands in this archipelago have only 32 square kilometres of land between them. Most of the other islands in Lakshadweep are very small, and not inhabited.

The islands were once part of the Chola Empire. Later, the Portuguese, and then the British, took control. When India won independence from the British, Lakshadweep became a part of India. Coconut production and coconut fibre extraction are two most important industries in Lakshadweep.

 Sriharikota is a barrier island. It lies in the Bay of Bengal, off the coast of Andhra Pradesh. Sriharikota is of tactical importance to India, as it is an ideal launch site for geostationary satellites.

 Its location is remote enough to ensure that human beings are not exposed to any danger in the case of an accident, yet accessible enough by land, air and water to transport huge machinery and equipment without any problems.

 The climate too, is suitable. Heavy rains come only in October and November, so outdoor testing is possible for the remaining ten months of the year.

            For these reasons, Sriharikota houses the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, one of the two satellite launch centres in India. The other is the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station in Thiruvananthapuram.

Willingdon Island, which is part of the city of Kochi in Kerala, is the largest man-made island in India. The island was created from the sand dug out while deepening Kochi port. It was built around a previously existing but tiny Natural Island.

Willingdon Island was named after 1st Earl of Willingdon, the Viceroy of India at the time, who was instrumental in implementing this island project. The main engineer who spearheaded this project, however, was Robert Bristow.

Willingdon Island is surrounded by beautiful backwaters. It is the site of the city’s best hotels and trading centres, the Port Trust, and the headquarters of the southern naval command.

 During its short colonial tenure, Willingdon Island handled almost one million tonnes of freight, and by the year 1960, the traffic had almost doubled. It is a major artificial port in India, and serves as an important landmark of Kochi.

 Willingdon Island serves as a link between the city, and some other seaports of the world.

Bhavani Island is located in the midst of the River Krishna at Vijayawada.

Spread over 58 hectares, it is one of the largest among river islands in India. The island possesses one of the biggest lagoons in the region.

One of its attractions is its nearness to the Prakasam Barrage, which stretches 1223.5 metres across the River Krishna, linking Krishna and Guntur Districts. The Prakasam Barrage is remarkable, and is comparable to the city of Venice with its three canals running through the city of Vijayawada.

 The Kanaka Durga temple to which pilgrims flock, is another attraction. Bhavani Island is also a popular picnic spot due to its serene beauty, and the facilities for boat rides and swimming pools.

Pamban Island, also known as Rameswaram Island, is an island located between India and Sri Lanka. The island is famous for Rameswaram, which is a pilgrimage destination.

 Pamban Island is comparatively big in size. It extends from the township of Pamban to the remains of Dhanushkodi. Rameswaram is the largest and most populous town on the island. It is one of the most sacred religious sites.

 At the eastern tip of the island lies the site of Dhanushkodi, a harbour and a pilgrimage centre, which was washed away by the December 1964 cyclone. Prior to its destruction, it was a flourishing township and a prominent place of pilgrimage. 

 Divar Island lies in the Mandovi River about 10 kilometres upriver from the capital of Goa, Panjim. The name Divar has evolved from the word ‘dipavati’ which means ‘Small Island’ in Konkani. This beautiful little island is a serene and seldom visited place that retains the old world charm of rural Goa.

In fact, most of its inhabitants once lived in Old Goa, but fled to the island to escape from a terrible plague that was sweeping across the mainland. The largest settlement on the island is a picturesque village called Piedade.

 Divar was the site of two important temples — the Sapta-koteshwara Temple, as well as a Ganesh temple that stood on the solitary hill in Piedade. These temples were later destroyed.

 Today, Divar is well known for its beautiful church, the Church of Our Lady of Compassion.

The world famous Bonderam festival is celebrated in Divar, during the monsoon with great fanfare. The festival was attended by thousands of tourists and locals.

Elephanta Island lies east of the city of Mumbai in Maharashtra. It is also known as Gharapuri, which means ‘place of caves.’ Elephanta Island is indeed famous for its caves. These caves have been carved out of rock, and the rock-cut temple complex covers an area of 5574 square metres. It consists of a main chamber, two lateral chambers, courtyards, and subsidiary shrines.

 It is believed that the caves were carved between 400 and 800 AD. The statues depict stories of Lord Shiva. The most important sculpture inside the Elephanta Caves is that of Trimurti Sadasiva. Other sculptures depict Lord Shiva in the dancing pose, the yogic pose, and also show the River Ganges’ descending from His matted locks.

 A large statue of an elephant guarded the island. The Portuguese invaded the area in 1547, and gave the island its English name on catching sight of this sculpture. Sadly, they also damaged and defaced the caves. 

The tiny island of Diu is linked by a bridge to Gujarat’s south western coast. Diu is different from the other Indian islands in that it has the feel of Portugal on Indian Territory. In fact, Diu was a Portuguese colony till 1961, and the Portuguese touch can be seen everywhere- in the architecture, especially the monuments and churches, in the people and their cuisine, in the language and culture.

There are Portuguese style fortresses, cemeteries, magnificent churches, altars, and mansions. Many of the local people still speak Portuguese, or rather, a quaint dialect that is a mix of Portuguese, and the local language.

Their folklore, literature, vocabulary, art, ballads and theatre are all a charming blend of the Indian and the Portuguese. Diu is today a union territory administered by the Government of India. It is a breezy island of great beauty and serenity, lapped by the Arabian Sea.