PORT BLAIR RENAMED AS SRI VIJAYA PURAM

What’s in today’s article?

• Why in the News?
• The procedure to rename a state
• Colonial background of Port Blair
• Port Blair’s Historical Links with the Imperial Cholas and Srivijaya

Why in the News?

The Centre has chosen to rename Port Blair as Sri Vijaya Puram. This decision seeks to move away from the colonial legacy of the former name and to acknowledge the Andaman and Nicobar Islands’ role in the Indian freedom struggle.

The decision to rename the Andaman and Nicobar capital with an Indian name comes nearly six years after the Centre honoured Netaji Bose by renaming three islands in the Union Territory.

Ross Island was renamed Subhash Chandra Bose Dweep

Neil Island became Shaheed Dweep

Havelock Island was changed to Swaraj Dweep.

 The procedure to rename a state (the term ‘state’ is inclusive of states and union territories)

• Constitutional provision
  • The Parliament holds the authority to alter the name of a state.
  • The Constitution of India gives the parliament power to alter the name of a state under Article 3.
  • Article 3 of the Constitution explicitly lays down a procedure to alter the area, boundaries, or name of a state.

• Proposal
  • The process to rename a state can be initiated by either the Parliament or the state assembly.
  • The state legislature sends a proposal in the form of a resolution to the Central government.
  • In Parliament, the bill cannot be presented without a recommendation from the President.

• Procedure
  • States which are going to get affected by such changes, the legislation of that state must be presented with the bill.
  • The State Legislature may present its views on the bill within the prescribed time period.
  • The views or suggestions of the State Legislature are not enforceable against the President or The Parliament.
  • Parliament has the authority to override the opinions of the state legislature if it chooses to do so.
  • After receiving the suggestions of the State Legislative Assembly or after the expiration of the limited time period the bill goes back to the Parliament.
  • Then the bill gets further deliberated upon in the Parliament.

• Passing of the bill
  • The bill like any ordinary bill must be passed with a simple majority of 50%+1 vote.
  • The bill is then sent to the President for approval. Once the bill is approved, it becomes law, and the state’s name is officially changed.

Colonial background of Port Blair

• Origins of Port Blair: Named After Lieutenant Archibald Blair
  • The city of Port Blair is the entry point of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. 
  • Originally a fishing hamlet, it was named after Lieutenant Archibald Blair, a British naval officer who served in the early 18th century.
• In December 1778, Blair embarked on his first surveying expedition to the Andaman Islands from Calcutta with two ships, Elizabeth and Viper.
• The voyage, which continued until April 1779, took Blair along the west and east coasts of the islands, where he discovered a natural harbour.
• Originally, he named it Port Cornwallis in honour of Lord William Cornwallis, but it was later renamed in Blair’s honour.
  • Blair’s career was notable for his significant contributions to British colonial expansion, especially in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Creation of a Penal Colony in 1789

• • In 1789, the Government of Bengal founded a penal colony on Chatham Island, in the Great Andaman southeast bay, naming it after Blair.
  • This was part of a broader British strategy to control the region.
  • However, the British had abandoned by 1796 because of disease.

• Blair’s Role in Surveying and Developing the Islands
  • Blair surveyed the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, helping establish early British administration.
  • His efforts in mapping the area laid the foundation for Port Blair to become a colonial hub, vital for military, administrative, and trade activities.
  • His work helped the British exert control over the islands and integrate them into their maritime network.

• Establishment of new penal colony
  • The Revolt of 1857 resulted in a large number of prisoners for the British, prompting the immediate renovation and resettlement of Port Blair as a penal colony.
  • The first batch of 200 prisoners arrived in March 1858.
• Cellular Jail
  • The British built the Cellular Jail, also known as Kala Pani (Black Waters), to house Indian convicts, mostly political prisoners, in solitary confinement.
  • With the strengthening of the Indian Independence Movement in the late 19th century, a huge cellular jail was established here by 1906.

Port Blair’s Historical Links with the Imperial Cholas and Srivijaya

• It was used as a strategic base by the Chola emperor
  • Srivijaya was the ancient name of an empire that had its base in Sumatra, with influence across Southeast Asia.
  • It was also instrumental in the expansion of Buddhism.
  • The empire was supposed to have declined around the 11 century AD after a series of naval raids by the Cholas on its ports.

• Historical records indicate that in the 11th century, the Chola emperor Rajendra I used the Andaman Islands as a strategic naval base.
• The base was utilized to launch an attack on the Srivijaya Empire, which is now part of present-day Indonesia.
• This invasion of Srivijaya was notable for its rarity, marking a unique conflict in India’s otherwise peaceful relations with Southeast Asia.
• Scholars believe the attack might have been motivated by Srivijaya’s obstruction of Chola trade or Rajendra I’s desire to expand his empire and boost his prestige.
• American historian G.W. Spencer interprets the attack as an aspect of Chola expansionism.

Inscription at Thanjavur and the name of Nicobar Island

• An inscription from Thanjavur dated to 1050 CE refers to the island as Ma-Nakkavaram land (great open/naked land), which may have influenced the modern name Nicobar used by the British.

A Tribute to Independent India

• Renaming Port Blair to Sri Vijaya Puram is seen as a meaningful acknowledgement of the city’s role in shaping Independent India, moving away from its colonial past.

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