The Cellular Jail, also known as Kālā Pānī, was a British colonial prison in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The prison was used by the colonial government of India for the purpose of exiling criminals and political prisoners.
Today, the complex serves as a national memorial monument. The name, “cellular jail”, is derived from the solitary cells which prevented any prisoner from communicating with any other.
This three-storeyed prison, constructed by Britishers in 1906, is a pilgrimage destination for Indian freedom fighters. This colossal edifice has mutely witnessed the most treacherous of inhumane atrocities borne by the convicts, who were mostly freedom fighters.
There are two prisons in India that were converted into museums – The Cellular Jail at Andamans and the Jail at Dagshai.