Nicobar

Nocobar is a district of Andaman & Nicobar Islands in India. Separated from Andamans group of Island by 145 km wide 10 degree channel, Nicobars District has an area of 1841 km, comprising 22 Islands, twelve of which are inhabited. The maximum length of Nicobars is 310 Km and maximum width is 57.96 Km. The extreme Southern most 'Pigmalion Point' presently known as Indira Point which is also southern most point of India, is 310 Km from Car Nicobar and barely 140 Km from Sumatra Island (Indonesia). The Nicobar Islands are situated in the South-east of the Bay of Bengal between 6 degree - 10 degree N latitude and between 92 degree - 94 degree E longitude. There are altogether 22 large and small islands, out of which only twelve have inhabitants.

As per census of 2011, the district had a population of 36842. The district consists of three tehsils - Car Nicobar, Nancowry, and the Great Nicobar. The Great Nicobar Tehsil was carved out of Nancowry Tehsil on August 17, 2006. The Great Nicobar Tehsil included all the revenue villages, all the tribal villages and all the islands situated between 6 degree 45’ and 7 degree 45’ North Latitude and 93 degree to 94 degree East Longitude. There are three CD Blocks in this district viz., Car Nicobar comprising only 16
inhabited villages, Nancowry comprising of 44 inhabited villages and Campbell Bay comprising of 30 inhabited villages.

The ten inhabited islands of the district are - (1) Car Nicobar (2) Choura (3) Tillang Chong (4) Teressa (5) Katchal (6) Nancowry (7) Kamorta (8) Pulomilo (9) Little Nicobar, and (10) Great Nicobar. Car Nicobar is the most populated island while Pulomilo is the least populated. The Bomboka, Trinket and Kondul Islands were found inhabited in 2001 Census, but become uninhabited by 2011 Census.

Nicobar group of islands was declared a separate district on August 1, 1974, with its headquarter at Car Nicobar, where half of the population exists. Except three Panchayats and one Panchayat Samiti in Great Nicobar, rest of the District is having its own local traditional Tribal Councils.

Falling between the sea route from South India / Sri Lanka to South East Asia and vice-vers, the voyagers referred it as 'land of the naked' i.e. Nakkavar which is perhaps the direct Predecessor of the current name 'Nicobar'. The medieval Arabic name 'Lankhabatus' is a mere mistranscription and misapprehension of 'Nankakar or Nakkavar'. Lord Ram, the hero of epic 'Ramayana, is meant to have passed through the Islands during his period of exile (Mathur: 1967). Somdev's 'Kathasaritsagar' (11th century) indicates it as 'Narikel Dweep'.

The islands have also been mentioned in the accounts of travellers like Fahien, (6th century); I-T'sing (early 7th century); Ptolemy (2nd century); Marco Polo (13th century) and Friar Oderic (early 14th century). The islands were known in China as Lo-Jan Kuo (land of the naked people) according to the writings of I-T'Sing. An inscription dated (1059 AD) of the Chola King of Tanjore indicates that these islands were used as base shelter station for waging war and keeping control over South East Asia. The geographical names for the different islands have all obscure, complicated and interesting histories, whereas, each island has a native name too.

17th century onwards Portugese and French missionaries tried to propagate Christianity in Nicobars. In 1756 the Danes took possession of these islands and established their head quarter on Kamorta island, but they abandoned the same in 1848. In 1869 the British formally took possession of these islands. In 1870 they established a panel settlement at Kamorta which was closed in 1888. The islands were included in the Chief Commissioner ship of A & N Islands in 1871. This Administrative arrangement continued till the Pre-Independence period. During 1920s, the British Government appointed Mr. E. Hert as first Assistant Commissioner for Nicobars.

The impact of world war II and consequent Japanese occupation of the Islands from 1942-45 caused a great upheaval in the mind of the people. After a brief period of British repossession the islands achieved independence as an integral part of the Republic of India on 15th August 1947, because they have been part of the old British Empire of India.

Soon after Independence the Government was keen to protect the interests of the Nicobarese and did not allow outside traders to exploit the people. The regulation for the Protection of Aboriginal Tribes came into force in 1956 under which entry to the Nicobar Islands was strictly restricted. However in the late sixties the Administration started settlement of non-tribals in this group of islands, like Andmans. 330 ex-defence presonnel were settled in some de-reserved areas of Great Nicobar island, where Panchayat System exists at present. Some Plantation Tamils were also brought in mid 70s for engaging in rubber plantation works in Katchal Island. Owing to increase in population, 165 Car-Nicobari families were resettled in 1973-74 to Little Andaman Island.