Port Blair & around · attraction
Cellular Jail Light & Sound Show
The evening show in the jail courtyard — the story of Kala Pani told through narration, lighting and the voice of the old peepal tree. Book ahead in season.
- evening
- history
- Port Blair
- tickets
- family
- Where
- Cellular Jail courtyard, Atlanta Point, Port Blair
- When
- Every evening after sunset — typically 2–3 shows between about 5:30 and 7:30 pm; Hindi and English (schedule changes seasonally)
- Duration
- About 45 minutes
- Tickets
- Roughly ₹300 adults / ₹150 children; online via Andaman Tourism or at the counter
- Seating
- Open-air benches; first come, first seated
- Rain
- Cancelled in heavy rain — refunds/rescheduling at the counter
Overview
After the daytime visit, the Light & Sound Show is how the Cellular Jail tells its own story. Seated in the courtyard facing the wings, you hear the history of the penal settlement narrated (famously, in the older version, by an old peepal tree that “saw it all”), with the buildings picked out in light — the arrival of the first convicts in 1858, the building of the jail, the tortures, the hunger strikes, Savarkar, the Japanese years and Independence. It’s a proper piece of theatre and most visitors — including children who fidgeted through the museum — come out quiet.
Shows run in Hindi and English on alternating slots; check which is which when you book.
Getting there
Same as the Cellular Jail: Atlanta Point, a short walk or auto from Aberdeen Bazaar. Arrive 20–30 minutes before the show; the gates open a little ahead of time and the best benches (centre, a few rows back) go first.
Practical notes
- Book ahead in December–January and on long weekends — the English show in particular sells out. Tickets are sold online through the tourism department’s portal and at the counter by the gate; your hotel or agent can also arrange them.
- Timings move with sunset and season. Two or three shows an evening is normal; the first is usually Hindi. Confirm the day’s schedule locally rather than relying on a printed time.
- Open-air: carry mosquito repellent and, in the wet months, a light rain layer. Heavy rain cancels the show.
- Photography during the show is discouraged and flash is pointless; enjoy it.
- Combine it with an early dinner in town or at Marina Park below.
- There’s a similar (shorter) show on Ross Island about that island’s history — a different story; do both if you have the evenings.
Nearby
Cellular Jail (do the daytime visit first), Marina Park, Port Blair town.
Last updated 19 August 2026. Timings, fees and schedules change — confirm locally before you travel.