Nancowry is a group of islands in the middle of the
Nicobar Archipelago. Islon an illiterate tribal woman from this region improved
her social status by marrying a Tahshildar of Nancowry who acted as a British
administrator. He was a generous man who helped his tribal wife to command
respect from her fellow-Nicobarese. When disputes were brought before him, he referred
them to Islon to settle, conferring on her the dignity of a magistrate. In time
Islon grew in importance and became a British agent in Nicobar.
In 1914, the German cruiser Emden struck terror in the
heart of the British Empire. The cruiser commanded by Karl Freiderich Max von
Muller would sneak into Indian waters and raid British ships plying on busy
trade routes. The cruiser was called the ‘swan of the East.’ One of its funnels
was camouflaged to look like a British ship. In two months the German cruiser
had intercepted 23 merchant and naval ships and destroyed 74000 tonnes of
goods.
In October 1914, the Emden sailed to the Nicobar Islands.
Islon mistook it for a British ship and hoisted the Union Jack to welcome the
ship. Commander Muller was fooled into thinking there was a strong British
presence in the islands, and hastily withdrew and sailed off to Penang. Islon
soon realised this was a German ship. She immediately dispatched a messenger to
the nearest signal station to tip off the British, who were able to capture the
elusive ship with its commander and crew. Islon’s information led to the
capture of Emden, and Muller remained as a prisoner of war in England until the
end of the war in 1918.
The grateful British conferred on Islon the title “Rani
of Nancowry.” She lived with her family in three buildings which came to be
known as the Rani Ghat (Queen’s Palace.) Her contact with the British ended in 1945.But
Islon continued to remain an important person even after Indian Independence. She
was the link between the Nicobarese and the newly independent India. She continued
to head her unique political institution and appointed her brother Ramakrishna as
her Chief Captain. Even the Japanese held Islon and her brother in great respect.
Rani Islon died in 1954, and her daughter Lachmi became the
next Rani. She ushered in a period of economic prosperity. The people of Nancowry
started a regular trade with merchants in South East Asia. Lachmi died in 1989 and
was succeeded by her daughter Fatima. But the tsunami washed away this small peaceful
world.
Rani Islon was one of the tallest leaders of the Nicobarese.
But belonging to a historically isolated community not much is known about her life.
