Anjediva Island: Goa’s Unknown Treasure

Off the coast of Karnataka, near its border with Goa, is the small island of Anjediva. Though connected by a breakwater with Karnataka, the island is officially a part of Goa and is under the jurisdiction of the Indian Navy as part of its naval base, INS Kadamba. After Phase II of its expansion is complete, the island will be part of the largest naval base in Asia.

Incredibly, not many realize just how important this tiny island has been for the last 2,000 years. From being a halt for ancient Roman traders at the turn of the 1st millennium CE, and later Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama, to playing a part in handing over the islands of Bombay to the British in 1665 CE, and finally the events leading to Goa’s liberation in 1961, Anjediva has left an indelible mark on Indian history.