Book pondicherry hotels book pondicherry holiday packages. Therefore, this city is more like a miniature version of france in india. This former french colony is a perfect amalgamation of the traditional indian sensibilities and french architecture, making it a dreamy escape that offers the best of both worlds. Well explore the architecture and the ironies, the contradictions and the culture, the things pondicherry did right and many things that didnt work out. Founded by sri aurobindo and mirra alfassa the mother in 1926, it is one of the major highlights of pondicherry and is visited by thousands of people from all over the world. The consequential history of pondicherry can be divided into three sections namely ancient history, medieval history and modern history. Pondicherry tourism 2020 india puducherry top things to do. The backdrop to many of the sequences in life of pi, the french quarter was a base of the compagnie des indes orientales french east india company from 1675. Book your tickets online for french institute, pondicherry. Pondylive is an independent online media platform focussing on pondicherry s unique culture and lifestyle, designed to give both residents and travellers a peep into the experiences and events that the city offers including the food scene, local designers and brands, art and culture, history and heritage etc. Pondicherry from the origins to 1824 french institute of pondicherry. Over the canal, or drain, the tamil quarter, black town, grew up in its own organic way albeit with a great.
Nov 08, 2016 pondicherry gained its independence from france in 1954, and eight years later, the union territory of pondicherry, consisting of the former french enclaves of pondicherry and karaikal bound by the state of tamil nadu, yanam andhra pradesh and mahe kerala was formed. The history and culture of pondicherry are one of its kinds, and visiting this place can give you excellent travel experience. About the book pondicherry under the french illuminating the urban landscape, 16741793 explores how the town of pondicherry developed as the epicentre of the french presence in india, becoming a major centre of company administration. Some people here still speak french and english with french accents. Michal wanner, pondicherry in the french revolution era 17851793. Past festival events 2020 festival events sunday, 9 february 9. But there are more than 40000 french nationals are living in pondicherry and they have french passport. The french town of india is known for its spectacular beaches and lovely restaurants and bakeries. In 1673, the french acquired the area of pondicherry from the qiladar of valikondapuram under the sultan of bijapur, and thus the foundation of pondichery was laid. History of the french in india, from the founding of pondicherry in 1674 to the capture of that place in 1761 by col.
Though very small, pondicherry was the largest french colony in india. The gorgeous yellow and purple buildings in the white town make for great photographs as do the ornate windows and doors. Today, pondicherry still has a community of french people living in the city and french is also an official language. The french villa this neighbourhood is a great choice for travellers interested in history, ambience and architecture check location no. The ut of pondicherry consists of four discontiguous pieces of land. The spacious and cool rooms are veiled in precious fabrics and furnished with contemporary designs made from old wood. But theres more to these buildings, and this post is precisely about the hidden stories of pondicherry. By 1720, the french had lost their factories at surat, masulipatam and bantam to the british east india company. They allowed the retreating french to remain in four small pockets of south indian territory.
In other words, for most of its history, pondicherry was a backwater, in decline. History was played out street by street in old pondicherry and the wealth of these experiences have left an indelible mark on the unique cosmopolitan city that is pondicherry today. Romain rolland library this library was established in 1872 and has a book collection of more than 3,00,000 volumes in both french and english. It is said that pondicherry was under the rule of the pallava dynasty in its ancient period. A journey into puducherrys past through nomenclature the. Best french restaurants in pondicherry, union territory of pondicherry. Pondicherry has witnessed a long history during its existence. Jumbled mass of inadequate history the pictures did not make up for lack of. Jan, 20 the french laid out their streets in a formal grid pattern.
Pondicherry is synonymous with the aurobindo ashram. Puducherry is the french interpretation of the original name puducheri meaning new settlement. Pondicherry french colony everything you want to know. Puducherry was formerly known as pondicherry, which is one of the names left behind by the french in the past. French is not commonly spoken in puducherry pondicherry.
The publications relate mainly to tamil and sanskrit studies and to history, art. Walk through the history of pondicherry trips and books. The city has a long and interesting history of trade and war. French war memorial pondicherry timings, entry fees. They are also entitled to emigrate to france, although few do so and the french government does not encourage the practice. There is a strong french influence in the city, especially in the old quarters, with rues and boulevards lined with mediterranean style houses. I feel, pondicherry doesnt have a long history to trackon. Puducherry also had a flourishing maritime history. History of pondicherry from roman times to the present. First of all, pondicherry was a french colony and this is reflected both in the cuisine and architecture on offer.
Explore puducherry pondicherry holidays and discover the best time and places to visit. Dec 20, 2012 life of pi is most famous for the cgi tiger of the second act, but the entire first act of ang lees film was shot on location in the coastal town of puducherry formerly pondicherry, where the. Pondicherrys french connection travel the new york times. Chapter 6 focuses especially on the citys french history, but one will find discussions and references of that past throughout. Or that milk, pondicherry and saigon are all mysteriously connected. Since the 17th century, pondicherry has been influenced by french rule, starting with the french east india company. Pondicherry under the french illuminating the urban.
Found in france weaving treasures jewelry kits beaded crochet necklace kit notion kits vintage notions decorating kits vintage french sequins helpful toolsmaterials new. This novel is set in pondicherry, a tropical paris flourishing on the shore of the coromandel coast. Pondicherry heritage tamil, french monuments and buildings. Do people from puducherry are elegible to french passport.
It is a result of this crossinfluence of building patterns that gives this old town its distinct architectural vocabulary, which can be termed puducherryness. What unfolds is not only a slice of history but also the various facets of human nature under the colonial regime of the french empire. Surrounded by the british in india, the french here were gritty, stubborn and refused to disappear. For an area with such a history, the people governing and rebuilding the town are relentlessly shorttermist. Pondicherry was part of the pallava, the chola and pandya empires from the 4th to 14th century, and thereafter it became a part of the vijayanagara empire, followed by islamic rule. Pondicherry is best explored and experienced on foot or by cycle.
The colors of old india come through with faded shades of indigo, deep magenta and classic red, while pale grey and pearl ground the collection. Pondicherry is a postcolonial city, where the remnants of its past continue to thrive with urban planning and modernisation. Ananda ranga pillai museum this building was completed in 1738 and is one of the oldest functional building in pondicherry. On 16 january 1761, the british captured puducherry from the french, but the treaty of paris 1763 at the. Pondicherry geography and history provide comprehensive information about the glorious past coupled with the biodiversity of the area. Dec 03, 2009 it was built by the french trading company that ruled puducherry in 1674 and the building was taken into procession by the french in 1769. Puducherry is the result of a french colonial history marked by the compagnie des indes trade corp and governor joseph francois dupleix 1742. French institute of pondicherry declared a national treasure of india by the government of india, the french institute of pondicherry is an interesting place to visit. Excavations at arikamedu, about 7 kms south of the pondicherry town, show that romans came here to trade in the 1st century ad. You can have a wonderful experience visiting different places in pondicherry including the rock beach, historical monuments, arulmigu manakula vinayagar temple and other tourist places. People can learn about the history of french colonialism and colonialism in. Pondicherry was a french colony, which is situated in the state of tamil nadu. Created in 1987, the department of french, pondicherry university, aims to promote french and francophone studies as well as translation studies in india at the postgraduate, m. If you are planning to visit french war memorial, find french war memorial timings, entry fees, location and other important facts at goibibo.
It gives out colonial, bohemian and serene vibes through its french civilisations. The known history of puducherry dates back to the beginning of our era. A custom made swimming pool borders the shady, lush garden. Today, puducherry, as it is officially known but rarely. The city is still divided into two significant parts by a canal try spotting it on the map. Orme, a history of the military transactions of the british nation in indostan, 1803, gb j. The promenade is a vehicle free zone daily between 5.
Pondicherry then frequently changed hands between france and britain between 17611815, after which it remained in french possession until 1954. The 10 best french restaurants in pondicherry tripadvisor. The trade included dyed textiles, pottery and semiprecious stones. The french took over pondicherry in 1674, and in less than a year turned this seaside town into their headquarters in india.
We have records only after the colonial age arrival like the dutch, portuguese, english and the french. Beyond the boulevards a short biography of pondicherry by aditi sriram the city, which remains the perennial tourist destination in the larger indian imagination, offers a combination. At the centre of the novel is the figure of oriane, a young french girl who meets a political agitator seeking sanctuary under the french flag. Hotels, restaurants and lifestyle shops sell a seductive vision of the french subcontinental aesthetic, enhanced by gallic creative types and indian artists and designers. Pondicherry tourism 2020 india puducherry top things. They set up trading posts along the indian coast, from puducherry to karikal and yanaon along the coromandel coast, to mahe on the malabar coast, and to chandernagor in bengal. History of puducherry news newspapers books scholar jstor march 2011 learn how and. All the territories of pondicherry were under french occupation before they were peacefully handed over to india. A treaty giving back the french colony of pondicherry, as it was then called, to india was signed in august 1962. Unfortunately the book has a strong historic point of view, making it hard to gather. People who live in pondicherry have to get indian passport only. Best book stores in pondicherry expert recommended top 3 book stores in pondicherry, puducherry.
May 11, 2018 only those who were born before pondicherry became a part of india are eligible to have a french passport. In french buildings, the local influence is obvious in the use of madras terrace flat roofs, wooden balconies and sloping tiled roofs. Join us on a quest for these stories, on walking tours and day trips that zigzag through the very beat and pulse of the city and its many attractions. The french villa this neighborhood is a great choice for travelers interested in history, ambiance and architecture check location no. History of pondicherry royal past to glorious present.
Inaugurated in the year 1955 as institut francais dindologie, this educational institute has been established in accordance with the treaty of cession of french territories. It consists of a number of pockets in three different states. There is a strong french influence in the city, especially in the old quarters, with rues and boulevards lined with mediterranean style houses and bakeries, although the city remains very much indian. The purpose of this book is to present a brief, illustrated history of these places that once were french. Find more information about the places to visit, things to do, hotels, restaurants and places to eat in pondicherry at times of india travel. Pondicherry culture, culture of pondicherry, people. Pondicherry, officially known as puducherry, and commonly referred to as just pondy, is one of the seven union territories of india. Visiting pondicherry on the east coast of india, you may be forgiven for thinking youve somehow ended up in paris, france. There are a few facts that stand out in making pondy unique within india, and the book deals with them all in some detail. The french institute of pondicherry publishes scientific books, articles, maps. This stereotype and misconception exists among nearly all indians except tamil nadu.
Pondicherry has long remained the exotic other owing to its diverse history, cross cultural colonial architecture, pristine beaches, and the aurobindo ashram, among other things. This area is filled with french history and culture, and you can experience it when you visit it. Pondicherry is also one of the best party hubs as the nightlife here is fantastic. Life of pi is most famous for the cgi tiger of the second act, but the entire first act of ang lees film was shot on location in the coastal town of puducherry formerly pondicherry, where the. Pondylive is an independent online media platform focussing on pondicherrys unique culture and lifestyle, designed to give both residents and travellers a peep into the experiences and events that the city offers including the food scene, local designers and brands, art and culture, history and heritage etc. Sens book on the history of chandernagore from 1900 to 1955 shows the numerous sacrifices made by the people of chandernagore in toppling british imperialism closely followed by the french. The city of puducherry on the southeast coast of india does not have a recorded history from. More from puducherry queuing up for french citizenship. History of pondicherry pondicherry is the french interpretation of the original name puducheri meaning new settlement. French war memorial is one the famous attraction in pondicherry. Auroville, just over the border in tamil nadu state, was founded by a society devoted to the guru sri aurobindo in. Pondicherry, now officially named puducherry, is a union territory in southern india.
This place is an amalgamation of a number of cultures owing it to the different colonial rulers. French rivera this neighborhood is a great choice for travelers interested in history, ambiance and architecture check location no. French institute pondicherry 2020 what to know before. Colonial historic geographic heritage in puducherry in tourist. Spread over an area of four seventy nine square kilometers. Reasons and beginnings 17851791, prague papers on the history of international relations, faculty of arts press, charles university, prague, 2017, 1, pp. It is the capital city of the union territory of pondicherry. Pondicherry union territory travel guide at wikivoyage. Feb 16, 2019 the beautiful pondicherry also known as puducherry, is one of the most vibrant places we have been to. Hardly few thousands of french speakers are left in pondy. A corner of india that is forever france the independent. Though early archeological findings at arikemedu, have confirmed an ancient roman settlement at pondy, the actual history begins with the french only. There are 6,500 french people registered in south india, and of these about 5,500 are in pondicherry.
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