Puducherry

Puducherry lies in the southern part of the Indian Peninsula. The areas of Puducherry and Karaikal are bound by the state of Tamil Nadu, while Yanam and Mayyazhi (Mahe) are enclosed by the states of Andhra Pradesh and Kerala respectively. Puducherry is the 29th most populous and the third most densely populated state/union territory in India. It has a GDP of ₹0.21 lakh crore (US$3.1 billion) and ranks 27th in India.

History

The earliest recorded history of Puducherry can be traced to the 2nd century CE. The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea mentions a marketplace named Poduke (ch 60). G. W. B. Huntingford suggested this might be a site about 2 miles from the modern Puducherry, which was possibly the location of Arikamedu (now part of Ariyankuppam). Huntingford noted that Roman pottery was found at Arikamedu in 1937. In addition, archaeological excavations between 1944 and 1949 showed that it was "a trading station to which goods of Roman manufacture were imported during the first half of the 1st century CE".

In 1674, Pondicherry (Pondichéry) became a French colonial possession. Together with Chandannagar (already French since 1673), Mahe (Mahé) (since 1721), Yanam (Yanaon) (since 1731), Karaikal (Karikal) (since 1739) and Masulipatam (1760), it formed the French colony French India, under a single French governor in Pondicherry, although French rule over one or more of these enclaves was repeatedly interrupted by British occupations. Pondicherry was transferred to the young republic of (ex-British) India de facto on 1 November 1954, legally on 16 August 1962, when French India ceased to exist, becoming the present Indian constituent state of Puducherry, still combining four coastal enclaves.

Geography

Further information: List of rivers of Puducherry

The Union Territory of Puducherry consists of four small unconnected districts: Puducherry, Karaikal and Yanam on the Bay of Bengal and Mahé on the Arabian Sea. Puducherry and Karaikal have the largest areas and population, and are both enclaves of Tamil Nadu. Yanam and Mahé are enclaves of Andhra Pradesh and Kerala respectively. The territory has an area of 492 square kilometres (190 sq mi): Puducherry 293 km2 and more than a 200 km2 of Tamil Nadu area in and around surrounded by puducherry region, Karaikal and 160 km2, Mahé 9 km2 and Yanam 30 km2. Its 2011 population was 1,244,464.

Some of Puducherry's districts are themselves amalgamations of non-contiguous enclaves, often called pockets in India. The Puducherry district is made of 11 such pockets, some of which are very small and entirely surrounded by the territory of Tamil Nadu. Mahé district is made up of three pockets. This unusual geography is a legacy of the colonial period with Puducherry retaining the borders of former French India.

All four districts of Puducherry are located in the coastal region. Five rivers in Puducherry district, seven in Karaikal, two in Mahé and one in Yanam drain into the sea, but none originates within the territory.

The Four Districts

• Puducherry district, inside Tamil Nadu
• Yanam district, inside Andhra Pradesh
• Karaikkal district, inside Tamil Nadu
• Mahe district, inside Kerala

Culture

French influence

The plan of the city of Puducherry is based on the French grid pattern and features perpendicular streets. The town is divided into two sections: the French Quarter (Ville Blanche or 'White Town') and the Indian quarter (Ville Noire or 'Black Town'). Many streets retain French names, and villas in French architectural styles are a common sight. In the French quarter, the buildings are typically in colonial style, with long compounds and stately walls. The Indian quarter consists of houses lined with verandas and with large doors and grilles. These French- and Indian-style houses are preserved from destruction by an organisation named INTACH. The French language can be seen on signs and menus, and heard in Puducherry. Puducherry has residents with French passports: Most are of Indian descent and a small number are of non-Indian descent. At the time of Puducherry's transfer to India in 1954, residents were given a choice to remain French or to become Indian citizens. Those with French passports today are generally descendants of residents who chose to keep their French citizenship.

Several monuments in the city pertain to the French period. A French Consulate is in Puducherry, along with cultural organisations. Another important building is Le Foyer du Soldat, a veterans legion hall for soldiers who served in French wars. Among the French cultural organisations, the French Institute of Pondicherry, the Puducherry Centre of the École française d'Extrême-Orient and a branch of the Alliance Française are noteworthy. A French-medium school Lycée Français de Pondichéry operates under the aegis of the French Minister of National Education.

Transport

Rail

Puducherry is connected by a railway branch line from the five-way junction at Viluppuram and Chennai. The railway line is a broad gauge line.

Road

Further information: Puducherry Road Transport Corporation

Puducherry has a network all weather metalled roads connecting the territory. Puducherry has a road length of 2,552 km (road length per 4.87 km2), the highest in the country.

Road length comparison with Tamil Nadu and India as a whole Total road length (in Puducherry) 2,552 km Road length per 1000 km2 Puducherry Tamil Nadu India 4,575 1,572 663 Classification of roads Sl. No. Type of road Length in (km) 1 National highways 64.450 2 State highways 49.304 3 District & other roads Puducherry – 173.384 Karaikal – 55.162 Mahé – 19.622 Yanam – 26.460 274.628 274.628 4 Rural roads Puducherry – 164.964 Karaikal – 83.470 248.434 248.434 Grand total 636.816

Air

Puducherry Airport is situated at Lawspet. The Puducherry Government upgraded the airport in 2012 with a new terminal building and apron to accommodate larger aircraft. The new terminal building was inaugurated in January 2013 and scheduled flights to Bengaluru were launched. A MoU has been signed with Airports Authority of India for expansion of Puducherry Airport in two phases. Karaikal Airport is a planned greenfield airport and will be the India's first airport to be built entirely with private capital.

In Popular culture

• Puducherry was the setting for Yann Martel's first third of his Booker Prize-winning novel Life of Pi (2001). A portion of the subsequent film adaptation of the same name was filmed there.
• Lee Langley's novel A House in Pondicherry (1996) was set there.
• Prince Pondicherry is an Indian character from Roald Dahl's children's novel Charlie and The Chocolate Factory (1964). The prince orders Willy Wonka to build a palace of chocolate in India; the palace melts in the hot sun.