Puducherry, formerly known as Pondicherry /ˌpɒndɨˈtʃɛri/, is a Union Territory of India formed out of four enclaves of former French India and named after the largest, Pondicherry.
The Tamil name is புதுச்சேரி (Puducherry), which means "New Town".[3] Historically known as Pondicherry (Pāṇṭiccēri), the territory changed its official name to Puducherry (Putuccēri) in 2006.[4] It is also known as "The French Riviera of the East" (La Côte d'Azur de l'Est).
The earliest recorded history of Puducherry can be traced back to the 2nd century. The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea mentions a marketplace named Poduke (ch. 60), which G. W. B. Huntingford identified a site about 2 miles from the modern Pondicherry as possibly the location ofArikamedu (now part of Ariyankuppam). Huntingford noted that Roman pottery was found at Arikamedu in 1937, and 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 AD".[5]
The city of Puducherry was designed 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 French-style villas are a common sight. In the French quarter, the buildings are typically colonial style with long compounds and stately walls. The Indian quarter consists of houses lined with verandas and with large doors and grills. These French and Indian style houses are preserved from destruction by an organisation named INTACH. The French language can still be seen and heard in Puducherry.
Apart from the monuments pertaining to the French period, a French Consulate is in Puducherry along with several cultural organisations. Another important building is Le Foyer du Soldat legion hall for soldiers who served in French wars.Puducherry has a large number of Indian and a small number of non-Indian descent residents with French passports. These are descendants of those who chose to remain French when the French establishment presented the residents with an option to either remain French or become Indians at the time of Puducherry's transfer to India in 1954.
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 system, the Lycée Français de Pondichéry, continues to operate under the aegis of the French Minister of National Education.
The official languages of Puducherry are Tamil (89%), Malayalam (4.8%), Telugu and (2.9% Yanam). The status of each language varies by district. When communicating between districts of different languages, generally English is used for convenience.
- Tamil is used by the Puducherry government, especially used when communicating within and between the Tamil majority districts (Pondicherry and Karaikal) and is the language of official decrees. Telugu is widely spoken in Pondicherry, Karaikal and Yanam districts. Malayalam is spoken in Mahé and Pondicherry districts.
- French is also an official language of the territory. It was the official language of French India (from 1673 until 1954), and its official status was preserved by the Treaty of Cession signed by the Indian Union and the French Republic on 28 May 1956.
French remained the de jure official language of Puducherry U.T by the Article XXVIII of the Treaty of Cession, which states that:
"The French language shall remain the official language of the Establishments so long as the elected representatives of the people shall not decide otherwise" [English version][6]
Official symbols[edit]
On 16 April 2007, the government of Puducherry announced that the following were to be its state symbols:[7]
| State bird | Koel |
| State animal | Squirrel |
| State flower | Cannonball tree's flower |
| State tree | Bael Fruit Tree |
Government and administration[edit]
Main articles: Puducherry Legislative Assembly and Pondicherry Municipal Council
See also: List of lieutenant governors of Puducherry, List of Chief Ministers of Puducherry, and List of districts of Puducherry
 | This section does not cite any references or sources. (August 2012) |
Puducherry is a Union Territory of India rather a state, which implies that governance and administration falls directly under federal authority. However, along withDelhi, Puducherry is one of two union territories in India that is entitled by special constitutional amendments to have an elected legislative assembly and a cabinet of ministers, thereby conveying partial statehood.
The Centre is represented by the lieutenant governor, who resides at the Raj Nivas (Le Palais du Gouverneur) at the Park, the former palace of the French governor. The central government is more directly involved in the territory's financial well-being unlike states, which have a central grant that they administer. Consequently, Puducherry has at various times, enjoyed lower taxes, especially in the indirect category.
Special administration status[edit]
According to the Treaty of Cession of 1956, the four territories of former French India territorial administration is permitted to make laws with respect to specific matters. In many cases, such legislation may require ratification from the federal government or the assent of the President of India.
Article II of the Treaty states:
"The Establishments will keep the benefit of the special administrative status which was in force prior to 1 November 1954. Any constitutional changes in this status which may be made subsequently shall be made after ascertaining the wishes of the people."
In culture[edit]
Puducherry was the residence of Sri Aurobindo. The Sri Aurobindo Ashram still operates from Puducherry.
Puducherry was the setting for the first third of the Booker prize-winning novel Life of Pi by Yann Martel. A portion of the subsequent movie version was filmed there.[8]
Lee Langley's novel A House in Pondicherry was set there.
"Prince Pondicherry" is an Indian character from Roald Dahl's novel Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. The prince orders Willy Wonka to build a palace of chocolate in India, which then melts in the hot sun.
It is the place where Sri Aurobindo and the Mother chose to stay. Their writings remain a tremendous source of spiritual awakening that emphasises the progress of humanity and its spiritual brotherhood. A unique experimental city, Auroville, the brainchild of the Mother, whose inhabitants are drawn from all parts of the world, is situated on the outskirts of the city. Puducherry, which still carries several marks of French culture and heritage, was also the place where the national poet Shri Subramania Bharathiar wrote several of his masterpieces that fanned the flames of freedom and also enriched modern Tamil literature.Bharathidasan, a staunch disciple of Subramania Bharathiar, whose poems stressed social revolution and emancipation of women, was also an eminent son of Puducherry.
Economy[edit]
Output[edit]
The gross state domestic product of Puducherry, at market prices estimated by Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation with figures in millions of Indian rupees grew from 1,840 to 37,810 million rupees from 1980- 2000.
| Year | Gross State Domestic Product |
|---|---|
| 1980 | 1,840 |
| 1985 | 3,420 |
| 1990 | 6,030 |
| 1995 | 13,200 |
| 2000 | 37,810 |
| This section needs additional citations for verification. (May 2012) |
Puducherry's gross state domestic product for 2004 was estimated at $2 billion in current prices.
Fisheries[edit]
The potential for fisheries is substantial in the Union Territory. The four regions of the Union Territory have a coastline of 45 km with 675 of inshore waters, 1.347 hectares (3.33 acres) of inland water and 800 ha of brackish water. 27 marine fishing villages and 23 inland fishing villages host a fishermen population of about 65,000 of which 13,000 are actively engaged in fishing. Tanks and ponds are also tapped for commercial fish rearing.
Power[edit]
The present availability of power is about 400 MW.
Tourism[edit]
Main article: Tourism in Puducherry
Puducherry is one of the most popular tourist spots for national and international tourists. There are several beaches here. There is also Sri Aurobindo Ashram, where Sri Aurobindo spent his last years. There are several temples, monuments, parks and mosques which attract tourists.
Transport[edit]
Rail[edit]
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. Express trains come from Chennai, Bangalore, Viluppuram, Mumbai, Bhubaneswar, Howrah and other cities. It takes approximately four hours to reach Puducherry from Chennai by train.
A new broad gauge line from Karaikal to Nagore is underway.
Road[edit]
Puducherry is endowed with excellent infrastructure on par with India's best. A network of all weather metalled roads connecting every village exists in the territory. Puducherry has a road length of 2552 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) | 2552 km. | ||
| Road Length per 1000 km². | Puducherry | Tamil Nadu | India |
| 4575 | 1572 | 663 | |
| Sl. No. | Type of road | Length in
(km)
|
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
National Highways
|
64.450
|
| 2 |
State Highways
|
49.304
|
| 3 |
District & Other Roads
| |
Pondicherry – 173.384
| ||
Karaikal – 55.162
| ||
Mahé – 19.622
| ||
Yanam – 26.460
| ||
274.628
|
274.628
| |
| 4 |
Rural Roads
| |
Pondicherry – 164.964
| ||
Karaikal – 83.470
| ||
248.434
|
248.434
| |
Grand Total
| 636.816 |
The city of Puducherry was designed based on the French grid pattern and features perpendicular streets
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