?ப�த�ச�சேரி Territoire de Pondichéry Union Territory of Pondicherry India
Coordinates: 11°56′N 79°50′E / 11.93, 79.83
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Area	492 km² (190 sq mi)
Capital	Pondicherry
Largest city	Pondicherry
District(s)	4
Population • Density	973,829 (2nd) • 1,979/km² (5,126/sq mi)
Language(s)	Tamil, French, Telugu, Malayalam
Lt. Governor	Mukut Mithi
Chief Minister	N. Rangaswamy
Established	1 July 1963
Legislature (seats)	Unicameral (30)
ISO abbreviation	IN-PY
Website: www.pondicherry.nic.in

Coordinates: 11°56′N 79°50′E / 11.93, 79.83 Puducherry (formerly Pondicherry (help·info)) is a Union Territory of India. It is a former French colony, consisting of four non-contiguous enclaves, or districts, and named for the largest, Pondicherry.

In September 2006, the territory changed its official name from Pondicherry to the vernacular original,Bill to rename Pondicherry as Puducherry passed <http://www.hindu.com/2006/08/22/stories/2006082207481000.htm>. Puducherry, which means "New village"BBC: "New name for old French territory" <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5365248.stm>. in the Tamil language. The territory is called ப�த�ச�சேரி (Putuccēri) or பாண�டிச�சேரி (P�ṇṭiccēri) in Tamil,, or "Pondichéry" in French. It is also known as The French Riviera of the East (La Côte d\'Azur de l\'Est).

Geography

Pondicherry consists of four small unconnected districts: Pondicherry, Karaikal, and Yanam on the Bay of Bengal and Mahé on the Arabian Sea. Puducherry (Pondicherry) and Karaikal are by far the larger ones, and are both enclaves of Tamil Nadu. Yanam and Mahé are enclaves of Andhra Pradesh and Kerala respectively. The territory has a total area of 492 km²: Puducherry (city) 293 km², Karaikal 160 km², Mahé 9 km² and Yanam 30 km². It has 900,000 inhabitants (2001).

History

Main article: History of Pondicherry

Pondicherry was mentionned in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, 1st century CE.

The History of Pondicherry can be traced back to the 2nd century AD. The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, of the early 2^nd Century, AD, mentions a marketplace named Poduke (ch. 60), which G.W.B. Huntingford identified as possibly being Arikamedu (now part of Ariyankuppam), about 2 miles from the modern Pondicherry. Huntingford further notes that Roman pottery was found at Arikamedu in 1937, and archeological 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".The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, transl. G.W.B. Huntingford (Hakluyt Society, 1980), p. 119.

French influence

A remarkable degree of French influence in Pondicherry exists to this date. Pondicherry was designed based on the French (however originally Dutch) grid pattern and features neat sectors and perpendicular streets. The entire town is divided into 2 sections, the French Quarter (Ville Blanche or \'White town\') and the Indian quarter (Ville Noire or \'Black Town\'). Many streets still retain their French names and French style villas are a common sight in Puducherry. In the French quarter, the buildings are typically colonial style with long compounds and stately walls. The Indian (Tamil) quarter consists of houses lined with verandas, and houses with large doors and grills. These French and Indian style houses are identified and its architecture is preserved from destruction by an organization named INTACH. If ever anyone wishes to demolish the existing house in the town area and rebuild, they need the permission from this organization and the new built house should resemble the same architectural beauty it possessed before destruction. The use of French language can be still seen in Pondicherry.

Pondicherry still has a large number of Tamil and a small number of non-Tamil residents with French passports, these are descendants of those who chose to remain French when the then ruling French Establishment presented the people of Puducherry with an option to either remain French or become Indians at the time of Puducherry\'s transfer to India in 1954. Apart from the monuments pertaining to the French period, there is the French Consulate in Puducherry and several cultural organisations. Another important one is \'Le Foyer du Soldat\'. It is a Legion hall for soldiers who served in the different French wars.

Of the cultural organisations the French Institute of Pondicherry, the Pondicherry 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 (France).

Images from the \'French Town\'

Official languages of government

Map of Pondicherry Region, Union Territory of Pondicherry, India

Official languages of Pondicherry are French, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam. Status of each languages varies differently with respect to each district. When communicating between districts of different languages, generally English is used for convenience^{[citation needed]}.

1.Tamil: Language used by the Pondicherry Government, especially used when communicating within and between the Tamil majority districts of (Pondicherry and Karikal) along with issuing official decrees. Also the official Language in Tamil Nadu state. Government\'s Tamil enforcement is slowly wiping out Telugu (once most widely spoken) , bengali languages from Pondicherry.

2.French: It is also the official language of Pondicherry Union territory. It was the official language of French India (1673-1954) and its official language status was preserved by Traité de Cession (Treaty of Cession) signed by India and France on 28 May 1956.

It remained as the de jure official language of Puducherry U.T by the Article XXVIII of Traité de Cession which states that,

• Le français restera langue officielle des Établissements aussi longtemps que les répresentants élus de la population n\'auront pas pris une décision différente (French version)
• 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)

Regional official languages

3. Telugu: Another official language of Pondicherry, but used more within Yanam (Telugu district). Telugu is widely spoken in Pondicherry by Reddys, chettys and Naidus. So, more correctly, it is considered a regional official language of Puducherry while being official language of Yanam District. It also has an official language status in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

4. Malayalam: Another official language of Puducherry, but used only within Mahé (Malayalam district). So, more correctly, it is considered a regional official language of Pondicherry while being official language of Mahe District. It also has an official language status in Kerala State and Lakshadweep Islands Union Territory.

Language spoken in numbers

As of 2001, number of people speaking in each official languages are,^{[citation needed]}

• Tamil: 220,749 (In Pondicherry and Karikal Districts)
• Telugu: 31,362 (In Pondicherry and Yanam Districts)
• Malayalam: 36,823 (In Mahe District only)
• French: Above 10,000

Government & administration

Pondicherry Legislative Assembly

Main articles: Pondicherry Legislative Assembly and Pondicherry Municipal Council

See also: Lieutenant Governor of Pondicherry and List of Chief Ministers of Pondicherry

Pondicherry is a Union Territory of India, not a separate State, which implies that the governance and administration of the territory falls directly under the federal authority in New Delhi. However, along with Delhi, Pondicherry is one of the two union territories in India, which is entitled by special constitutional amendments to have an elected legislative assembly and a cabinet of ministers, thereby enjoying partial statehood powers. Under the special provision, the government is permitted to make laws with respect to specific matters. In many cases, such legislations may require the ratification from the federal government or the assent of the President of India.

The Centre is represented by the Lt. 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 financial well-being of the territory, as against the states where financial administration, given a budgeted central grant is the responsibility to the state governments. Consequently, Pondicherry has at various times, enjoyed lower taxes, especially in the indirect category.

Special Administration Status

According to Traité de cession dated 1956, the four former French colonies were assured of maintaining their special administrative status. That is why Pondicherry is the only Union Territory with some special provisions like Legislative Assembly, French as official language, etc.

The Article II of Traité de Cession states that,

• 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.

Pondicherry\'s special position in Indian spiritual philosophy

Pondicherry was the residence of one of India\'s most renowned Freedom Fighter and Spiritualist, Sri Aurobindo. The world-famous Sri Aurobindo Ashram and its offshoot, Auroville still operate from Pondicherry.

Pondicherry in literature

• Pondicherry was the setting for the first third of the Booker prize-winning novel Life of Pi by Yann Martel.
• Lee Langley\'s novel A house in Pondicherry was likewise set there.
• In Roald Dahl\'s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Prince Pondicherry has Willy Wonka build him a castle made entirely of chocolate, which quickly melts.
• In The second Sherlock Holmes novel, The Sign of Four by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the family of a murder victim resides at Pondicherry Lodge.
• Some Novels of M. Mukundan,Mahe former employee of French Embessy and famous Malayalam Writter .

Economy

Macro-economic trend

This is a chart of trend of gross state domestic product of Puducherry at market prices estimated by Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation with figures in millions of Indian Rupees.

Puducherry\'s gross state domestic product for 2004 is estimated at $2 billion in current prices.

Tourist spots

Places to visit

• Puducherry Beach
• Auroville
• Aurobindo Ashram
• Chunnambar Boat House
• Bharathi Park
• Museum
• Romain Rolland Library
• Botanical Garden
• Anglo-French Textile Mills

Places of worship

• Immaculate Church
• Kamakshi Amman Temple
• Manakula Vinayagar Temple
• Navagraha Temple (15 ft high Navagrahas)
• Panchavatee
• Sacred Heart Church
• Sri Prithyingara Devi Temple
• Saneeswaran Temple, Thirunallar (Navagraha Sthalam for Saneeswaran - 5 km west of Karaikal)
• Varadaraja Perumal Temple
• Vedapureeswarar Temple

Colleges in Puducherry

• Pondicherry University
• Pondicherry Engineering College
• JIPMER
• Pope John Paul II College of Education
• Rajiv Gandhi College of Engineering and Technology
• Achariya Group of Educational Institutions
• [1]
• Achariya Cambrian College
• Achariya Arts and Science college
• Achariya Teacher Training Academy
• Achariya college of Education
• Sri Manakula Vinayagar Engineering College
• Bharathihar College of Engineering and Technology
• Mahatma Gandhi Dental College
• Rajiv Gandhi College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences
• Dr.Ambedkar Govt. Law College
• Kanchi Mamunivar Centre for P.G. Studies
• Tagore Arts College
• Bharathidasan Govt. College for Women
• Saradha Gangadharan College (SG College of Arts and Science)
• Mothilal Nehru Govt. Polytechnic
• Women\'s Polytechnic

Road network

Puducherry is endowed with excellent infrastructural facilities on par with the best available in the country. 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 comparsion with Tamilnadu and India as a whole.

Classification of roads

See also

• Road Network in Puducherry District
• Road Network in Karaikal District
• Road Network in Yanam District
• Road Network in Mahe District
• Causes for Liberation of French colonies in India
• Municipal Administration in French India
• List of Chief Ministers of Pondicherry
• Pondicherry (Lok Sabha constituency)
• Pondicherry Municipal Council
• French East India Company
• Coup d\'État de Yanaon
• French colonial empire
• French India
• Life of Pi
• JIPMER
• Pondicherry Engineering College
• Auroville
• Ariyankuppam

• Pondicherry science forum

  www.psfcerd.org

External links

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Puducherry

• Thiruvalluvar Educational Trust
• PONDICHERRY TOURISM
• PEACEFUL PONDICHERRY
• A Cyber Joint for Pondicherry University Alumni
• Veerampattinam Car Festival, August 2007
• Pondicherry
• Future of French India, by Russel H. Fifield (Associate Professor of Political Science at University of Michigan
• Official website of the Government of the Union Territory of Pondicherry
• All about Puducherry by the unofficial Pondicherry website
• Pudhucherry Flower Show 2007
• Two youngsters from Pondicherry on World Tour for Global Peace
• Bharath English High School, Ariyankuppam, Pondicherry
• Pachaivazhiamman Koil, Ariyankuppam
• Temples in and around the Pondicherry
• Temples in Kizhur, a Historical Village in the Pondicherry Freedom Struggle
• Pondicherry and its Photos
• About Pondicherry History
• Pondicherry - its Early Origins
• Freedom struggle in Pondicherry
• Indian Ministry for External Affaires - 1956 Treaty of Cession
• India visa information
• Amazing pictures of Pondicherry *Poduke or Arikamedu the most ancient Tamil city
• Arikamedu is the ancient International Trade Centre in Ariyankuppam, Pondicherry
• Exploration Off Arikamedu by Archaeological Survey of India
• Arikamedu Archaeological Site in India - A Brief Note by Discover India Site
• Excavations at Arikamedu
• A Complete Guide to Pondicherry
• Pondicherry Flowers
• Karaikal Struggle Group (KSG)
• Tamil Online Radio\'s
• Google

References

v â€¢ d â€¢ e States and territories of India
States	Andhra Pradesh Â· Arunachal Pradesh Â· Assam Â· Bihar Â· Chhattisgarh Â· Goa Â· Gujarat Â· Haryana Â· Himachal Pradesh Â· Jammu and Kashmir Â· Jharkhand Â· Karnataka Â· Kerala Â· Madhya Pradesh Â· Maharashtra Â· Manipur Â· Meghalaya Â· Mizoram Â· Nagaland Â· Orissa Â· Punjab Â· Rajasthan Â· Sikkim Â· Tamil Nadu Â· Tripura Â· Uttar Pradesh Â· Uttarakhand Â· West Bengal
Union territories	Andaman and Nicobar Islands Â· Chandigarh Â· Dadra and Nagar Haveli Â· National Capital Territory of Delhi Â· Daman and Diu Â· Lakshadweep Â· Puducherry

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from Wikipedia

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from Wikipedia