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Puducherry (city)
Encyclopedia
Pondicherry is a city, an urban agglomeration and a municipality
in Pondicherry district in the India
n union territory of Pondicherry. Both the Union Territory and the city were previously known as Pondicherry before September 2006. Pondicherry is the largest urban agglomeration in Pondicherry UT and has a population of 505,959 according to the 2001 Census Of India. It lies on the coast of the Bay of Bengal
approximately 135 km south of Chennai
. The city was established in 1673 under French
rule and remained capital of French India
until 1954.
of Pondicherry is the same as that of coastal Tamil Nadu
. Pondicherry's average elevation is at sea level
, and a number of sea inlets, referred to as "backwaters" can be found. One such inlet, Chunnambar is a popular tourist destination.
Pondicherry experiences coastal erosion
. The city is protected against the sea by a 1.25 mile (2-kilometre) long seawall
, first completed by the French in 1735, which reaches a height of 27 feet above sea level
. A weather-beaten cement plaque with the year 1952 is still visible along a section of the seawall. The seawall is protected from the direct onslaught of waves by rows of granite boulders which are reinforced every year to stop erosion
. Whenever gaps appear or the stones sink into the sand, the Government adds more boulders to keep it strong.
.
of Pondicherry is again, very similar to that of coastal Tamil Nadu
.Summer lasts from April to early June, when maximum temperatures frequently hit the 41o C mark. The average maximum temperature is 36o C. Minimum temperatures are in the order of 28 - 32 o C. This is followed by a period of high humidity and occasional thundershowers from June till September.
The Northeast Monsoon sets in during the middle of October, and Pondicherry gets the bulk of its annual rainfall during the period from October to December. The annual average rainfall is 1240 mm. Winters are mild, with highs of 30oC and lows often dipping to around 18 - 20oC.
, Pondicherry had a population of 675,000. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Pondicherry has an average literacy rate of 76%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 82%, and female literacy is 71%. In Pondicherry, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.
The majority of Puducherrians speak Tamil
, Telugu
, or Malayalam. At the time of their departure from the country, the French colonisers
gave Puducherrians the option to secure French nationality. However, few accepted the offer. There is a community of French people
in Pondicherry and a number of French institutions such as a consulate, French schools, the French Institute
, and L'Alliance Française
. A fascination for the French language
and French culture is very common.
There is also a sizeable community of Indians from other states of India, notably Bengal
, Gujarat and Orissa
.
Datas according to 2001 census.
There are two proposals by the Pondicherry government, firstly to merge Pondicherry and Oulgaret municipalities, and upgrade Pondicherry municipality into a '"municipal corporation", and secondly to upgrade Villianur and Ariyankuppam commune panchayats into municipalities, which would increase the Pondicherry region's urban area around 155 sq.km. of the total 292 sq. km.
The most popular tourist destinations are the four beaches in Pondicherry, which are Promenade Beach, Paradise Beach, The Auroville Beach and Serinity Beach. Sri Aurobindo Ashram located on rue de la Marine, is one of the most well known and wealthiest ashrams in India. Auroville
(City of Dawn) is an "experimental" township located 8 km North-West of Pondicherry. Auroville is meant to be a universal town where men and women of all countries are able to live in peace and progressive harmony, above all creeds, all politics and all nationalities.
There are a number of old and large churches in Pondicherry some of which have been built in eighteenth and nineteenth century. A number of heritage buildings and monuments are present around the Promenade beach such as the Children's Park & Dupleix Statue, Gandhi statue, Nehru Statue, Le Café, French War Memorial, 19th Century Light House, Bharathi Park, Governors Palace, French War Memorial, Romain Rolland Library, Legislative Assembly, Pondicherry Museum and the French Institute of Pondicherry
at Saint-Louis Street etc.
Pondicherry Botanical Gardens is located south of the New Bus Stand. Chunnambar Backwater resort is situated 8 km from Pondicherry, along the Cuddalore Main Road. This tropical resort is flanked by a quiet-flowing creek on one side. Boating and tree house are very popular.
Thirukaameeswarar Temple is one of the ancient, beautiful, and huge temples that is located in a beautiful rural town called "Villianur" (the ancient name is Vilvanallur, which means "vilva marangal niraindha nalla vur"), which is located about 10 km away (towards Villupuram) from Pondicherry town. This temple is renowned As "Periya Koil", which Means "Big Temple" in Pondicherry locality. The prime god is Lord Shiva and the prime goddess is Goddess Kokilambigai. In addition, there are also other Hindu gods such as Murugan, Vinayagar, Thakshanamoorthy, Perumal, Bhramah, Chandikeshwarar, Natarajar, Navagrahah, and 63 Naayanmaars. The pioneers in this temple say that the age of this temple is about 1000+ years. This seemed to be constructed by one of the Chola Kings. There is also a huge "temple pond". One of the famous festival of this temple is "Ther Thiruvizha" (Car Festival).
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
in Pondicherry district in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n union territory of Pondicherry. Both the Union Territory and the city were previously known as Pondicherry before September 2006. Pondicherry is the largest urban agglomeration in Pondicherry UT and has a population of 505,959 according to the 2001 Census Of India. It lies on the coast of the Bay of Bengal
Bay of Bengal
The Bay of Bengal , the largest bay in the world, forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. It resembles a triangle in shape, and is bordered mostly by the Eastern Coast of India, southern coast of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to the west and Burma and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the...
approximately 135 km south of Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
. The city was established in 1673 under French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
rule and remained capital of French India
French India
French India is a general name for the former French possessions in India These included Pondichéry , Karikal and Yanaon on the Coromandel Coast, Mahé on the Malabar Coast, and Chandannagar in Bengal...
until 1954.
Geography
The geographyGeography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
of Pondicherry is the same as that of coastal Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
. Pondicherry's average elevation is at sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
, and a number of sea inlets, referred to as "backwaters" can be found. One such inlet, Chunnambar is a popular tourist destination.
Pondicherry experiences coastal erosion
Coastal erosion
Coastal erosion is the wearing away of land and the removal of beach or dune sediments by wave action, tidal currents, wave currents, or drainage...
. The city is protected against the sea by a 1.25 mile (2-kilometre) long seawall
Seawall
A seawall is a form of coastal defence constructed where the sea, and associated coastal processes, impact directly upon the landforms of the coast. The purpose of a seawall is to protect areas of human habitation, conservation and leisure activities from the action of tides and waves...
, first completed by the French in 1735, which reaches a height of 27 feet above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
. A weather-beaten cement plaque with the year 1952 is still visible along a section of the seawall. The seawall is protected from the direct onslaught of waves by rows of granite boulders which are reinforced every year to stop erosion
Erosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
. Whenever gaps appear or the stones sink into the sand, the Government adds more boulders to keep it strong.
Town structure
Pondicherry city consists of 42 wards. Wards 1-10 are located in north of the city. Wards 11-19 are located in Boulevard Town and remaining wards are located in the South west of the downtown.Economy
Businesses headquarteed in Pondicherry include manufactur General AirconditionersGeneral Airconditioners
General Airconditioner is an air conditioners manufacturer in India based in Pondicherry. It is joint venture between Fujitsu General and ETA-Ascon group based in Dubai....
.
Climate
The climateClimate
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
of Pondicherry is again, very similar to that of coastal Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
.Summer lasts from April to early June, when maximum temperatures frequently hit the 41o C mark. The average maximum temperature is 36o C. Minimum temperatures are in the order of 28 - 32 o C. This is followed by a period of high humidity and occasional thundershowers from June till September.
The Northeast Monsoon sets in during the middle of October, and Pondicherry gets the bulk of its annual rainfall during the period from October to December. The annual average rainfall is 1240 mm. Winters are mild, with highs of 30oC and lows often dipping to around 18 - 20oC.
Demographics
At the 2011 India censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, Pondicherry had a population of 675,000. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Pondicherry has an average literacy rate of 76%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 82%, and female literacy is 71%. In Pondicherry, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.
The majority of Puducherrians speak Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
, Telugu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
, or Malayalam. At the time of their departure from the country, the French colonisers
French colonial empire
The French colonial empire was the set of territories outside Europe that were under French rule primarily from the 17th century to the late 1960s. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the colonial empire of France was the second-largest in the world behind the British Empire. The French colonial empire...
gave Puducherrians the option to secure French nationality. However, few accepted the offer. There is a community of French people
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
in Pondicherry and a number of French institutions such as a consulate, French schools, the French Institute
French Institute of Pondicherry
The French Institute of Pondicherry UMIFRE 21 CNRS-MAEE, is a French financially autonomous institution in India, under the joint supervision of the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and the French National Centre for Scientific Research...
, and L'Alliance Française
Alliance française
The Alliance française , or AF, is an international organisation that aims to promote French language and culture around the world. created in Paris on 21 July 1883, its primary concern is teaching French as a second language and is headquartered in Paris -History:The Alliance was created in Paris...
. A fascination for the French language
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and French culture is very common.
There is also a sizeable community of Indians from other states of India, notably Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
, Gujarat and Orissa
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
.
Urban agglomeration
| Local bodies | Area | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Pondicherry Municipality | 19.54 km2 | 220,865 |
| Oulgaret Municipality | 36.70 km2 | 217,707 |
| Villianur Commune Panchayat [urban] | 10.89 km2 | 44,194 |
| Ariyankuppam Commune Panchayat [urban] | 4.77 km2 | 23,193 |
| Total | 71.9 km2 | 507,960 |
Datas according to 2001 census.
There are two proposals by the Pondicherry government, firstly to merge Pondicherry and Oulgaret municipalities, and upgrade Pondicherry municipality into a '"municipal corporation", and secondly to upgrade Villianur and Ariyankuppam commune panchayats into municipalities, which would increase the Pondicherry region's urban area around 155 sq.km. of the total 292 sq. km.
Tourism
Pondicherry is one of the most popular tourist destinations in South India. The city has many beautiful colonial buildings, churches, temples, and statues, which, combined with the systematic town planning and the well planned French style avenues, still preserve much of the colonial ambiance. Pondicherry is also a popular weekend destination. It is a blend of spiritual aura, French colonial heritage, Tamil culture, Virgin beaches and the cosmopolitan flair of many nationalities in a small but varied town.The most popular tourist destinations are the four beaches in Pondicherry, which are Promenade Beach, Paradise Beach, The Auroville Beach and Serinity Beach. Sri Aurobindo Ashram located on rue de la Marine, is one of the most well known and wealthiest ashrams in India. Auroville
Auroville
Auroville is an "experimental" township in Viluppuram district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India, near Pondicherry in South India. It was founded in 1968 by Mirra Alfassa and designed by architect Roger Anger...
(City of Dawn) is an "experimental" township located 8 km North-West of Pondicherry. Auroville is meant to be a universal town where men and women of all countries are able to live in peace and progressive harmony, above all creeds, all politics and all nationalities.
There are a number of old and large churches in Pondicherry some of which have been built in eighteenth and nineteenth century. A number of heritage buildings and monuments are present around the Promenade beach such as the Children's Park & Dupleix Statue, Gandhi statue, Nehru Statue, Le Café, French War Memorial, 19th Century Light House, Bharathi Park, Governors Palace, French War Memorial, Romain Rolland Library, Legislative Assembly, Pondicherry Museum and the French Institute of Pondicherry
French Institute of Pondicherry
The French Institute of Pondicherry UMIFRE 21 CNRS-MAEE, is a French financially autonomous institution in India, under the joint supervision of the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and the French National Centre for Scientific Research...
at Saint-Louis Street etc.
Pondicherry Botanical Gardens is located south of the New Bus Stand. Chunnambar Backwater resort is situated 8 km from Pondicherry, along the Cuddalore Main Road. This tropical resort is flanked by a quiet-flowing creek on one side. Boating and tree house are very popular.
Thirukaameeswarar Temple is one of the ancient, beautiful, and huge temples that is located in a beautiful rural town called "Villianur" (the ancient name is Vilvanallur, which means "vilva marangal niraindha nalla vur"), which is located about 10 km away (towards Villupuram) from Pondicherry town. This temple is renowned As "Periya Koil", which Means "Big Temple" in Pondicherry locality. The prime god is Lord Shiva and the prime goddess is Goddess Kokilambigai. In addition, there are also other Hindu gods such as Murugan, Vinayagar, Thakshanamoorthy, Perumal, Bhramah, Chandikeshwarar, Natarajar, Navagrahah, and 63 Naayanmaars. The pioneers in this temple say that the age of this temple is about 1000+ years. This seemed to be constructed by one of the Chola Kings. There is also a huge "temple pond". One of the famous festival of this temple is "Ther Thiruvizha" (Car Festival).
City pincodes
- Pondicherry HPO -605001
- Pondicherry Ashram -605002
- Muthialpet -605003
- Mudaliarpet -605004
- Nellithope -605005
- Dhanvantri Nagar -605006
- Ariyankuppam -605007
- Lawspet -605008
- Thattanchavady -605009
- Reddiyarpalayam -605010
- Kamaraj Road -605011
- Padmini Nagar -605012
- Saram -605013
- Pondicherry University -605014
- Villianur -605110
Institutions
- Tagore Arts College, Lawspet
- Kanchi Mamunivar Centre for Post-Graduate Studies, Lawspet
- Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & ResearchJawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & ResearchThe Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research is one of the top five medical schools in India. It is located in Pondicherry , a union territory town in southern India on the shores of the Bay of Bengal. JIPMER is an Indian central government funded institute with autonomy...
- Bharathidasan Government College for Women.
- Mother Theresa Post-Graduate and Research Institute of Health Sciences.
- Rajiv Gandhi College of Veterinary and Animal SciencesRajiv Gandhi College of Veterinary and Animal SciencesRajiv Gandhi College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences is a veterinary college in Pondicherry . Founded in 1994 in accordance to the newly stipulated, minimal standards of Veterinary Education in India, by the Veterinary Council of India, this college is affiliated to the Pondicherry University...
- Sri Manakula Vinayagar Engineering College.
- Rajiv Gandhi College of Engineering and Technology.
- Indira Gandhi Medical College & Research Institute
- Pondicherry Engineering CollegePondicherry Engineering CollegePondicherry Engineering College is one of India's premier engineering institutions situated in South India in East Coast Road in Pondicherry....
Famous people
Famous people who have lived in Pondicherry include:- Sri Aurobindo and Subramanya BharathySubramanya BharathyMahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyar was a Tamil poet from Tamil Nadu, India, an independence fighter and iconoclastic reformer. Known as Mahakavi Bharathiyar , he is celebrated as one of South India's greatest poets...
who took part in the Indian independence movementIndian independence movementThe term Indian independence movement encompasses a wide area of political organisations, philosophies, and movements which had the common aim of ending first British East India Company rule, and then British imperial authority, in parts of South Asia...
. - TamilTamil peopleTamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
Poet BharathidasanBharathidasanBharathidasan was a twentieth century Tamil poet and rationalist whose literary works handled mostly socio-political issues. His writings served as a catalyst for the growth of the Dravidian movement in Tamil Nadu...
. - Popular American film director M. Night ShyamalanM. Night ShyamalanManoj Nelliyattu Shyamalan,known professionally as M. Night Shyamalan, is an Indian-born American screenwriter, film director, and producer known for making movies with contemporary supernatural plots that climax with a twist ending. He is also known for filming his movies in and around...
was born in Pondicherry.
Fictional character
- It is the birthplace and home of the titular character in Yann MartelYann MartelYann Martel is a Canadian author best known for the Man Booker Prize-winning novel Life of Pi.-Early life:Martel was born in Salamanca, Spain where his father was posted as a diplomat for the Canadian government. He was raised in Costa Rica, France, Mexico, and Canada...
's Life of PiLife of PiLife of Pi is a fantasy adventure novel by Yann Martel published in 2001. The protagonist, Piscine Molitor "Pi" Patel, an Indian boy from Pondicherry, explores issues of spirituality and practicality from an early age...
, before he emigrates to Canada.
See also
- Pondicherry UniversityPondicherry UniversityPondicherry University is a Central University in Pondicherry, India. Founded in 1985 by the Government of India,has emerged as India's fastest growing Central University and it is an affiliating University with a jurisdiction spread over the Union Territories of Pondicherry, Lakshadweep and...
- Pondicherry Engineering CollegePondicherry Engineering CollegePondicherry Engineering College is one of India's premier engineering institutions situated in South India in East Coast Road in Pondicherry....
- Rajiv Gandhi College of Veterinary and Animal SciencesRajiv Gandhi College of Veterinary and Animal SciencesRajiv Gandhi College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences is a veterinary college in Pondicherry . Founded in 1994 in accordance to the newly stipulated, minimal standards of Veterinary Education in India, by the Veterinary Council of India, this college is affiliated to the Pondicherry University...
- Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & ResearchJawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & ResearchThe Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research is one of the top five medical schools in India. It is located in Pondicherry , a union territory town in southern India on the shores of the Bay of Bengal. JIPMER is an Indian central government funded institute with autonomy...
- Mahatma Gandhi Medical College & Research InstituteMahatma Gandhi Medical College & Research InstituteMahatma Gandhi Medical College & Research Institute , the flagship institution of Sri Balaji Educational and Charitable Public Trust , Chaired by Sri M.K Rajagopalan, is a modern medical college and hospital located in Pondicherry , South India...