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Yanam (India)
Encyclopedia
Yanam or Yanaon is a town in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry (Puducherry); it is located in Yanam district
. Yanam has some 300 years of history and is well known as French Yanam even now although it was transferred to India
in 1954. It forms a 30 km² enclave in the district of East Godavari
in Andhra Pradesh
. It has a population of 32,000, most of whom speak Telugu
and to a very small extent, Tamil
. Yanam is a unique blend of French and Telugu culture prevailing in Andhra Pradesh. During French rule, the Tuesday market (mangalavaram santa) at Yanam was popular among Telugu people
in the Madras Presidency
who visited Yanam to buy foreign and smuggled goods during Yanam People's Festival, which is held in January. It was previously also called as kalyanapuram, because after implementation of Sarda Act in British India during 1929 many Andhra people used to come and do marriages (mainly Child marriage
) here since local French government did not oppose child marriages. In 1936, Yanam Population is just 5,220.
According to the 1995-2005 Development Records it was the first best constituency in Pondicherry, which is moving forward in the development sector, and also one of the best constituencies in India. Many development schemes were carried out for the people compared to other places in India and Yanam was a trial-base centre for implementing the development schemes in Pondicherry.
Latitude: 16°42' N - 16°46' N; Longitude: 82°11' E - 82°19' E.
The district lies in the delta
of Godavari River
, the town is situated where the river meets its tributary Koringa River
(Coringa River), 9 kilometres from the Bay of Bengal
in the Coromandel coast
.
consisting of sand clay and gravel
. Ground water occurs both water table and confined conditions in the granular beds in the alluvial deposits. It is development by means of shallow filter point well within a depth of nine metres. The soil is grayish black
and is essentially clayey in composition. A few thin layers of sandy clay
or sand
, not exceeding 0.3 metre in thickness are intercalated with the clayed soil. The river sands on the bank of Gauthami Godavari consists predominantly of quartz
, felspar and muscovite mica
. A few grains of monazite
are also found in the black streaks. There are no minerals of economic value in the region.
Yanam received irrigation water through Bank Canal, which starts from Dowleswaram Head Works (Sir Arthur Cotton
Barrage on the River Godavari
downstream Rajahmundry
). This canal runs towards east up to Pillanka, a small village near Yanam. From popularly known as French Channel built by an agreement entered in 1949 between the then French Government and the Government of India
. This canal serves the irrigation as well as drinking water needs of the areas west of Coringa River.
After merger, steps were taken to provide irrigation facilities for about 5.6 km² of dry land in the eastern side of Coringa River by providing a new irrigation canal called Adivipolam Channel from the tail end of Tallarevu south canal and at the starting point of Neelapalli channel on the right side. The work was taken for execution by the Andhra Pradesh Public Works Department as a deposit work in 1964 and was completed and commissioned in June 1966. The water from this channel is used for drinking purpose also, as in the case of French Channel.
rates vary between 68% and 80%. But generally, it experiences a climate characterized by high humidity (over 70% in the day and 60% in the evenings throughout the year), an oppressive summer season, and a good rainfall. It enjoys the benefit of both the Southwest and Northeast monsoons. During a year on an average, the normal rainfall is 1226 mm.
The sky is generally heavily clouded to overcast during the southwest monsoon months. There is moderate cloudiness in the post monsoon months. During the rest of the year, the sky will be clear or lightly clouded.
Temperatures in Yanam range from 27 °C to 45 °C in summer and 17 °C to 28 °C in winter. From February, temperature start rising rapidly till May, which is the hottest month with the mean maximum around 37 °C and mean minimum around 28 °C. Humidity being high, the heat is very trying. The maximum temperature on some days in May or early June before the onset of the south-west monsoon may even touch 47 °C. The sea breeze, however affords some relief in the afternoons.
Similarly pre-monsoon
thunder-showers may also bring welcome relief on some days. With the onset of the monsoon in June the temperature falls rapidly and remains almost steady till September. In this season mean maximum temperature is around 32 °C and night temperature fall rapidly till December or January when day temperature is around 27 °C and the night temperature around 19 °C. Sometimes the minimum temperature may drop as low as about 14 °C. December and January are the coolest months.
, Yanam had a population of 31,362. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49 %. In Yanam, 14 % of the population is under 6 years of age.
Yanaon was a Dutch colony before French overtook it in 1720s. In the west of Yanam, we can still find 'Neelikundilu' (indigo
wells). People say that the Dutch
constructed a fort here .It is being called by locals as 'saali kota' because previously weavers (in Telugu Saalivandru) used to weave clothes after the demise of Dutch people. In this fort, they used to keep their currency
, mint
ed in the mint at Neelapalli, a nearby village. People say that this region was presented to the French general the Marquis de Bussy
, by Vizianagaram Kings a token of gratitude for the help rendered by Bussy in the fight against the rulers of Bobbili
. Even now we can see a street named after Bussy in Yanam. It is believed that Bussy had stayed in a certain building in this street.
A. Bigot), that at first, the French establishment of a warehouse
here in 1723 A.D. the La Compagnie Française des Indes Orientales of France
established here a trading post
of theirs. In 1723, Yanam was the third French colony
established in India though it was officially confirmed in 1751. Since the business became slack and commercial operations had not produced the desired results, it was given up in 1727
It was seized again by Dupleix
in 1731. A firman from Haji Hassan Khan
, Nawab of Masulipatam
authorized the French Representative Fouquet, then chief of the Company at Masulipatam to set up a loge
at Yanam in the year 1731. Nawab Roustoum khan granted a Paravana dated 1735 for French commerce in Yanam.
. After 1742 political motives began to overshadow the desire for commercial gain. Mr. De Choisis administered it. He died here on 27 October 1747. Monsieur Sinfray
succeeded him. The annual rent was waived by a document in 1743 for Yanam. Mir Ahmad Ali Khan, Nawab of Arcot, granted all the rights on the lands situated before the quarters at Yanam in 1747.
In December 1753, a Paravana of Salabat Jang conceded to Bussy
the Northern Circars. Salabat Jang was indebted for his elevation to the throne to the French East India Company
, which was confirmed by then Mughal emperor also. The agreement made between the French and Salabat Jang in Aurangabad bears the signature of Said Loukshur, Minister of Salabat Jang. Yanam acquired considerable importance during the occupation of the Northern Circars by the French.
, especially on Northern Circars.
A document dated 15 May 1765 showed that the villages of Yanam and Kapulapalem (Capouloupalém) with other lands were handed over by Jean white hill and George Dolben, the Englishmen deputed by Mr. Jean Pybus, the head of the English settlement in Masulipatam to Mr. Yoan Yacques Panon, French Commissioner
deputed by Jean Law de Lauriston
the then Governor General of Pondicherry, for taking them over. This document mentions that France entered into possession of Yanam and its dependent territories with exemption from all export and import duties. Soon after taking possession of this settlement, Mr. Panon obtained a firman for full liberty of trade commerce of the French in Yanam.
(August 18, 1748 – March 31, 1814) became the chief in 1790 in Yanam. He appreciated very much the sonority and the music of the Telugu language
. He administered Yanam during the time of the French Revolution
.
, by the Treaty of Paris (1814)
Yanam along with the factory at Machilipatnam
was finally returned to the French on 26 September 1816. From then it was continuously under French control until its independence in 1954.
. According to that decree Yanaon and Mahé were provided with Chef de service (Service Chief) who resides in his official residence. After the merger, it is being resided by Regional Executive Officer, Yanam.
to the Chamber of Deputies
.
. According to that decree Conseils locaux (Local councils) were created at each colony. The elected member was called as Conseiller local (Local councillor). Conseil local de Yanaon had a strength of 4 local councillors. The term of office was 6 years with one half of membership renewed every 3 years.
(Inde française) became an (Overseas Territory
) of France. Then an Assemblée Représentative (Representative Assembly) was created for each colony. Yanaon was provided with two assembly representatives (Equivalent to MLA
). Currently Yanaon is holding one assembly representative.
Notable assembly representatives from Yanam were Kamichetty Venougopala Rao Naidou
, Kamichetty Savithiry, Kamichetty Sri Parassourama Varaprassada Rao Naidu
, Kanakala Tatayya Naidou and Malladi Krishna Rao.
Though the French established colonies in India in the seventeenth century itself, it was not until the end of the 19th century that they started civil administration in French India
.
Then a total of 10 communes were formed in which Yanaon became one commune with a strength of 12 Municipal Councillors (conseillers municipaux). The first elections were held on 30 May 1880.
had 12 Sièges. Then, they were called previously as Sièges instead of wards. Each ward is represented by a municipal councilor. Each commune possesses a Mayor
and a Municipal council
(Conseil Municipal) that manage the commune from the Mairie. The life-span of a Municipal council will be 6 six years with one half of the membership renewed for every 3 years.
Municipal elections were held in Pondicherry, Karikal and Yanam on 24 October 1948. The two main parties were the French India Socialist Party (Socialists), who favoured the continuance of French rule, and the French India Congress (Congress
), who favoured union with India. Socialist Party was headed by Kamichetty Sri Parassourama Varaprassada Rao Naidu
and Congress Party was headed by Yerra Jaganatha Rao.
After the French took over the establishment from the British (1816), they brought forward some legislation to regulate the system of farming and to improve the status of cultivation. An Ordonnance Royale issued on 25 October 1826 legislated that lands were perpetually farmed out to Europeans or their descendants. The farmer with the help of the ecrivain (Village Administrative Officer) had to draw up every year a contract called patta stating the extent of lands cultivated by the ryot
and taxes due on such land. The pattas were then registered in the Bureau du Domaine.
The ordinance of 25 October 1826 was repealed by the ordinance of 7 June 1828 to regulate the ownership of lands and collection of land tax. This is the basic and primordial law to which one has to refer even now for matters relating to the origin of land ownership. The ordinance put forth a fourfold classification of the lands and provided for the payment of tax directly to the domaine but did not envisage any major deviation from the old principle that gave the king the exclusive right over the land. Hence, the Commission d'Agriculture et de commerce constituted in the year 1848 recommended a remission of tax and conferment of ownership rights to cultivators. An arrete was issued on 19 February 1853 to give a general remission of tax.
The Arrete of 6 November 1889 laid down the conditions for establishment of a Bureau du cadastre in the offices of Services des contributions to deal with administrative aspects of survey work. The land records prepared during the French regime were plan parcellaire, tableau synoptique, matrice cadastrale, etc.
became Acting Mayor of Yanam. On Sunday 13 June 1954, Indian police came into action. They along with the pro-merger leaders hired hoodlums from Yanam assaulted refugees on Indian soil. It was then that the refugees marched into Yanam under the leadership of Dadala Raphael Ramanayya
and aided by then Maire De Yanaon, Monsieur Madimchetty Satianarayanamourty alias Satia and took over the administration. After hoisting the Indian National Flag, they formed the revolutionary provisional government
of Yanam headed by Dadala Raphael Ramanayya
and adopted a resolution declaring "Yanaon A Libéré" (Yanam liberated). The coup d'état of Yanam was announced by All India Radio
and Press.
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After the coup d'etat
, the last administrator of Yanam, George Sala was recalled by André Ménard
, then Governor General of Pondicherry in June 1954.
to Yanam to capture Merger leaders and to re-establish their authority. After the coup, the last administrator
of Yanam, George Sala was recalled by André Ménard
, then Governor General of Pondicherry in June 1954.
Monsieur Dadala was also appointed as Acting Commissioner for Yanam for 14 days. Towards the end of June 1954, Sri Kewal Singh paid a visit to Yanam and requested Dadala's return to Pondicherry to continue his activities there. On 3 July, on Kewal Singh's request, Dadala left Yanam, after making all arrangements for its proper administration.
transfer (Vāstavikāntaraṇa) of the four enclaves of Pondicherry, Yanam, Mahé, and Karikal to the Indian Union was achieved.
The Prime Minister
, Jawaharlal Nehru
, visited Pondicherry on 16 January 1955. Messrs Edouard Goubert
, S. Perumal, Dadala and Sri Pakirisamy Pillai presented addresses to Pandit Nehru in a public meeting in the maidan of Gorimedu.
transfer was delayed until the end of the Algerian War. The treaty was ratified by the French parliament in May 1962. On August 16, 1962 (De Jure Day) India
and France
exchanged the instruments of ratification under which France ceded to India full sovereignty over the territories it held.
as official language, etc. This is the most important article in the Traité de Cession, which ensures and safeguardes the personal interest of the people regarding their special administrative status.
The Article II of Traité de Cession states that,
under which France ceded to India full sovereignty over the territories it held. Every year on 16 August, the De-jure Transfer Day (Vidhitāntaraṇa Dinamu in Telugu
) is celebrated throughout Pondicherry Union Territory.
, Mahé and Yanam came to be administered as the Union Territory
of Pondicherry from July 1, 1963.
, i.e., Pondichéry, Mahé, Karikal and Yanaon. Actually, French law made it easy for thousands of colons, ethnic or national French from former colonies of North and East Africa
, India
and Indochina
to live in mainland France. Nearly 50,000 Tamil people
chose French nationality.
In Yanam some 10,000 people chose French nationality. According to some estimates, nearly 120 to 150 Telugu
families from former French India live in France. On the other hand, there are some French nationals living in Yanam and enjoying French pension
(In Telugu
, Guddi Pinchanu).
Yanam French Peoples Association was formed and its president is Penupothu Suryanarayan. As of the 2000s, around 80 French nationals live in Yanam.
. The Judicial Magistrate Court was existing then.
Subsequently while this area came under the French on the reorganization of French domain in 1725 the same court has been converted as French Court under French Law as a Judicial Court. Both civil and criminal cases tried here.
After bifurcation of the judiciary, this court came under a separate Judicial Department of Government of Pondicherry and under the administration of the Hon'ble High Court
, Madras and it was termed as Judicial First Class Magistrate Court cum District Munsif Court. Subsequently under the reform by the Hon'ble High Court, Madras, the Yanam was upgraded to that of Subordinate Judge (Civil Judge-Senior Division)/Assistant Sessions Judge cum Judicial Magistrate of I Class in the year 2000. Now because of this upgradation, all the civil cases up to the pecuniary jurisdiction of Rs.5.00 lakh
s are triable by this court, in criminal side, this court has got jurisdiction to try all cases up to 307 IPC except cases having death sentence. Further this court is empowered to deal with the motor accident claims, family cases, LAOPs (Land Acquisition of Pondicherry), etc.
lived here. Many poets such as the late Villa Reddi Naidu, V.Venkataswami Naidu. Some important politicians include Kanakala Tatayya Naidou and Md. Abdul Razzaq.
Samatam Krouschnaya
(Samatam Krishnayya) lived here in Yanam and wrote many books in Telugu
. Monsieur Samatam was a pro-French activist. He was Acting Mayor of Yanaon during merger struggle and he was a person of great and unique qualities. He was killed at the age of 78 by Indian military while Yanam being seized during Coup d'État de Yanaon
.
A prominent leader who was instrumental in the merger of Yanam into the Indian Union was Dadala Rafael Ramanayya. He was born in Farampeta and grew up from humble origins to become a key leader of the liberation of Yanam and the other French settlements. He was at the forefront of the strugge to liberate Yanam and facilitate its merger into the Indian union. He was leader who led Coup d'État de Yanaon
on 13 June 1954 and subsequently functioned as head of its provisional government for some time.
Another prominent leader who was also key player in the merger of Yanam into the Indian Union was Monsieur Mayor
Madimchetty Satianandam. He grown to prominence in Yanam politics during 1940s and after the election of 1948, he was elected as mayor of Yanam. Unfortunately, when he switched to pro-merger camp headed by Monsieur Dadala, his home got pillaged by people. Aftermath liberation, his involvement in Yanam politics reduced gradually.
In early 20th century, Bezawada Bapa Naidou
was Mayor of Yanam. He was a humble and powerful politician in his times. Unfortunately, he was murdered in Pondicherry. After his death his faction became weak and even his siblings were also not able to continue in Yanam politics as he did.
One of Bapa Naidou's councillors in the "Conseil Local de Yanaon
" was Monsieur Diwan Bouloussou Soubramaniam Sastroulou (Former Conseiller local de Yanaon). He was very prominent personality and loyal follower of Bapa Naidou. Monsieur Bouloussou had been one of "Les jurys de Yanaon" and even he worked as Diwan for "Manyam Zamindar" before being elected as Councilor. He was one of the very rare genuine and humble politicians of his time.
Bezawada Bapa Naidou's bitter opponent The Grand Old Man of Yanam, Kamichetty Venougopala Rao Naidou
was also a famous leader and had been active in politics in French Yanaon. After death of Bapa Naidou, he became Mayor of Yanam (Maire de Yanaon) and even his family became very dominant in Yanam politics for at least 50 years thence.
Venugopala Rao Naidou's son, Kamichetty Sri Parassourama Varaprassada Rao Naidu
(former MLA
and Speaker
, Pondicherry) dominated Yanam politics after its independence for almost four decades. He was elected as MLA more than five times and even had been speaker for Pondicherry. He was a very influential figure in Yanam politics until his death.
Shri .Malladi Krishna Rao, the most Famous & Current Politician of 20th Century and Honorable Minister for Revenue(includes Mines), Excise, Tourism, Civil Aviation, Sports & Fisheries. He was continuously won twice as an Independent candidate and once as an Indian National Congress candidate in MLA elections and got the highest majority in Yanam for the first time. He is the first Yanam citizen to become the minister for Pondicherry in 2007 and awarded as the Best MLA Award twice from the governor of Pondicherry. In his term in politics from 1996 there has been a huge development took place and Yanam stood the best constituency of Pondicherry as compared to the development growth-rate. He is famously known, as Malladi in Pondicherry and Malladi is one of the key members to command the Pondicherry politics as well as some of the districts of Andhra Pradesh. He has been awarded as “The Father for the Development of Yanam” from the MP of Pondicherry Thiru Ramadas.
, Mahé and Yanam towns. The entities of Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam communes formed the municipalities of Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam. Under the new law, all functions excluding those assigned to the Chairman (i.e., those hitherto exercised by the Mayor
) appointed under the municipal decree came to be exercised by the Commissioner
. The Mayors were also relieved of their day-to-day administrative responsibilities enabling them to be in greater contact with the public. Commissioners were appointed as the Chief Executive Heads of the Municipalities, in different ranks according to the grade of the municipalities.
At present Yanam Municipality is composed of 10 municipal wards,
Yanam was allocated with one seat in Pondicherry Legislative Assembly. From 1964 to 1989, Kamichetty Sri Parassourama Varaprassada Rao Naidu
held this constituency as his pocket borough until his death without facing any challenge in winning the seat consecutively in 1964 (INC
), 1969 (IND
), 1974 (IND), 1977 (JP
), 1980 (IND) and in 1985 (INC).
Present MLA
of Yanam is Shri. Malladi Krishna Rao. He contested from 1996 with no defeat and won consecutively for thrice as the Independent candidate and currently shifted to (INC
) in 2007.
. People of Yanam are more polite and respectable. The people of Yanam are very generous and well cultured. Even in France, we can easily distinguish the Yanam Telugu people from the other kinds of Telugu immigrants because of their historical presence of double cultural influence.
Even we enter Yanam, we see Soyez le bien venue displayed (by Govt of Pondicherry) and when leaving Merci Bien.
and French
.
. Humidity is high in this region. The river Gauthami Godavari is one of the main branches of the river Godavari. It enters the Bay of Bengal
after flowing about 12 km through Yanam.
Yanam Ferry
Road was inaugurated by the Hon'ble Chief Minister
of Pondicherry, Shri R.V.Janaki Raman on 11 January 2000. Now, there is a proposal for making the Ferry Road very beautiful by erecting important personalities statues on the footpath of this road.
Lord Satyanarayana Swamy's Temple is located in Annavaram
. It is around 80 km from Yanam towards the east. It is very famous for performing Vrathams especially for newly married couples for getting blessings from Lord Satyanarayana Swamy. It is the second important Temple in Andhra Pradesh
after Tirupati Lord Venkateshwara Temple.
. The very remarkable thing is that the devotees are not only Christians but also Muslims, Hindus and also from other religions.
Brahmotsavam
. It is a 10-day festival that attracts millions of people from the surrounding villages of Yanam.
. This temple was built by the Chalukya kings of Rajamahendravaram (Rajahmundry
) in the 15th century. The sculptures of those period are present in this temple.
The Venkanna Babu Temple had been very famous for performing Child Marriages during the pre-independence days. Due to the dedicated efforts of the Social Reformer, Shri Raja Ram Mohun Roy, the Sarada Act (prevention of Child Marriages) was implemented by the then British Government in India.
As the Yanam Region was under French rule, the people from the nearby State, used to come to this Temple for performing child marriages. Even people from MadrasChennai
, Hyderabad and other long distant places used to come to Yanam for conducting child marriages. In the past, daily some hundreds of marriages were performed in this temple. Hence, Yanam was also called "KALYANA PURAM".
and Milad un Nabi functions are celebrated grandly. The mosque caters to the people of nearby villages like Thallarevu, Kolanka, Sunkarapalem. which are in the adjacent state of Andhra Pradesh
.
French rulers is linked with this church. This church is named St.Ann's Catholic Church. This church was built in the European style. The furniture, decoration articles were all imported from France. This church was built in 1846 by the French missionaries. The foundation stone was laid down by Father Michel Lecnam and he died on April 30, 1836 before completion of the church work. In his remembrance, a culvert
was fixed in this church. The church work was completed in the year 1846. The other special attraction in this church is that a hill temple was built on the premises of the church by the French rulers, and there is another hill temple behind a church built by the English engineers.
The history behind this hill is that in 1943 a ship named Villiam B. Augustus, ran aground on a sandy island due to a cyclonic storm. Though the ship's crew tried hard to rescue the ship weighing 1000 tonnes using all the manpower, it was in vain. The ship stayed stuck for one year in the same place. At that time, an engineer named E. H. Swini was deputed from America
for this purpose. He also tried and came to a conclusion that this task would not be possible with manpower alone. He worshipped Mother Mary (Mariayamma in Telugu) and all of sudden the ship moved from the sandy island. In tribute of the Mother Mary, the engineer and his wife constructed this church in Yanam. This history is mentioned in the hill temple behind this church.
Yanam district
Yanam district is one of the four districts of the Union Territory of Pondicherry in India.-Revenue Villages:Apart from the town of Yanam itself, the following villages fall under the district's jurisdiction:* Agraharam* Darialatippa* Farampeta...
. Yanam has some 300 years of history and is well known as French Yanam even now although it was transferred to 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...
in 1954. It forms a 30 km² enclave in the district of East Godavari
East Godavari
East Godavari District is a district situated on the northeast of the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. Its district headquarters is Kakinada. It is the second richest district in the whole country...
in Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
. It has a population of 32,000, most of whom speak 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...
and to a very small extent, 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...
. Yanam is a unique blend of French and Telugu culture prevailing in Andhra Pradesh. During French rule, the Tuesday market (mangalavaram santa) at Yanam was popular among Telugu people
Telugu people
The Telugu people or Telugu Prajalu are an ethnic group of India. They are the native speakers of the Telugu language, the most commonly spoken language in India after Hindi and Bengali...
in the Madras Presidency
Madras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
who visited Yanam to buy foreign and smuggled goods during Yanam People's Festival, which is held in January. It was previously also called as kalyanapuram, because after implementation of Sarda Act in British India during 1929 many Andhra people used to come and do marriages (mainly Child marriage
Child marriage
Child marriage and child betrothal customs occur in various times and places, whereby children are given in matrimony - before marriageable age as defined by the commentator and often before puberty. Today such customs are fairly widespread in parts of Africa, Asia, Oceania and South America: in...
) here since local French government did not oppose child marriages. In 1936, Yanam Population is just 5,220.
According to the 1995-2005 Development Records it was the first best constituency in Pondicherry, which is moving forward in the development sector, and also one of the best constituencies in India. Many development schemes were carried out for the people compared to other places in India and Yanam was a trial-base centre for implementing the development schemes in Pondicherry.
Geography
The district lies in the delta
River delta
A delta is a landform that is formed at the mouth of a river where that river flows into an ocean, sea, estuary, lake, reservoir, flat arid area, or another river. Deltas are formed from the deposition of the sediment carried by the river as the flow leaves the mouth of the river...
of Godavari River
Godavari River
The Godavari is a river that runs from western to southern India and is considered to be one of the big river basins in India. With a length of 1465 km, it is the second longest river in India , that runs within the country and also the longest river in South India...
, the town is situated where the river meets its tributary Koringa River
Koringa River
River Koringa is the Athreya Branch of Goutami Godavari River flowing in East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh, India.-Geography:Goutami Godavari is the eastern Branch of godavari that splits at Vijjeswaram while Vasista Godavari is the western Branch. Other main branch is Vainateya, which got...
(Coringa River), 9 kilometres from 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...
in the Coromandel coast
Coromandel Coast
The Coromandel Coast is the name given to the southeastern coast of the Indian Subcontinent between Cape Comorin and False Divi Point...
.
Soil
It is occupied by alluviumAlluvium
Alluvium is loose, unconsolidated soil or sediments, eroded, deposited, and reshaped by water in some form in a non-marine setting. Alluvium is typically made up of a variety of materials, including fine particles of silt and clay and larger particles of sand and gravel...
consisting of sand clay and gravel
Gravel
Gravel is composed of unconsolidated rock fragments that have a general particle size range and include size classes from granule- to boulder-sized fragments. Gravel can be sub-categorized into granule and cobble...
. Ground water occurs both water table and confined conditions in the granular beds in the alluvial deposits. It is development by means of shallow filter point well within a depth of nine metres. The soil is grayish black
Soil color
Soil colour does not affect the behavior and use of soil, however it can indicate the composition of the soil and give clues to the conditions that the soil is subjected to....
and is essentially clayey in composition. A few thin layers of sandy clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
or sand
Sand
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
, not exceeding 0.3 metre in thickness are intercalated with the clayed soil. The river sands on the bank of Gauthami Godavari consists predominantly of quartz
Quartz
Quartz is the second-most-abundant mineral in the Earth's continental crust, after feldspar. It is made up of a continuous framework of SiO4 silicon–oxygen tetrahedra, with each oxygen being shared between two tetrahedra, giving an overall formula SiO2. There are many different varieties of quartz,...
, felspar and muscovite mica
Mica
The mica group of sheet silicate minerals includes several closely related materials having highly perfect basal cleavage. All are monoclinic, with a tendency towards pseudohexagonal crystals, and are similar in chemical composition...
. A few grains of monazite
Monazite
Monazite is a reddish-brown phosphate mineral containing rare earth metals. It occurs usually in small isolated crystals. There are actually at least four different kinds of monazite, depending on relative elemental composition of the mineral:...
are also found in the black streaks. There are no minerals of economic value in the region.
Irrigation
Arthur Cotton
General Sir Arthur Thomas Cotton KCSI was a British general and irrigation engineer.Cotton devoted his life to the construction of irrigation and navigation canals throughout the British Empire in India, however, his dream was only partially realized, but he is still honored in parts of rural...
Barrage on the River Godavari
Godavari River
The Godavari is a river that runs from western to southern India and is considered to be one of the big river basins in India. With a length of 1465 km, it is the second longest river in India , that runs within the country and also the longest river in South India...
downstream Rajahmundry
Rajahmundry
Rajahmundry is a city and municipal corporation of the Andhra Pradesh state in India. It is located east of the state capital, Hyderabad, on the banks of the River Godavari. Known as the Cultural Capital, Rajahmundry is noted for its intense Veda culture and intellect...
). This canal runs towards east up to Pillanka, a small village near Yanam. From popularly known as French Channel built by an agreement entered in 1949 between the then French Government and the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
. This canal serves the irrigation as well as drinking water needs of the areas west of Coringa River.
After merger, steps were taken to provide irrigation facilities for about 5.6 km² of dry land in the eastern side of Coringa River by providing a new irrigation canal called Adivipolam Channel from the tail end of Tallarevu south canal and at the starting point of Neelapalli channel on the right side. The work was taken for execution by the Andhra Pradesh Public Works Department as a deposit work in 1964 and was completed and commissioned in June 1966. The water from this channel is used for drinking purpose also, as in the case of French Channel.
Climate
In the hot season humidityHumidity
Humidity is a term for the amount of water vapor in the air, and can refer to any one of several measurements of humidity. Formally, humid air is not "moist air" but a mixture of water vapor and other constituents of air, and humidity is defined in terms of the water content of this mixture,...
rates vary between 68% and 80%. But generally, it experiences a climate characterized by high humidity (over 70% in the day and 60% in the evenings throughout the year), an oppressive summer season, and a good rainfall. It enjoys the benefit of both the Southwest and Northeast monsoons. During a year on an average, the normal rainfall is 1226 mm.
The sky is generally heavily clouded to overcast during the southwest monsoon months. There is moderate cloudiness in the post monsoon months. During the rest of the year, the sky will be clear or lightly clouded.
Temperature
Similarly pre-monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
thunder-showers may also bring welcome relief on some days. With the onset of the monsoon in June the temperature falls rapidly and remains almost steady till September. In this season mean maximum temperature is around 32 °C and night temperature fall rapidly till December or January when day temperature is around 27 °C and the night temperature around 19 °C. Sometimes the minimum temperature may drop as low as about 14 °C. December and January are the coolest months.
Demographics
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...
, Yanam had a population of 31,362. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49 %. In Yanam, 14 % of the population is under 6 years of age.
- 1843 - 4,000
- 1885 - 4,266
- 1936 - 5,220
- 1948 - 5,853
- 1971 - 8,291
- 1981 - 11,631
- 1991 - 20,297
Revenue Villages
Apart from the town of Yanam itself, the following villages fall under the district's jurisdiction: Agraharam, Darialatippa, Farampeta, Guerempeta, Jambavanpeta, Kanakalapeta, Kurasampeta and Mettakur.Literacy Rate
Yanam has an average literacy rate of 64%, higher than the national average of 59.5% with male literacy at 68%, and female literacy at 60%.Colonial History
Yanaon was a Dutch colony before French overtook it in 1720s. In the west of Yanam, we can still find 'Neelikundilu' (indigo
Indigo
Indigo is a color named after the purple dye derived from the plant Indigofera tinctoria and related species. The color is placed on the electromagnetic spectrum between about 420 and 450 nm in wavelength, placing it between blue and violet...
wells). People say that the Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
constructed a fort here .It is being called by locals as 'saali kota' because previously weavers (in Telugu Saalivandru) used to weave clothes after the demise of Dutch people. In this fort, they used to keep their currency
Currency
In economics, currency refers to a generally accepted medium of exchange. These are usually the coins and banknotes of a particular government, which comprise the physical aspects of a nation's money supply...
, mint
Mint (coin)
A mint is an industrial facility which manufactures coins for currency.The history of mints correlates closely with the history of coins. One difference is that the history of the mint is usually closely tied to the political situation of an era...
ed in the mint at Neelapalli, a nearby village. People say that this region was presented to the French general the Marquis de Bussy
Marquis de Bussy-Castelnau
Charles Joseph Patissier, Marquis de Bussy-Castelnau was the Governor General of the French colony of Pondicherry from 1783 to 1785. He servied with distinction under Joseph François Dupleix in the East Indies, receiving the Order of Saint Louis...
, by Vizianagaram Kings a token of gratitude for the help rendered by Bussy in the fight against the rulers of Bobbili
Bobbili
Bobbili is a town, mandal headquarters and a Municipality in Vizianagaram district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.-Geography:Bobbili is located at . It has an average elevation of 103 metres .-History:...
. Even now we can see a street named after Bussy in Yanam. It is believed that Bussy had stayed in a certain building in this street.
Commercial Era (before 1742)
It is mentioned in the book, The botanic garden of Yanam (Le Jardin Botanique de Yanaon) by Médecin-colonel Alfred-Alphonse-Léon Bigot (ColonelColonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
A. Bigot), that at first, the French establishment of a warehouse
Warehouse
A warehouse is a commercial building for storage of goods. Warehouses are used by manufacturers, importers, exporters, wholesalers, transport businesses, customs, etc. They are usually large plain buildings in industrial areas of cities and towns. They usually have loading docks to load and unload...
here in 1723 A.D. the La Compagnie Française des Indes Orientales of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
established here a trading post
Trading post
A trading post was a place or establishment in historic Northern America where the trading of goods took place. The preferred travel route to a trading post or between trading posts, was known as a trade route....
of theirs. In 1723, Yanam was the third French colony
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...
established in India though it was officially confirmed in 1751. Since the business became slack and commercial operations had not produced the desired results, it was given up in 1727
It was seized again by Dupleix
Joseph François Dupleix
Joseph-François, Marquis Dupleix was governor general of the French establishment in India, and the rival of Robert Clive.-Biography:Dupleix was born in Landrecies, France...
in 1731. A firman from Haji Hassan Khan
Haji Hassan Khan
Haji Hassan Khan was Nawab of Masulipatam. He was second son of Nawab Muhammad Taqi Khan Bahadur who in turn was Nawab of Masulipatam.-Official name:His official name was Nizam ud-Daula, Nawab Hasan Ali Khan Bahadur, Nawab of Masulipatam.-Life:...
, Nawab of Masulipatam
Nawab of Masulipatam
The Nawabs of Masulipatam ruled under the Nizam in eastern India. The best known of them was Nawab Haji Hassan Khan.Their title later became Nawab of Banganapalle as they shifted from Masulipatam to Banganapalle...
authorized the French Representative Fouquet, then chief of the Company at Masulipatam to set up a loge
Loge
Loge may refer to:Geography*Loge-Fougereuse, a village and commune in the Vendée department of France*La Loge, a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department of France*La Loge-Pomblin, a commune in the Aube department of France...
at Yanam in the year 1731. Nawab Roustoum khan granted a Paravana dated 1735 for French commerce in Yanam.
Political Era (after 1742)
But it was re-established completely in 1742 during the reign of Mughal emperor Muhammad ShahMuhammad Shah
Muhammad Shah also known as Roshan Akhtar, was a Mughal emperor of India between 1719 and 1748. He was son of Khujista Akhtar Jahan Shah, the fourth son of Bahadur Shah I. Ascending the throne at 17 with the help of the Sayyid Brothers, he later got rid of them with the help of Nizam-ul-Mulk Chin...
. After 1742 political motives began to overshadow the desire for commercial gain. Mr. De Choisis administered it. He died here on 27 October 1747. Monsieur Sinfray
Sinfray
Monsieur Sinfray, or Monsieur de St. Frais, was a French artillery officer in the Battle of Plassey , who fought for Siraj Ud Daulah, Nawab of Bengal. He was also the secretary to the Council at Chandernagore. Earlier, he succeeded D.E. Choisis as Chef de Yanaon in 1747.-Further reading:*-References:...
succeeded him. The annual rent was waived by a document in 1743 for Yanam. Mir Ahmad Ali Khan, Nawab of Arcot, granted all the rights on the lands situated before the quarters at Yanam in 1747.
In December 1753, a Paravana of Salabat Jang conceded to Bussy
Marquis de Bussy-Castelnau
Charles Joseph Patissier, Marquis de Bussy-Castelnau was the Governor General of the French colony of Pondicherry from 1783 to 1785. He servied with distinction under Joseph François Dupleix in the East Indies, receiving the Order of Saint Louis...
the Northern Circars. Salabat Jang was indebted for his elevation to the throne to the French East India Company
French East India Company
The French East India Company was a commercial enterprise, founded in 1664 to compete with the British and Dutch East India companies in colonial India....
, which was confirmed by then Mughal emperor also. The agreement made between the French and Salabat Jang in Aurangabad bears the signature of Said Loukshur, Minister of Salabat Jang. Yanam acquired considerable importance during the occupation of the Northern Circars by the French.
First British Occupation
Another important event in the history was the war between the French and the English fought at Chandurthi in 1758 in which the French were defeated. Salabat Jang made a treaty with British and gave the Northern Circars under a firman to the English. After 1760 the French lost hold in South IndiaSouth India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
, especially on Northern Circars.
A document dated 15 May 1765 showed that the villages of Yanam and Kapulapalem (Capouloupalém) with other lands were handed over by Jean white hill and George Dolben, the Englishmen deputed by Mr. Jean Pybus, the head of the English settlement in Masulipatam to Mr. Yoan Yacques Panon, French Commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner is in principle the title given to a member of a commission or to an individual who has been given a commission ....
deputed by Jean Law de Lauriston
Jean Law de Lauriston
Baron Jean Law de Lauriston, was born on October 5, 1719 in Paris. He was twice Governor General of Pondicherry. Not much is known about his life, but his contributions to French Colonial Empire are notable.-In 1765:...
the then Governor General of Pondicherry, for taking them over. This document mentions that France entered into possession of Yanam and its dependent territories with exemption from all export and import duties. Soon after taking possession of this settlement, Mr. Panon obtained a firman for full liberty of trade commerce of the French in Yanam.
Second British Occupation
Between 1778 and 1783, Pondicherry was under British occupation. Yanam was restored again to the French in 1785. Mr. Mallhendre took possession of it and Mr. Bluter succeeded him. After Bluter, Mr. Pierre SonneratPierre Sonnerat
Pierre Sonnerat was a French naturalist and explorer.Sonnerat was the nephew of the botanist Pierre Poivre. He made several voyages to southeast Asia, visiting the Philippines and Moluccas between 1769 and 1772, and India and China from 1774 to 1781. He was the first person to give a scientific...
(August 18, 1748 – March 31, 1814) became the chief in 1790 in Yanam. He appreciated very much the sonority and the music of the Telugu language
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...
. He administered Yanam during the time of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
.
Third British Occupation
Once again French lost control over Yanam to the British. During 1793 and 1816 Pondicherry was under British control. So, Yanam fell thrice into the hands of the British. After the Napoleonic warsNapoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
, by the Treaty of Paris (1814)
Treaty of Paris (1814)
The Treaty of Paris, signed on 30 May 1814, ended the war between France and the Sixth Coalition, part of the Napoleonic Wars, following an armistice signed on 23 May between Charles, Count of Artois, and the allies...
Yanam along with the factory at Machilipatnam
Machilipatnam
Machilipatnam is a city and a special grade municipality in the Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh, India. It is located south east of state capital, Hyderabad.-History:...
was finally returned to the French on 26 September 1816. From then it was continuously under French control until its independence in 1954.
Local Administration in the Colonial Era
1840 Decree
Local administration was started in Yanaon by a royal decree (Ordonnance Royale) dated 23 July 1840 during July MonarchyJuly Monarchy
The July Monarchy , officially the Kingdom of France , was a period of liberal constitutional monarchy in France under King Louis-Philippe starting with the July Revolution of 1830 and ending with the Revolution of 1848...
. According to that decree Yanaon and Mahé were provided with Chef de service (Service Chief) who resides in his official residence. After the merger, it is being resided by Regional Executive Officer, Yanam.
1871 Decree
According to a decree dated 1 February 1871, one person can be sent as a députéLegislator
A legislator is a person who writes and passes laws, especially someone who is a member of a legislature. Legislators are usually politicians and are often elected by the people...
to the Chamber of Deputies
Chamber of Deputies of France
Chamber of Deputies was the name given to several parliamentary bodies in France in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries:* 1814–1848 during the Bourbon Restoration and the July Monarchy, the Chamber of Deputies was the Lower chamber of the French Parliament, elected by census suffrage.*...
.
1872 Decree
Another pivotal incident in local administration was the decree of 1872. It was dated 13 June 1872 and was issued during Third RepublicFrench Third Republic
The French Third Republic was the republican government of France from 1870, when the Second French Empire collapsed due to the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, to 1940, when France was overrun by Nazi Germany during World War II, resulting in the German and Italian occupations of France...
. According to that decree Conseils locaux (Local councils) were created at each colony. The elected member was called as Conseiller local (Local councillor). Conseil local de Yanaon had a strength of 4 local councillors. The term of office was 6 years with one half of membership renewed every 3 years.
1878 Decree
According to a decree dated 24 February 1878, one person can be sent as a sénateur to Sénat (French Senate). Senator will be elected by Conseil colonial (Colonial Council) and Conseil local (Local council). First election were held on 26 March 1876.1946 Decree
By the decree of 1946, French IndiaFrench 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...
(Inde française) became an (Overseas Territory
Territoire d'outre-mer
The term overseas territory , is an administrative division of France and is currently only applied to the French Southern and Antarctic Lands....
) of France. Then an Assemblée Représentative (Representative Assembly) was created for each colony. Yanaon was provided with two assembly representatives (Equivalent to MLA
Member of Legislative Assembly
A Member of Legislative Assembly, or MLA, is a representative elected by the voters of an electoral district to the Legislature of a State in the Indian system of government...
). Currently Yanaon is holding one assembly representative.
Notable assembly representatives from Yanam were Kamichetty Venougopala Rao Naidou
Kamichetty Venougopala Rao Naidou
Kamichetty Venougopala Rao Naidu better known as The Grand Old Man of Yanaon was Mayor and MLA of Yanaon during French rule in first half of 20th century. He was one of the two powerful political leaders in Yanam during French rule. His opponent was Bezawada Bapa Naidou, the first mayor of Yanam...
, Kamichetty Savithiry, Kamichetty Sri Parassourama Varaprassada Rao Naidu
Kamichetty Sri Parassourama Varaprassada Rao Naidu
Kamichetty Sri Parassourama Varaprassada Rao Naidu was a member of the legislative assembly of Yanam, India from 1964 until his death in 1989....
, Kanakala Tatayya Naidou and Malladi Krishna Rao.
Municipal Administration in the Colonial Era
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...
.
French Metropolitan Decree
A French Metropolitan Decree, dated 12 March 1880 adopted a six-year term of office for Mayors (Maire), municipal councillors (Conseil municipaux) and commune panchayats (communes). Thus French India has seen a French system of municipal administration. In the past, municipal administration was virtually the pivot of the whole administrative machinery in French India. It had several features that could serve as a role model for hassle-free administration.Then a total of 10 communes were formed in which Yanaon became one commune with a strength of 12 Municipal Councillors (conseillers municipaux). The first elections were held on 30 May 1880.
Structure of the Municipality
La Mairie (Town Hall) in Yanaon is now called as Municipality Building. It was built in 19th century and is situated next to Court House in the Thiagaraja Street in Yanaon Town. During French colonial rule, Yanam MunicipalityYanam Municipality
Municipalité de Yanaon was created by a French Metropolitan Decree dated March 12, 1880. Yanaon municipality had 12 seats . Citizens from each ward elect one representative for "Conseil Municipal de Yanaon"...
had 12 Sièges. Then, they were called previously as Sièges instead of wards. Each ward is represented by a municipal councilor. Each commune possesses a Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
and a Municipal council
Municipal council
A municipal council is the local government of a municipality. Specifically the term can refer to the institutions of various countries that can be translated by this term...
(Conseil Municipal) that manage the commune from the Mairie. The life-span of a Municipal council will be 6 six years with one half of the membership renewed for every 3 years.
Election Results of 1948
Elections held on 24 October 1948 and 18 October 1954 are most crucial in the history of French India. In June 1948 the French and Indian Governments came to an agreement as to how the future of the French Settlements should be determined.Municipal elections were held in Pondicherry, Karikal and Yanam on 24 October 1948. The two main parties were the French India Socialist Party (Socialists), who favoured the continuance of French rule, and the French India Congress (Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
), who favoured union with India. Socialist Party was headed by Kamichetty Sri Parassourama Varaprassada Rao Naidu
Kamichetty Sri Parassourama Varaprassada Rao Naidu
Kamichetty Sri Parassourama Varaprassada Rao Naidu was a member of the legislative assembly of Yanam, India from 1964 until his death in 1989....
and Congress Party was headed by Yerra Jaganatha Rao.
- Yanam - 12
- Socialists - 03
- IndependentsIndependent (politician)In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
- 09
Revenue Administration in the Colonial Era
Ryot
Ryot was a general economic term used throughout India for peasant cultivators but with variations in different provinces. While zamindars were landlords, raiyats were tenants and cultivators, and served as hired labour...
and taxes due on such land. The pattas were then registered in the Bureau du Domaine.
The ordinance of 25 October 1826 was repealed by the ordinance of 7 June 1828 to regulate the ownership of lands and collection of land tax. This is the basic and primordial law to which one has to refer even now for matters relating to the origin of land ownership. The ordinance put forth a fourfold classification of the lands and provided for the payment of tax directly to the domaine but did not envisage any major deviation from the old principle that gave the king the exclusive right over the land. Hence, the Commission d'Agriculture et de commerce constituted in the year 1848 recommended a remission of tax and conferment of ownership rights to cultivators. An arrete was issued on 19 February 1853 to give a general remission of tax.
The Arrete of 6 November 1889 laid down the conditions for establishment of a Bureau du cadastre in the offices of Services des contributions to deal with administrative aspects of survey work. The land records prepared during the French regime were plan parcellaire, tableau synoptique, matrice cadastrale, etc.
Cession of Yanam
Actually, Yanam had an extremely dominant pro-French atmosphere prevailing in its people and its leaders. But in due course of time due to nationalist struggle by some leaders, conditions became intolerable in Yanam after its mayor and other representatives of Yanam adopted the merger resolution. The Mayor Madimchetty Satianandam, deputy mayor, and over 200 people took refuge in the adjacent areas of the Indian Union. Then 78 year old Samatam KrouschnayaSamatam Krouschnaya
-Birth:Monsieur Samatam Krishnayya was born in Yanam in and around 1875.-Life:He was poet, historian and ayurvedic doctor too. He wrote many books in Telugu. He was staunch pro-French politician in his days....
became Acting Mayor of Yanam. On Sunday 13 June 1954, Indian police came into action. They along with the pro-merger leaders hired hoodlums from Yanam assaulted refugees on Indian soil. It was then that the refugees marched into Yanam under the leadership of Dadala Raphael Ramanayya
Dadala Raphael Ramanayya
Dadala Raphael Ramanayya was an Indian nationalist leader, instrumental in the merger of French territory Yanam into the Indian Union.-Early life:...
and aided by then Maire De Yanaon, Monsieur Madimchetty Satianarayanamourty alias Satia and took over the administration. After hoisting the Indian National Flag, they formed the revolutionary provisional government
Provisional government
A provisional government is an emergency or interim government set up when a political void has been created by the collapse of a very large government. The early provisional governments were created to prepare for the return of royal rule...
of Yanam headed by Dadala Raphael Ramanayya
Dadala Raphael Ramanayya
Dadala Raphael Ramanayya was an Indian nationalist leader, instrumental in the merger of French territory Yanam into the Indian Union.-Early life:...
and adopted a resolution declaring "Yanaon A Libéré" (Yanam liberated). The coup d'état of Yanam was announced by All India Radio
All India Radio
All India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...
and Press.
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After the coup d'etat
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
, the last administrator of Yanam, George Sala was recalled by André Ménard
André Ménard
André Ménard was a Governor General in the French colonial empire in the 20th century.-Significant events:During his reign, the coup d'État de Yanaon happened on 13 June 1954. In the aftermath, he recalled the Administrator of Yanam , George Sala, to Pondicherry.-Titles:-References:* Book of the...
, then Governor General of Pondicherry in June 1954.
Aftermath of Liberation
The Yanam coup d'état had enraged the French authorities of Pondicherry. Rumours were spread to the effect that the French government were despatching a cruiserCruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
to Yanam to capture Merger leaders and to re-establish their authority. After the coup, the last administrator
Administration (government)
The term administration, as used in the context of government, differs according to jurisdiction.-United States:In United States usage, the term refers to the executive branch under a specific president , for example: the "Barack Obama administration." It can also mean an executive branch agency...
of Yanam, George Sala was recalled by André Ménard
André Ménard
André Ménard was a Governor General in the French colonial empire in the 20th century.-Significant events:During his reign, the coup d'État de Yanaon happened on 13 June 1954. In the aftermath, he recalled the Administrator of Yanam , George Sala, to Pondicherry.-Titles:-References:* Book of the...
, then Governor General of Pondicherry in June 1954.
Monsieur Dadala was also appointed as Acting Commissioner for Yanam for 14 days. Towards the end of June 1954, Sri Kewal Singh paid a visit to Yanam and requested Dadala's return to Pondicherry to continue his activities there. On 3 July, on Kewal Singh's request, Dadala left Yanam, after making all arrangements for its proper administration.
De Facto Transfer
Yanam remained under French control till June 13, 1954, when it joined the Republic of India by Indian military action. On November 1, 1954, after long years of freedom struggle the de factoDe facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
transfer (Vāstavikāntaraṇa) of the four enclaves of Pondicherry, Yanam, Mahé, and Karikal to the Indian Union was achieved.
The Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
, Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru , often referred to with the epithet of Panditji, was an Indian statesman who became the first Prime Minister of independent India and became noted for his “neutralist” policies in foreign affairs. He was also one of the principal leaders of India’s independence movement in the...
, visited Pondicherry on 16 January 1955. Messrs Edouard Goubert
Edouard Goubert
Clemencedu Edouard Goubert was former mayor and first chief minister of Pondichéry between July 1, 1963 - September 11, 1964...
, S. Perumal, Dadala and Sri Pakirisamy Pillai presented addresses to Pandit Nehru in a public meeting in the maidan of Gorimedu.
Treaty of Cession
A treaty of cession was signed by the two countries on 28 May 1956. The de jureDe jure
De jure is an expression that means "concerning law", as contrasted with de facto, which means "concerning fact".De jure = 'Legally', De facto = 'In fact'....
transfer was delayed until the end of the Algerian War. The treaty was ratified by the French parliament in May 1962. On August 16, 1962 (De Jure Day) 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...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
exchanged the instruments of ratification under which France ceded to India full sovereignty over the territories it held.
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, FrenchFrench 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...
as official language, etc. This is the most important article in the Traité de Cession, which ensures and safeguardes the personal interest of the people regarding their special administrative status.
The Article II of Traité de Cession states that,
- The Establishments will keep the benefit of the special administrative status 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.
De-jure Transfer
Treaty of cession was signed by the two countries in May 1956 was ratified by the French parliament in May 1962. On August 16, 1962 India and France exchanged the instruments of ratificationRatification
Ratification is a principal's approval of an act of its agent where the agent lacked authority to legally bind the principal. The term applies to private contract law, international treaties, and constitutionals in federations such as the United States and Canada.- Private law :In contract law, the...
under which France ceded to India full sovereignty over the territories it held. Every year on 16 August, the De-jure Transfer Day (Vidhitāntaraṇa Dinamu in 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...
) is celebrated throughout Pondicherry Union Territory.
Merger in Pondicherry U.T
Pondicherry and the other enclaves of KaraikalKaraikal
Karaikal is a major port city of east coast of India and a municipality in Karaikal district in the Union Territory of Pondicherry, India. Several explanations are offered for the word 'Karaikal'. The imperial Gazetteer gives it the meaning 'fish pass'. According to Julien vinson the town is said...
, Mahé and Yanam came to be administered as the Union Territory
Union Territory
A Union Territory is a sub-national administrative division of India, in the federal framework of governance. Unlike the states of India, which have their own elected governments, union territories are ruled directly by the federal government; the President of India appoints an Administrator or...
of Pondicherry from July 1, 1963.
Date of events
| Colony | Liberation | de-facto transfer | Treaty of Cession | de-jure transfer | Merger |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pondichéry | - | 1 November 1954 | 28 May 1956 | 16 August 1963 | 1 July 1963 |
| Chandernagore | - | 26 June 1949 | 28 February 1951 | 9 June 1952 | 1 October 1954 |
| Karikal | - | 1 November 1954 | 28 May 1956 | 16 August 1963 | 1 July 1963 |
| Mahé | 16 June 1954 | 1 November 1954 | 28 May 1956 | 16 August 1963 | 1 July 1963 |
| Yanaon | 13 June 1954 | 1 November 1954 | 28 May 1956 | 16 August 1963 | 1 July 1963 |
French Nationality
After the liberation the French government offered citizenship to the people living in colonies of French IndiaFrench 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...
, i.e., Pondichéry, Mahé, Karikal and Yanaon. Actually, French law made it easy for thousands of colons, ethnic or national French from former colonies of North and East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
, 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...
and Indochina
Indochina
The Indochinese peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. It lies roughly southwest of China, and east of India. The name has its origins in the French, Indochine, as a combination of the names of "China" and "India", and was adopted when French colonizers in Vietnam began expanding their territory...
to live in mainland France. Nearly 50,000 Tamil people
Tamil people
Tamil 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,...
chose French nationality.
In Yanam some 10,000 people chose French nationality. According to some estimates, nearly 120 to 150 Telugu
Telugu people
The Telugu people or Telugu Prajalu are an ethnic group of India. They are the native speakers of the Telugu language, the most commonly spoken language in India after Hindi and Bengali...
families from former French India live in France. On the other hand, there are some French nationals living in Yanam and enjoying French pension
Pension
In general, a pension is an arrangement to provide people with an income when they are no longer earning a regular income from employment. Pensions should not be confused with severance pay; the former is paid in regular installments, while the latter is paid in one lump sum.The terms retirement...
(In 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...
, Guddi Pinchanu).
Yanam French Peoples Association was formed and its president is Penupothu Suryanarayan. As of the 2000s, around 80 French nationals live in Yanam.
Court House (Palais de justice)
The Court building is situated in a very ancient white monument building of French architect It is called as Palais de justice (Court House) and located at Thiagaraja Street, Yanam to the next of Municipality building. The building consists of two floors. The ground floor is the court and the first floor is the residential quarters of the Judge. The building was renovated in the year of 1967 and inaugurated by Thiru S.L. Silam, the then Hon'ble Lt. Governor of Pondicherry.Colonial Era
Yanam Judicial Magistrate Court is a very ancient court formed prior to the French domain i.e. before 1725 while Yanam was as a Dutch colonyDutch India
Dutch India is a term used to refer to the settlements and trading posts of the Dutch East India Company on the Indian subcontinent. It is only used as a geographical definition, as there has never been a political authority ruling all Dutch India...
. The Judicial Magistrate Court was existing then.
Subsequently while this area came under the French on the reorganization of French domain in 1725 the same court has been converted as French Court under French Law as a Judicial Court. Both civil and criminal cases tried here.
After Independence
After Independence, this court was converted as an Indian Court as a Judicial Magistrate Court, Yanam in 1956, whereas, the Regional Administrative Officer of Yanam was the Judge of the court having both executive and judicial powers on civil and criminal cases.After bifurcation of the judiciary, this court came under a separate Judicial Department of Government of Pondicherry and under the administration of the Hon'ble High Court
Madras High Court
The Madras High Court is a senior court located at Chennai , in India. The court buildings, which are believed to be the second largest judicial complex in the world, are located near the beach, in one of the city's major business districts....
, Madras and it was termed as Judicial First Class Magistrate Court cum District Munsif Court. Subsequently under the reform by the Hon'ble High Court, Madras, the Yanam was upgraded to that of Subordinate Judge (Civil Judge-Senior Division)/Assistant Sessions Judge cum Judicial Magistrate of I Class in the year 2000. Now because of this upgradation, all the civil cases up to the pecuniary jurisdiction of Rs.5.00 lakh
Lakh
A lakh is a unit in the Indian numbering system equal to one hundred thousand . It is widely used both in official and other contexts in Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and is often used in Indian English.-Usage:...
s are triable by this court, in criminal side, this court has got jurisdiction to try all cases up to 307 IPC except cases having death sentence. Further this court is empowered to deal with the motor accident claims, family cases, LAOPs (Land Acquisition of Pondicherry), etc.
Famous People in the Colonial Yanam
First Laurel Poet of Andhra, Chellapilla Venkata Kavi (1870–1950), One of the duo of the famous Tirupati Venkata KavuluTirupati Venkata Kavulu
Tirupati Venkata Kavulu refers to the Telugu poet duo Divakarla Tirupati Sastry and Chellapilla Venkata Sastry . This twin poets are acclaimed as harbingers of modern poetry in Telugu. They have dramatized several of the Hindu epics into dramas and plays consisting of singable verses set to...
lived here. Many poets such as the late Villa Reddi Naidu, V.Venkataswami Naidu. Some important politicians include Kanakala Tatayya Naidou and Md. Abdul Razzaq.
Samatam Krouschnaya
Samatam Krouschnaya
-Birth:Monsieur Samatam Krishnayya was born in Yanam in and around 1875.-Life:He was poet, historian and ayurvedic doctor too. He wrote many books in Telugu. He was staunch pro-French politician in his days....
(Samatam Krishnayya) lived here in Yanam and wrote many books in 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...
. Monsieur Samatam was a pro-French activist. He was Acting Mayor of Yanaon during merger struggle and he was a person of great and unique qualities. He was killed at the age of 78 by Indian military while Yanam being seized during Coup d'État de Yanaon
Coup d'état de Yanaon
The Coup d'état of Yanaon was an incident which brought interest for both India and France when both governments were in an ongoing negotiations in Delhi and Paris regarding the future of French settlements in India in 1954.Yanam was a predominantly pro-French colony, with staunch pro-French...
.
A prominent leader who was instrumental in the merger of Yanam into the Indian Union was Dadala Rafael Ramanayya. He was born in Farampeta and grew up from humble origins to become a key leader of the liberation of Yanam and the other French settlements. He was at the forefront of the strugge to liberate Yanam and facilitate its merger into the Indian union. He was leader who led Coup d'État de Yanaon
Coup d'état de Yanaon
The Coup d'état of Yanaon was an incident which brought interest for both India and France when both governments were in an ongoing negotiations in Delhi and Paris regarding the future of French settlements in India in 1954.Yanam was a predominantly pro-French colony, with staunch pro-French...
on 13 June 1954 and subsequently functioned as head of its provisional government for some time.
Another prominent leader who was also key player in the merger of Yanam into the Indian Union was Monsieur Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
Madimchetty Satianandam. He grown to prominence in Yanam politics during 1940s and after the election of 1948, he was elected as mayor of Yanam. Unfortunately, when he switched to pro-merger camp headed by Monsieur Dadala, his home got pillaged by people. Aftermath liberation, his involvement in Yanam politics reduced gradually.
In early 20th century, Bezawada Bapa Naidou
Bezawada Bapa Naidou
Bezawada Bapa Naidou was grandson of Bezawada Bapanaya, the first Mayor of Yanam. He was one of the two powerful political leaders in Yanam during French rule. It was told that he was very soft natured person and a vaishnavite. He was a humble and powerful politician in his times. Bouloussou...
was Mayor of Yanam. He was a humble and powerful politician in his times. Unfortunately, he was murdered in Pondicherry. After his death his faction became weak and even his siblings were also not able to continue in Yanam politics as he did.
Yanam Municipality
Municipalité de Yanaon was created by a French Metropolitan Decree dated March 12, 1880. Yanaon municipality had 12 seats . Citizens from each ward elect one representative for "Conseil Municipal de Yanaon"...
" was Monsieur Diwan Bouloussou Soubramaniam Sastroulou (Former Conseiller local de Yanaon). He was very prominent personality and loyal follower of Bapa Naidou. Monsieur Bouloussou had been one of "Les jurys de Yanaon" and even he worked as Diwan for "Manyam Zamindar" before being elected as Councilor. He was one of the very rare genuine and humble politicians of his time.
Bezawada Bapa Naidou's bitter opponent The Grand Old Man of Yanam, Kamichetty Venougopala Rao Naidou
Kamichetty Venougopala Rao Naidou
Kamichetty Venougopala Rao Naidu better known as The Grand Old Man of Yanaon was Mayor and MLA of Yanaon during French rule in first half of 20th century. He was one of the two powerful political leaders in Yanam during French rule. His opponent was Bezawada Bapa Naidou, the first mayor of Yanam...
was also a famous leader and had been active in politics in French Yanaon. After death of Bapa Naidou, he became Mayor of Yanam (Maire de Yanaon) and even his family became very dominant in Yanam politics for at least 50 years thence.
Venugopala Rao Naidou's son, Kamichetty Sri Parassourama Varaprassada Rao Naidu
Kamichetty Sri Parassourama Varaprassada Rao Naidu
Kamichetty Sri Parassourama Varaprassada Rao Naidu was a member of the legislative assembly of Yanam, India from 1964 until his death in 1989....
(former MLA
Member of Legislative Assembly
A Member of Legislative Assembly, or MLA, is a representative elected by the voters of an electoral district to the Legislature of a State in the Indian system of government...
and Speaker
Speaker (politics)
The term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
, Pondicherry) dominated Yanam politics after its independence for almost four decades. He was elected as MLA more than five times and even had been speaker for Pondicherry. He was a very influential figure in Yanam politics until his death.
Shri .Malladi Krishna Rao, the most Famous & Current Politician of 20th Century and Honorable Minister for Revenue(includes Mines), Excise, Tourism, Civil Aviation, Sports & Fisheries. He was continuously won twice as an Independent candidate and once as an Indian National Congress candidate in MLA elections and got the highest majority in Yanam for the first time. He is the first Yanam citizen to become the minister for Pondicherry in 2007 and awarded as the Best MLA Award twice from the governor of Pondicherry. In his term in politics from 1996 there has been a huge development took place and Yanam stood the best constituency of Pondicherry as compared to the development growth-rate. He is famously known, as Malladi in Pondicherry and Malladi is one of the key members to command the Pondicherry politics as well as some of the districts of Andhra Pradesh. He has been awarded as “The Father for the Development of Yanam” from the MP of Pondicherry Thiru Ramadas.
Local Administration
Following the introduction of the Pondicherry Municipalities Act, 1973, four municipalities came into existence in Pondicherry, KaraikalKaraikal
Karaikal is a major port city of east coast of India and a municipality in Karaikal district in the Union Territory of Pondicherry, India. Several explanations are offered for the word 'Karaikal'. The imperial Gazetteer gives it the meaning 'fish pass'. According to Julien vinson the town is said...
, Mahé and Yanam towns. The entities of Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam communes formed the municipalities of Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam. Under the new law, all functions excluding those assigned to the Chairman (i.e., those hitherto exercised by the Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
) appointed under the municipal decree came to be exercised by the Commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner is in principle the title given to a member of a commission or to an individual who has been given a commission ....
. The Mayors were also relieved of their day-to-day administrative responsibilities enabling them to be in greater contact with the public. Commissioners were appointed as the Chief Executive Heads of the Municipalities, in different ranks according to the grade of the municipalities.
- Mettakur
- Ambedkar Nagar
- Vishnalayam
- Pillaraya
- Giriumpeta
- Farampeta
- Pydikondala
- Pedapudi
- Aghraharam
- Kanakalapeta
Legislative Administration
As the people aspired for a popular government, the Indian Parliament enacted the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963 that came into force on 1 July 1963, and the pattern of Government prevailing in the rest of the country was introduced in this territory also, but subject to certain limitations. Under Article 239 of the Indian Constitution, the President of India appoints an Administrator with such designation as he may specify to head the administration of the territory.Yanam was allocated with one seat in Pondicherry Legislative Assembly. From 1964 to 1989, Kamichetty Sri Parassourama Varaprassada Rao Naidu
Kamichetty Sri Parassourama Varaprassada Rao Naidu
Kamichetty Sri Parassourama Varaprassada Rao Naidu was a member of the legislative assembly of Yanam, India from 1964 until his death in 1989....
held this constituency as his pocket borough until his death without facing any challenge in winning the seat consecutively in 1964 (INC
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
), 1969 (IND
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
), 1974 (IND), 1977 (JP
Janata Party
The Janata Party was an amalgam of Indian political parties opposed to the state of emergency imposed by the government of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her Indian National Congress...
), 1980 (IND) and in 1985 (INC).
Present MLA
Member of Legislative Assembly
A Member of Legislative Assembly, or MLA, is a representative elected by the voters of an electoral district to the Legislature of a State in the Indian system of government...
of Yanam is Shri. Malladi Krishna Rao. He contested from 1996 with no defeat and won consecutively for thrice as the Independent candidate and currently shifted to (INC
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
) in 2007.
Culture
Yanam has a mixed culture of French and TeluguSouth Indian culture
South Indian culture refers to the culture of the South Indian states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. South Indian culture though with its visible differences forms an important part of the Indian culture. The South Indian Culture is essentially the celebration of the eternal...
. People of Yanam are more polite and respectable. The people of Yanam are very generous and well cultured. Even in France, we can easily distinguish the Yanam Telugu people from the other kinds of Telugu immigrants because of their historical presence of double cultural influence.
Even we enter Yanam, we see Soyez le bien venue displayed (by Govt of Pondicherry) and when leaving Merci Bien.
Official Languages
Official languages of Yanam are TeluguTelugu 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...
and French
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...
.
- Telugu: It is also an official language of Pondicherry but used only when communicating within the Telugu region (YanamYanam districtYanam district is one of the four districts of the Union Territory of Pondicherry in India.-Revenue Villages:Apart from the town of Yanam itself, the following villages fall under the district's jurisdiction:* Agraharam* Darialatippa* Farampeta...
). So, more correctly it is considered as regional official language of Pondicherry while being official language of Yanam region.
- French: It is also an official language of Pondicherry Union territory. Though it was official languageOfficial languageAn official language is a language that is given a special legal status in a particular country, state, or other jurisdiction. Typically a nation's official language will be the one used in that nation's courts, parliament and administration. However, official status can also be used to give a...
of French IndiaFrench IndiaFrench 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...
(1673–1954), 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 de jureDe jureDe jure is an expression that means "concerning law", as contrasted with de facto, which means "concerning fact".De jure = 'Legally', De facto = 'In fact'....
official language of Pondicherry U.T by the Article XXVIII of Traité de Cession, which states that,- Le français restera la langue officielle des Établissements aussi longtemps que les répresentants élus de la population n'auront pas pris une décision différente (Version française)
- 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)
- Tamil is the de-jure official language and is used occasionally.
Tourism
Yanam has very beautiful views. It is covered with coconut trees. One can enjoy fresh iodinised air since it is located over the banks of the Gauthami Godavari RiverGodavari River
The Godavari is a river that runs from western to southern India and is considered to be one of the big river basins in India. With a length of 1465 km, it is the second longest river in India , that runs within the country and also the longest river in South India...
. Humidity is high in this region. The river Gauthami Godavari is one of the main branches of the river Godavari. It enters 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...
after flowing about 12 km through Yanam.
Yanam Ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
Road was inaugurated by the Hon'ble Chief Minister
Chief Minister
A Chief Minister is the elected head of government of a sub-national state, provinces of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, notably a state of India, a territory of Australia or a British Overseas Territory that has attained self-government...
of Pondicherry, Shri R.V.Janaki Raman on 11 January 2000. Now, there is a proposal for making the Ferry Road very beautiful by erecting important personalities statues on the footpath of this road.
Annavaram
Annavaram
Annavaram village is situated on the banks of the Pampa River in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh in India.-Etymology:Anna means whatever you say or you desire and varam means boon, hence whatever you desire will be given as boon by the deity.-Temple:The most distinctive feature of...
. It is around 80 km from Yanam towards the east. It is very famous for performing Vrathams especially for newly married couples for getting blessings from Lord Satyanarayana Swamy. It is the second important Temple in Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
after Tirupati Lord Venkateshwara Temple.
Draksharamam
'Lord Shiva' here goes by the name of 'Bheemeswara Swamy'. The height of the Lingam is around 14 ft (4 m) and it is one of the oldest temples in India. People say that it was constructed by the Devathas. There is one more temple called Manikyamabika Devi Temple in the campus of this Temple. It is one of the Ashtadasa Pithas in India. It is very famous as it has the Sakthi Chakra and Goddess Parvathi is sitting on this Chakra. It is around 16 km from Yanam. There are frequent buses from Yanam to Draksharamam.Pithapuram
Padagaya Temple is one of the oldest temples in India. It is also called Dakshina Kasi. Here, Lord Shiva is in the form of a rooster. We can see the footprints (padas) of the Gaya Rakshas here. It is a very famous temple. The Shiva manifestation is called "Kukkuteswara Swamy" and the Parvathi manifestation is called "Raja Rajeswari". The Nandi (Shiva's Bull) in front of the Shiva Lingam is very famous and looks as if it is alive. There is a Durga Temple in the temple complex, which is also one of the AshtaDasa Pithas of Goddess Durga . The Pitham of the Goddess gave rise to the name "Puruhuthika Devi" and the town is called as "Pithapuram". There is also one more temple of Shri Dattatreya Swamy in this Temple Complex. It is very famous as Dattatreya's next incarnation is Sripada Vallabha Swamy who was born in Pithapuram. People from all over India, especially from the West and North of India come to Pithapuram to have the Darshan of these Lords. It is around 50 km from Yanam.Rathotsavam
The Venkanna Babu Festival is celebrated in the month of March every year by the people of Yanam in a very grand manner. The festival is continued for a whole month. Lord Venkateswara Kalyanam is the main day of the festival. Ponnavahanam (Last Vahanam), Ratha yatra (Rathotsavam) and Chakratirtham are the important events of the festival. During the festival days, nearly 1.5 lakhs of devotees come to Yanam to receive the blessings of Lord Venkanna Babu.History of the Ratham (Temple Car or Chariot)
The Ratham was built in 1950 by the then Committee under then Assemblée Répresentative, Kanakala Tatayya Naidou. The Ratham's weight is around 15 tonnes. It was partially damaged to the heavy cyclonic storm in November 1996 but was renovated in 1998. This Ratham was carried throughout the entire Yanam Town in the early days. After the electrification work, the Ratham's route has been limited from Chinna Center to the Kotha Bus Stand. It is carried by devotees singing slogans and bhajans. The Govt of Pondicherry has declared a holiday for Yanam on this special event.Catholic Festival
Every year in March, a major Catholic Festival is celebrated. Devotees from various neighbouring places come here and worship Mother MaryMary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
. The very remarkable thing is that the devotees are not only Christians but also Muslims, Hindus and also from other religions.
Fête de Pondichéry
Fête de Pondichéry is a three-day annual cultural festival conducted by the Department of Art and Culture of the Government of Pondicherry. It is celebrated by people from all walks of life.Brahmotsavam
It is conducted for Lord Venkanna Babu in Yanam during the months of September/October and resembles the TirupatiTirumala Venkateswara Temple
Tirumala Venkateswara Temple ), is a Hindu temple in the hill town of Tirumala, near Tirupati in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, South India. It is around from Chennai, from Hyderabad, and from Bangalore....
Brahmotsavam
Brahmotsavam
Tirumala Brahmotsavam is an annual festival at Tirumala Lord Venkateswara Temple celebrated for nine days in the months of September and October. The celebration attracts pilgrims and tourists from all partsof the nation and across the world.- Brahmotsavam :...
. It is a 10-day festival that attracts millions of people from the surrounding villages of Yanam.
Places of worship
Venkanna Babu Temple
A famous Vishnu Temple is present in Vishnalayam street (Rue Vichenou) of Yanam named Alivelu Manga Sametha Shri Venkateswara Alayam. The God is well known as "Venkanna Babu", "Chaldikudu Venkanna" and "Meesala Venkanna". The speciality of the Temple is that the Swamy Idol has big moustaches like Lord Sathyanarayana Swamy of AnnavaramAnnavaram
Annavaram village is situated on the banks of the Pampa River in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh in India.-Etymology:Anna means whatever you say or you desire and varam means boon, hence whatever you desire will be given as boon by the deity.-Temple:The most distinctive feature of...
. This temple was built by the Chalukya kings of Rajamahendravaram (Rajahmundry
Rajahmundry
Rajahmundry is a city and municipal corporation of the Andhra Pradesh state in India. It is located east of the state capital, Hyderabad, on the banks of the River Godavari. Known as the Cultural Capital, Rajahmundry is noted for its intense Veda culture and intellect...
) in the 15th century. The sculptures of those period are present in this temple.
The Venkanna Babu Temple had been very famous for performing Child Marriages during the pre-independence days. Due to the dedicated efforts of the Social Reformer, Shri Raja Ram Mohun Roy, the Sarada Act (prevention of Child Marriages) was implemented by the then British Government in India.
As the Yanam Region was under French rule, the people from the nearby State, used to come to this Temple for performing child marriages. Even people from MadrasChennai
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...
, Hyderabad and other long distant places used to come to Yanam for conducting child marriages. In the past, daily some hundreds of marriages were performed in this temple. Hence, Yanam was also called "KALYANA PURAM".
Grand Mosque
The site for the mosque was donated by the French Government in 1848. At that time a small mosque was constructed. Then in 1956, the same was remodelled. It was demolished in 1978 and a new mosque was constructed. In 1999-2000, the mosque was expanded to become the Grand Mosque. At present, around 200 persons can pray in this mosque at a time. Every year, Ramzan, BakridEid ul-Adha
Eid al-Adha or "Festival of Sacrifice" or "Greater Eid" is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide to commemorate the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son Ishmael as an act of obedience to God, before God intervened to provide him with a sheep— to sacrifice...
and Milad un Nabi functions are celebrated grandly. The mosque caters to the people of nearby villages like Thallarevu, Kolanka, Sunkarapalem. which are in the adjacent state of Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
.
Catholic Church
The monument in remembrance of the CatholicRoman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
French rulers is linked with this church. This church is named St.Ann's Catholic Church. This church was built in the European style. The furniture, decoration articles were all imported from France. This church was built in 1846 by the French missionaries. The foundation stone was laid down by Father Michel Lecnam and he died on April 30, 1836 before completion of the church work. In his remembrance, a culvert
Culvert
A culvert is a device used to channel water. It may be used to allow water to pass underneath a road, railway, or embankment. Culverts can be made of many different materials; steel, polyvinyl chloride and concrete are the most common...
was fixed in this church. The church work was completed in the year 1846. The other special attraction in this church is that a hill temple was built on the premises of the church by the French rulers, and there is another hill temple behind a church built by the English engineers.
The history behind this hill is that in 1943 a ship named Villiam B. Augustus, ran aground on a sandy island due to a cyclonic storm. Though the ship's crew tried hard to rescue the ship weighing 1000 tonnes using all the manpower, it was in vain. The ship stayed stuck for one year in the same place. At that time, an engineer named E. H. Swini was deputed from America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for this purpose. He also tried and came to a conclusion that this task would not be possible with manpower alone. He worshipped Mother Mary (Mariayamma in Telugu) and all of sudden the ship moved from the sandy island. In tribute of the Mother Mary, the engineer and his wife constructed this church in Yanam. This history is mentioned in the hill temple behind this church.
See also
- Causes for Liberation of French colonies in IndiaCauses for Liberation of French colonies in IndiaMany interrelated political, cultural, socio-economic and geographical factors contributed to the liberation of French Establishments in India.-Geographical and cultural divergence:...
- Municipal Administration in French IndiaMunicipal Administration in French IndiaThough the French established colonies in India in the 17th century itself, it was not until the end of the 19th century they started civil administration in French India.-French Metropolitan Decree:...
- Pondicherry (Lok Sabha constituency)Pondicherry (Lok Sabha Constituency)FOR 2011 :Mr.N.Rangasamy has won for his N.R congress.The beauty is he has started this new party jest 2 months before the election.He was resigned from congress,started new one called N.R congress,won the election and became Central minster of pondicherry again for 2 nd time. The Lok Sabha...
- Pondicherry Legislative Assembly
- Pondicherry Municipality
- Yanam MunicipalityYanam MunicipalityMunicipalité de Yanaon was created by a French Metropolitan Decree dated March 12, 1880. Yanaon municipality had 12 seats . Citizens from each ward elect one representative for "Conseil Municipal de Yanaon"...
- French East India CompanyFrench East India CompanyThe French East India Company was a commercial enterprise, founded in 1664 to compete with the British and Dutch East India companies in colonial India....
- Dadala Raphael RamanayyaDadala Raphael RamanayyaDadala Raphael Ramanayya was an Indian nationalist leader, instrumental in the merger of French territory Yanam into the Indian Union.-Early life:...
- Coup d'État de YanaonCoup d'état de YanaonThe Coup d'état of Yanaon was an incident which brought interest for both India and France when both governments were in an ongoing negotiations in Delhi and Paris regarding the future of French settlements in India in 1954.Yanam was a predominantly pro-French colony, with staunch pro-French...
- French colonial empireFrench colonial empireThe 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...
- French IndiaFrench IndiaFrench 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...
External links
- Official regional website of Yanam
- Future of French India, by Russel H. Fifield (Associate Professor of Political Science at University of Michigan
- Pravasandhrulu in France: identity and integration by Jonnalagadda Anuradha, France
- Official website of the Government of the Union Territory of Pondicherry
- Indian Ministry for External Affairs - 1956 Treaty of Cession
- THE FRENCH AND PORTUGUESE SETTLEMENTS IN INDIA
- Tourism in Yanam