Introduction of Pondicherry

Pondicherry is a Union Territory of India. It was formerly ruled by the French. It consists of four non-contiguous districts or enclaves. It is currently undergoing a name change to Puduchery. The name “puduchery” means “new village” in Tamil. The French spelt it “Poudichery”, which is the closest French approximation to the Tamil pronunciation. At some point, the hand-written ‘u’ was mistaken for an ‘n’, and the misspelling stuck.

Pondicherry’s ancient history dates back to the Vedic era; the Romans traded here 2 millennia ago, and the Portuguese arrived in 1521. Dutch and Danish traders followed, but it was the French - who purchased the town in the late 17th century, only relinquishing their hold in 1954 - who left the most enduring legacy. Now a Union Territory, with its own local government, this seaside colony retains its French elan, tempered by South Indian warmth, making it one of India’s most relaxing destinations.

Besides hanging out in your antiques-filled colonial hotel or sauntering around the oceanfront French Quarter (where you’ll see old men in thick-rimmed spectacles under the apparent illusion that they’re in a Parisian arrondissement), you can visit Auroville, an interesting experiment in alternative living, also optimistically known as the City of Dawn, or join the New Age travelers here to visit the ashram of Sri Aurobindo. Ashramic allure and Aurovillian aura aside, Pondy is the type of charming seaside town where you arrive for a quick overnighter and end up staying; like Goa, it has a number of exacts to prove it. And, yes, it’s far friendlier than Bordeaux.

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