Pondicherry

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For other uses, see Pondicherry (disambiguation).
Pondy
பாண்டிச்சேரி
புதுச்சேரி
capital
Park Monument (Aayi Mandapam) in the Government Park of Pondicherry
Pondy
Coordinates: 11°55′51″N 79°47′07″E / 11.930965°N 79.785182°E / 11.930965; 79.785182Coordinates: 11°55′51″N 79°47′07″E / 11.930965°N 79.785182°E / 11.930965; 79.785182
Country  India
State Puducherry
District Pondicherry
Established 1673
Elevation 3 m (10 ft)
Population (2011)
 • Total 654,392
 • Density 9,166/km2 (23,740/sq mi)
Languages Tamil, French, Telugu, Malayalam
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN 605001-605014
Telephone code 91 (0)413
Vehicle registration PY-01

Pondicherry (/pɒndɨˈtʃɛri/ (Tamil: பாண்டிச்சேரி) or /pɒndɨˈʃɛri/) or Puducherry (Tamil: புதுச்சேரி) is a city, an urban agglomeration and a municipality in Pondicherry district in the Indian union territory of Puducherry. It is affectionately known as Pondy, and has been officially known by the alternative name Puducherry since 2006.

History

Main article: History of Puducherry
Pondicherry waterfront circa 1900

The City of Pondicherry have recorded history after the advent of the Colonial Powers like the Dutch, Portuguese, English and the French. Though nearby places like Arikamedu, Ariyankuppam, Kakayanthoppe, Villianur, Bahur which were annexed by the French East India Company over a period of time and which became the Union Territory of Pondicherry after Independence have history predating the Colonial History.

A marketplace named Poduke or Poduca is recorded as a Roman trading destination from the mid 1st century. The area was part of the Pallava Kingdom of Kanchipuram in the 4th century. The Cholas of Thanjavur held it from the 10th to 13th centuries, only to be replaced by the Pandya Kingdom in the 13th century. The Vijayanagar Empire took control of almost all the South of India in the 14th century and lasted until 1638, to be supplanted by the Sultan of Bijapur. The French acquired Puducherry in 1674 and held control, with occasional interruption from the British and Dutch, until 1954 (de jure in 1956), when it was incorporated into the Indian Union along with the rest of French India.

Topography

The topography of Pondicherry is the same as that of coastal Tamil Nadu. Pondicherry's average elevation is at sea level, and a number of sea inlets, referred to as "backwaters" can be found.

Pondicherry experiences coastal erosion. The city is protected against the sea by a 1.25 mile (2-kilometre) long seawall, first completed by the French in 1735, which reaches a height of 27 feet above sea level.[1] A weather-beaten cement plaque with the year 1952 is still visible along a section of the seawall. The seawall is protected from the direct onslaught of waves by rows of granite boulders which are reinforced every year to stop erosion. Whenever gaps appear or the stones sink into the sand, the Government adds more boulders to keep it strong.

Town structure

Map of Pondicherry Region, Union Territory of Puducherry, India

Pondicherry city consists of 42 wards. Wards 1-10 are located in north of the city. Wards 11-19 are located in Boulevard Town and remaining wards are located in the southwest of the downtown.[2]

Economy

Businesses headquartered in Pondicherry include manufacturer General Airconditioners.[3]

In 2012, the Ministry of Power inaugurated the Smart Grid project in Puducherry.[4]

Climate

The climate of Pondicherry is classified by Köppen-Geiger system as tropical wet and dry (As),[5] similar to that of coastal Tamil Nadu. Summer lasts from April to early June, when maximum temperatures frequently hit the 41 °C (106 °F) mark. The average maximum temperature is 36 °C (97 °F). Minimum temperatures are in the order of 28–32 °C (82–90 °F). This is followed by a period of high humidity and occasional thundershowers from June till September.

The northeast monsoon sets in during the middle of October, and Pondicherry gets the bulk of its annual rainfall during the period from October to December. The annual average rainfall is 1,240 mm (49 in).[6] Winters are warm, with highs of 30 °C (86 °F) and lows often dipping to around 18–20 °C (64–68 °F).

Climate data for Pondicherry
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 28.3
(82.9)		 29.5
(85.1)		 31.5
(88.7)		 33.5
(92.3)		 36.4
(97.5)		 37.1
(98.8)		 35.5
(95.9)		 34.7
(94.5)		 34.1
(93.4)		 31.7
(89.1)		 29.2
(84.6)		 28.1
(82.6)		 32.47
(90.45)
Daily mean °C (°F) 24.5
(76.1)		 25.2
(77.4)		 27.2
(81)		 29.6
(85.3)		 31.7
(89.1)		 32.1
(89.8)		 30.8
(87.4)		 30
(86)		 29.6
(85.3)		 27.9
(82.2)		 25.9
(78.6)		 24.7
(76.5)		 28.27
(82.89)
Average low °C (°F) 20.7
(69.3)		 21
(70)		 22.9
(73.2)		 25.7
(78.3)		 27.1
(80.8)		 27.1
(80.8)		 26.1
(79)		 25.4
(77.7)		 25.1
(77.2)		 24.2
(75.6)		 22.7
(72.9)		 21.3
(70.3)		 24.11
(75.43)
Precipitation mm (inches) 32
(1.26)		 9
(0.35)		 9
(0.35)		 18
(0.71)		 50
(1.97)		 45
(1.77)		 82
(3.23)		 154
(6.06)		 114
(4.49)		 229
(9.02)		 285
(11.22)		 144
(5.67)		 1,171
(46.1)
Source: Climate-Data.org, altitude: 11m[5]

Demographics

At the 2011 India census,[7] Pondicherry had a population of 675,000. Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%. Pondicherry has an average literacy rate of 76%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 82%, and female literacy is 71%. In Pondicherry, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.

The majority of Pondicherrians speak Tamil, Telugu, or Malayalam. There is a community of French people in Pondicherry and a number of French institutions such as a consulate, the French Institute, and L'Alliance Française.[8]

There is also a sizeable community of Indians from other states of India, notably West Bengal, Gujarat and Odisha.[citation needed]

Urban agglomeration

Local bodies Area Population
Pondicherry Municipality 19.54 km2 241,773
Oulgaret Municipality 36.70 km2 300,028
Total  56.24 km2 541,801

Data according to 2001 census.

There are two proposals by the Puducherry government, firstly to merge Pondicherry and Oulgaret municipalities, and upgrade Pondicherry municipality into a '"municipal corporation", and secondly to upgrade Villianur and Ariyankuppam commune panchayats into municipalities, which would increase the Pondicherry region's urban area around 155 km2. of the total 292 km2.

Transport

A PRTC deluxe bus.

Pondicherry is connected to Chennai via the East Coast Road through Mahabalipuram.[9] The Pondicherry Road Transport Corporation runs buses within the city.[10] The Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation operates Volvo air-conditioned services from Chennai to Pondicherry.[11]

Pondicherry is connected by train to several places including Delhi and Mangalore.[12][13] Pondicherry Airport has scheduled commercial flights to and from Bangalore.[14]

Tourism

French War Memorial
Main article: Tourism in Puducherry

Pondicherry is one of the most popular tourist destinations in South India. The city has many beautiful colonial buildings, churches, temples, and statues which, combined with the systematic town planning and the well planned French style avenues, still preserve much of the colonial ambiance. Pondicherry is also a popular weekend destination. It is a blend of spiritual aura, French colonial heritage, Tamil culture, virgin beaches and the cosmopolitan flair of many nationalities in a small but varied city.

Sri Aurobindo Ashram
The most popular tourist destinations are the four beaches in Pondicherry, which are Promenade Beach, Paradise Beach, The Auroville Beach and Serenity Beach. Sri Aurobindo Ashram, located on rue de la Marine, is one of the most well known and wealthiest ashrams in India. Auroville (City of Dawn) is an "experimental" township located 8 km north-west of Pondicherry. It is meant to be a universal town where men and women of all countries are able to live in peace and progressive harmony, above all creeds, all politics and all nationalities.

There are a number of old and large churches in Pondicherry, most of which were built in the 18th and 19th centuries. A number of heritage buildings and monuments are present around the Promenade Beach, such as the Children's Park & Dupleix Statue, Gandhi statue, Nehru Statue, Le Café, French War Memorial, 19th Century Light House, Bharathi Park, Governors Palace, French War Memorial, Romain Rolland Library, Legislative Assembly, Pondicherry Museum and the French Institute of Pondicherry at Saint-Louis Street.

Pudducherry Botanical Gardens is located south of the New Bus Stand. Chunnambar Backwater resort is situated 8 km from Pondicherry, along the Cuddalore Main Road. This tropical resort is flanked by a quiet-flowing creek on one side. Boating and tree house are very popular.

Arulmigu Manakula Vinayagar Devasthanam on Manakula Vinayagar Street is a very famous Hindu temple, which houses Lord Ganesha. Sri Manakula Vinayagar Temple was in existence before the French came and settled in Pondicherry i.e. before 1666. According to Sasthra, Lord GANESHA is named in 16 types based on his various forms, out of which this god facing the east coast near the Bay of Bengal was named as Bhuvaneshar Ganapathy, now called as Manakula Vinayagar. In Tamil, 'Manal' means sand and 'Kulam' means pond near the sea. Earlier, there was full of sand around the pond. So, the people called the god as Manal Kulathu Vinayagar [means God near the pond of sand]. Later, it was named as MANAKULA VINAYAGAR.

Thirukaameeswarar Temple is one of the ancient, beautiful, and huge temples that is located in a beautiful rural town called Villianur (the ancient name is Vilvanallur, meaning "vilva marangal niraindha nalla vur"), which is located about 10 km away (towards Villupuram) from Pondicherry town. This temple is renowned as Periya Koil "Big Temple". The prime god is Lord Shiva and the prime goddess is Goddess Kokilambigai. In addition, there are also other Hindu gods such as Murugan, Vinayagar, Thakshanamoorthy, Perumal, Bhramah, Chandikeshwarar, Natarajar, Navagrahah, and 63 Naayanmaars. The pioneers in this temple say that the age of this temple is about 1000+ years. It is thought to have been built by one of the Chola kings. There is also a huge "temple pond". The "Ther Thiruvizha" (Car Festival) is celebrated at this temple.

Panoramic view of Pondicherry beach

Institutions

  • Mahatma Gandhi Medical College & Research Institute, Pillaiyarkuppamr.
  • Ramanathapuram village, Puducherry.
  • Pondicherry University, kalapet
  • Indira Gandhi Medical College & Research Institute (Govt. of Puducherry)
  • Pondicherry Science Forum
  • Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, Kalapet
  • Indira Gandhi College of Arts and Science
  • College of Nursing, Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, Kalapet
  • RAAK Engineering College, Arumbharthapuram
  • RAAK Nursing College, Arumbharthapuram
  • Tagore Arts College, Lawspet
  • Kanchi Mamunivar Centre for Post-Graduate Studies, Lawspet
  • Mahatma Gandhi post graduate institute for dental sciences,MGPGI.
  • Manakula Vinayagar Institute of Technology
  • Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research, JIPMER
  • Bharathidasan Government College for Women.
  • Mother Theresa Post-Graduate and Research Institute of Health Sciences.
  • Alpha College of Engineering & Technology
  • Rajiv Gandhi College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences
  • Sri Ganesh College of Engineering & Technology.
  • Sri Manakula Vinayagar Engineering College.
  • Rajiv Gandhi College of Engineering and Technology
  • Pondicherry Engineering College
  • Achariya Arts & Science College
  • Christ Engineering College
  • Saradha Gangadharan Arts & Science College
  • Achariya College of Engineering & Technology

Notable people

Literature

Spiritual

Actors, directors and performance artists

Science and Technology

Politicians and Public Servants

Armed Force

Fictional

Gallery

  • Mahatma Gandhi's Statue

  • French War Memorial

  • Park Monument (Aayi Mandapam) in the Government Park

  • Bharati Park (Government Park)

  • The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception

  • The Church of Our Lady of Angels

  • Soldier on guard at gate of Government Palace, Pondicherry

  • Goubert Avenue, Pondicherry, India

  • Street sign in Tamil and French

  • Puducherry Tamil house

  • French Consulate

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.pondicherryonline.in/Profile/Geography/
  2. ↑ Town and Country Planning Department, Pondicherry, India: City Development Plan – Pondicherry, Final Report, March 2007, S. 159
  3. ↑ "ETA-Fujitsu venture launches General ACs". Chennai. The Hindu Business Line. 19 September 2000. Retrieved 2012-09-16. 
  4. ↑ "Smart grid project inaugurated". Puducherry. The Hindu. 2012-10-20. Retrieved 2012-10-23. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Climate: Pondicherry - Climate graph, Temperature graph, Climate table". Climate-Data.org. Retrieved 6 October 2013. 
  6. ↑ http://education.vsnl.com/imdchennai/rdwr.htm
  7. ↑ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. Retrieved 2008-11-01. 
  8. ↑ "Pondicherry: Forever France? by Anand Jha". Boloji.com. 2002-11-10. Retrieved 2013-03-18. 
  9. ↑ Ramakrishnan, Deepa (23 February 2012). "After a decade on fast lane, ECR is set to expand". Chennai. The Hindu. Retrieved 2012-09-16. 
  10. ↑ "20 buses launched in urban routes". Puducherry. The Hindu. 8 June 2010. Retrieved 2012-09-19. 
  11. ↑ V, Venkatasubramanian (19 Feb 2010). "A boon to Kancheepuram unit of TNSTC". Kancheepuram. The Hindu. Retrieved 2012-09-15. 
  12. ↑ "Delhi-Puducherry train link from July 3". The Hindu. 25 June 2011. Retrieved 2012-09-16. 
  13. ↑ "Changes in train timings". Puducherry. The Hindu. 13 September 2012. Retrieved 2012-09-16. 
  14. ↑ "First flight to Puducherry from Bangalore on January 17". Retrieved 6 January 2013. 

External links

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