Pondicherry
The origin of this erstwhile French colony is buried in legends. According to one view, the town was once called Vedapuri, and was a seat of Vedic culture and the abode of Sage Agastya. Professor Jonvean Dubrouil, the French archaeologist, believes that the Ashram of Agastya stood on the very spot where the main building of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram stands today.
History
Remnants of an ancient port town have been excavated at Arikamedu, 6 kms from Pondicherry. These indicate that the town had trade connections with Rome and Greece around the period 100 BC to 100 AD. Pondicherry continued to flourish even during the Chola period, as the discovery of the Chola coins from the eleventh and twelfth centuries indicate.
The history of modern Pondicherry starts with the arrival of the French in 1673. They went on to rule for most of the next 281 years, and even today, Pondicherry exudes a Mediterranean ambience, with its chic streets, elegant houses, ornamental gardens and afternoon siestas. The restaurants offer a rich variety of food: French, Indian, Creole, Vietnamese and Continental.
Pondicherry is oval-shaped, with streets aligned at right angles. The skillfully planned township is distinguished by a 3 km long esplanade that skirts the town. The main mode of transport is the bicycle.
The Union Territory of Pondicherry actually comprises 4 coastal regions - Pondicherry and Karaikal (both on the East Coast of Tamil Nadu), Mahe (on the West Coast of Kerala) and Yanam (in Andhra Pradesh).
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