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How Puducherry became a Union Territory, know lesser-known facts
Pondicherry Foundation Day is celebrated every year on July 1, marking the formal creation of Puducherry as a Union Territory (UT) in date holds historical significance as it signalled the completion of Puducherry's long journey from French colonial rule to becoming an integral part of India. It is commemorated with cultural events, tributes, and public pride across the coastal region of Puducherry, earlier known as Pondicherry, had been under French rule for nearly 300 years. Even after India's independence in 1947, Pondicherry and a few other small enclaves like Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam remained under French control.
The transition began with a de facto transfer of power in 1954, when administrative control was handed over to India. However, it was only on August 16, 1962, that the French Parliament ratified the treaty, and Pondicherry was officially merged with July 1963 1, Pondicherry was declared a Union Territory with its own legislative assembly. This historic moment is what Foundation Day is unique in that it consists of four geographically separated regions -- Pondicherry, Karaikal (both on the Tamil Nadu coast), Yanam (in Andhra Pradesh), and Mahe (in Kerala). Despite this, the Union Territory operates under a unified administration and continues to preserve a rich blend of French and Indian DID PONDICHERRY BECOME PUDUCHERRY?advertisementThe change from Pondicherry to Puducherry was officially made in 2006, but its roots trace back to the territory's original Tamil name.'Puducherry' comes from the Tamil words 'Pudu' (new) and 'Cheri' (village).When the French colonised the region in the late 1600s, they adapted the name to 'Pondichery', which the British later anglicised to 'Pondicherry'.After independence, the Indian government and local citizens gradually pushed to restore traditional and culturally relevant names to reflect regional identity and linguistic in October 2006, the Indian Parliament passed a bill officially renaming Pondicherry to change was not just symbolic -- it marked a step towards decolonisation of place names, a movement across India to reclaim indigenous cultural FACTS ABOUT PONDICHERRYFrench is still an official language in Pondicherry along with Tamil, Telugu and follows French street naming with signs in both Tamil and FrenchPodicherry is home to the famous Auroville, an international experimental Sri Aurobindo Ashram attracts thousands of spiritual seekers each architecture in the French Quarter reflects pure colonial are no high-rise buildings in central Puducherry due to heritage was one of the last colonial territories to join independent name 'Puducherry' means 'new village' in Tamil – reflecting its local roots even during colonial has one of the highest literacy rates in India, with over 85% of the population being town planning is based on a grid system, inspired by French urban design – rare in Indian is a favourite film-shooting destination, thanks to its European streetscapes and serene beaches.- Ends
