Pondicherry or Puducherry

So far Pondicherry is the nicest place we have been to in India and we are a bit embarrassed to admit it is probably because of the French influence.  There are plenty of cafes and restaurants, we can easily get good coffee, and with dinner a G&T or beer while being served by pleasant staff - sure beats surly waiters and being blanked.

Pondicherry or Puducherry as it is now called is an ex-French colony.  During the 1700s the French and British vied for command of this port and it changed hands half a dozen times until the French finally took control in 1815 until 1954.  The French influence is everywhere.  The architecture, the uniforms of the police, presence of cathedrals and nuns and there are still a lot of French tourists and shop owners hence nicer hotels and restaurants.

Great restaurant

Old colonial house

Puducherry Policeman

Interior of cathedral

This influence however seems confined to a small area near the waterfront called White City.  A few blocks from the waterfront is a canal running north -  south, really just an open sewer.

Canal in Puducherry

This divides the French Quarter from the Tamil Quarter.  The architecture here is known as Creole and a lovely mix of French, Moorish and Tamil.

Old and renovated buildings in the Tamil Quarter

Rubbish is definitely a problem in India but there does seem to be some effort being made to make people aware - unfortunately failing abysmally.

Litter in the streets

Attempts to control litter

In the evenings the water front comes alive and it seems the whole city comes out to stroll along the waterside, meet friends, have a snack and just enjoy the cooler breezes off the sea.

Waterfront Gandhi statue in the heat of the day

 

 

 

 

Waterfront in the evening

Enjoying the sea breezes

There is a lovely practice here of decorating the entranceway to one's house with beautiful chalk drawings.

doorway decorations

more doorways