Puducherry has two very different areas: the French-style White Town and the traditional Tamil neighbourhoods. While White Town has neat streets, old French-style houses and colourful buildings, Black Town (now generally known as the heritage Tamil town) boasts traditional Tamil-style homes with courtyards.
The French connection in Puducherry dates to the 1600s when the French East India Company set up a trading post. Even after Puducherry became part of India in the 1960s, French influence is still strong. The territory, including Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam, keeps French-style buildings, street layouts and cultural traditions that make it different from nearby states.
In many parts of India, British street names were changed and colonial statues removed but Puducherry has kept its French landmarks and historical names. This territory has also adopted French laws.
These laws still apply to certain residents called ‘renoncants’ who chose to follow the French Civil Code for personal matters like marriage, adoption and inheritance while keeping Indian citizenship. French is also one of the official languages along with Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam.
Tourism in Puducherry depends a lot on this heritage. Visitors come to experience the French character here, which in turn supports jobs and the local economy. This is why voters here are interested in protecting these landmarks and traditions.
Parties that promise to preserve the French heritage often get more support from residents who see it as part of daily life and its identity.
The upcoming election is a direct contest between the ruling NDA and the DMK-Congress alliance. Voting is scheduled for April 9 and the results will be announced on May 4.
