OVERVIEW
Puducherry is a union territory of India, it is based in the southern division of the Indian Peninsula. The original famed name of the territory was Pondicherry and later in 2006, it was renamed as Puducherry. It is the 3rd most thickly populated and twenty-ninth most crowded union territory in the country. It consists of Puducherry, Yanam, Karaikal, and Mahe, which were the four districts of the earlier French India, among which Puducherry is the biggest district. Additionally, all these four districts are situated in the coastal area.
Hinduism is the main religion followed in Puducherry, but there are also other religions, such as Christianity and Islam. When it was under French rule, French was the official language of the territory. After it became a union territory of India, Tamil, Malayalam, and Telugu were recognized as official languages.
The plan of the Puducherry city is derived from the French grid model and features upright streets. It is divided into two parts, the Indian quarter and the French Quarter. The Indian quarter includes homes lined with massive doors and grilles in their balconies. On the other hand, the French quarter includes buildings, which are usually in regal style, with extended compounds and big walls. Some streets in the territory still have French names, and most villas have a glimpse of what French architecture is like.
French culture has definitely influenced the cuisine with so many small and big restaurants serving seafood French-made or with typical South Indian touch. Located along the coastline, their food mainly comprises of fresh-caught fishes and other sea-beings.
The dolls made in Puducherry are very popular and are known as Puducheri Bommai (dolls from Puducherry). Another famous item of this area is bronze casting that dates back to the 8th century and few items are made from the 5 metals and are called Kamatchi Villakku.
