Pondicherry, Union Territory of India

Pondicherry Lighthouse
Originally uploaded by Kauai.

Pondicherry, the former French Colony, is currently undergoing a name change to the original name of the city, Puduchery meaning "new village" in the official Tamil language.

Much of the credit for putting Pondicherry into the framework of strategic importance, as far as colonial scheme of things is concerned, should rest definitely with the French. The French East India Company set up a trading center at Pondicherry in 1673. This outpost eventually became the chief French settlement in India.

Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Seascape
Originally uploaded by Venkatesh k.

Port Blair, founded by the British in 1858, has a population of 100,000 people. It is the largest town in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Port Blair is also the capital of this union territory of India. The town is named after Archibald Blair of the British East India Company, who founded a nearby Penal Colony in 1789.

Port Blair was impacted by 2004 Tsunami but survived enough to act as a base for relief efforts in the islands. The town is a port, with ferries sailing to mainland India. Vir Savarkar Airport is situated in the city and is serviced by Indian Airlines and Jet Airways.

Silvassa, Dadra & Nagar Haveli

Lioness at Silvassa Animal Park
Originally uploaded by vish_r.

Silvassa is the capital of the Indian Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli sandwiched between the States of Maharashtra and Gujarat. It is one of the smallest union territories. The city has a large number of factories and industries providing significant government revenue and contributing to the city's low taxes. The city is a green & peaceful place which mainly has Gujarati residents with the rest of the people originating from various places throughout. It is a flourishing place which is constantly expanding.

Yanam, Pondicherry, India

Sunset at Yanam, India
Originally uploaded by Raju P.T..

Yanam is a small town of 30,000 people located in the union territory of Pondicherry. It is situated in the delta of Godavari River, where the river meets its tributary, Koringa River. The city has a Telugu speaking population with a sprinkling of Tamil in some areas.

Asaf Jah I, governor of Hyderabad, declared his independance from the disintergrating Mughal Empire in 1724. He claimed the title of Nazam al Mulk of Hyderabad. His son, Salabat Jang, granted the district of Kondavid or Guntur to the French, in return for their help in making him succeed his father as Nizam. These concessions were in the shape of Inam (donations). This inam was subsiquently changed to Yanam.

Amber, Rajasthan

Amber Fort
Originally uploaded by Paul Veltman.

Amber is a ruined city of Rajasthan state, India. It was the former capital of Jaipur state.

Amber was founded by the Meenas and was a flourishing settlement as far back as in 967 AD. Around 1037 AD, it was usurped by the Kachwaha clan of Rajputs, who held it until it was deserted. In 1728, it was supplanted by the modern city of Jaipur, from which it is 5 miles distant.

It is now only remarkable for its architecture. The old palace begun by Raja Man Singh in 1600 ranks second only to Gwalior. The chief building is the Diwan-i-Khas built by the Mirza Raja.

Daman, Union Territory, India

1 Daman Church a 1607
Originally uploaded by suellen1111_s.

Daman lies at the mouth of Daman Ganga River. It is an enclave on the western coast of India, surrounded by Valsad district of Gujarat on the north, east and south and the Arabian sea to the west.

Daman is famous for its beach, Portuguese architecture and the church. The chief occupation is fishing.

Daman was occupied by the Portuguese in 1531, and was formally ceded to Portugal in 1539 by the Sultan of Gujarat. It remained a Portuguese posession until it was occupied back by Indian forces on 19th December 1961.