Destination India: Pondicherry, Union Territory of India

Thursday, August 24, 2006

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.

About Me

India has always fascinated me for different reasons. The vastness of its culture, the diversity of people’s opinions and the limitations of its vision. Despite our diversity, we need to have a collective vision. India is not a country of four metropolis or a couple of high-tech cities. This nation of a billion people has 29 states and 6 union territories. We have 35 state and territorial capitals. How much do we know about each of these important cities?

Professionally I am a graphic designer from Bombay, India. In 1987, I co-authored a book on Corporate India, but my desire to throw a wider net and pick up much more information remains intact. I want my people from every city and every state to write and photograph details and information that would be interesting to the viewers around the world. We have so much to talk about and so much to share - this medium and this technology can help fulfill our collective dreams.