France in India

My last sortie to India for the present shows just a few souvenirs of Pondicherry as it looked when it was part of France’s colonial empire. Those days are long gone. Only the older inhabitants were taught in French-medium schools. These days, as throughout India, English is the first foreign language taught. But policeman still look reassuringly French in style, wearing a smart kepi: a military hat with horizontal peak.

Pondicherry Police
  • Lycée Francais, Pondicherry
  • Dept of Public Works, Pondicherry

And while the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Jésus de Pondichéry), at the end of the street where my hotel was, might look European-inspired rather than specifically French, it was the then Archbishop, and two parish priests, all French, who were responsible for its inception in 1895.

Well, this is awkward. Just One Person from around the World is supposed to feature a single person in the main photo. But a second policeman got himself into the frame here Never mind. The school entrance features just one security guard, the Department of Public Works just one visitor. I may just get away with it.

Author: margaret21

I'm retired and living in North Yorkshire, where I walk as often as I can, write, volunteer, and travel as often as I can.

54 thoughts on “France in India”

  1. I think Cady will forgive you. 🙂 🙂 I like the smiley policeman. I don’t know that many of them look like that in France. And the interior of the cathedral is beautiful.

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  3. Margaret, the peaked red police caps are such a cheerful sight and along with the big welcoming smiles so different from police elsewhere. I had no idea France was in India to such a large degree! Beautiful cathedral although dizzing in height and colours! Very vibrant!

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  4. Thanks for taking me around a bit of Pondicherry, most fascinating….and Cady has more than one person in her images today, so I’m sure you will get away with it.

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  5. I’m sure you will….. you are that kind of person, because your work and stories are always worth visiting! Another fab tale and those kepi! Ohlala….

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    2. My mother was born near Calcutta which at the time dominated by the French (as well as British and Portuguese, Dutch and Danes!) She often mentioned that had she been born a male (s)he would have had to serve in the French army during the war!

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      4. What a story! Worth revisiting for your newer followers, like me, as well as more posts from your travels. Though I guess you didn’t blog then? None of us did back then, did we?

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      5. I started blogging in 2013 after most of my travels. Basically to record those trips before I forget them! Plus somewhere to deposit my many photos.

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  10. Just one, becomes many! I loved the policemen photo and that pink building! My favorite color for a building of any kind is PINK! I was saved by a policeman in Paris once, so I have a great respect for the French police, well all policemen! I was having severe trouble and he showed up out of nowhere and took the situation in hand! And all I could think to say was Merci! And he kept asking me if I was alright or if I needed an ambulance and I just kept saying merci! He must of thought I was daft! Or a stupid American! Lovely post as always! Cady

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  12. Well, actually there are three policemen in that first photo, but the other two make up for it and that is one very interesting looking church. Hopefully Cady will forgive you!

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  13. I had to look up Pondicherry to figure out where it was. I didn’t stop by there when visiting India. The closest I got was probably Goa. It also seems to be relatively close to Sri Lanka, which I absolutely loved.

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    1. A month. That was probably about right. Long enough to find my feet, but given that I hardly slept at all there, not so long that I succumbed to total exhaustion.

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  21. Those police hats are interesting as is the fact that they are riding motorbikes wearing those hats and not protective helmets! Along with others who have commented I do like the interior of the church.

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