INDIAN AND FRENCH QUARTERS

OF PONDICHERRY

ABHISHEK
AFZAN
LAKSHMI
MAYOOGA
PONDICHERRY , TAMILNADU, INDIA
Pondicherry now known as Puducherry is the most-populous city and
the Union Territory of India. The city is in the Puducherry district on the
southeast coast of India and is surrounded by the state of Tamil Nadu, with
which it shares most of its culture, heritage and language

The architecture here is highly influenced by the culture of the place.

An interesting fact about Pondicherry is that the city is divided into two
quarters. While one is the French sectors the other is the Tamil section

The French sector is known as “Ville Blanche” whereas the Tamil quarter is
known as “Ville Noire”
TAMIL QUARTERS OF PONDICHERRY
The Tamil Quarter of Pondicherry sits to the West of the French Quarter. It was separated from the latter by a
Grand Canal that bisected downtown Pondicherry, and still runs through the city today.

In size, the Tamil Quarter dwarfs the French Quarter, being a good 3 – 4 times larger. In typical colonial fashion, the
quarter is further segregated into a Hindu Quarter to the North, and Christian (Catholic) Quarter west and centre,
and a Muslim Quarter to the South, each of which have their own unique architecture and places of worship.

Notably, the Hindu Quarter boasts the city’s most important Hindu Temples, with their soaring, majestic gopurams;
while the Christian and Muslim quarters host the city’s oldest mosques and most exquisite churches.

In the Tamil section of the city a visitor can notice houses with 'thalvaram' and 'thinnais'. The thalvarams are street
verandas with a leaning roof which is supported by wooden posts. Vertical columns and pillars with ornamented
parapets are characteristic features of typical Tamil style of houses. The thinnais are public verandas with masonry
seats for guests and visitors.
HINDU QUARTERS

Collège Calvé Soupraya Chettiar was opened in 1875

to educate Hindus and Muslims. Today it is a
Government High School..

A typical Tamil house along Vysial Street, with a

thinnai, or verandah on the ground floor with
masonry along the sides for visitors to sit on.
Wooden pillars hold up a terracotta roof. INTACH Pondicherry
Headquarters, in a typical
Tamil House.
CHRISTIAN QUARTERS

The Modéliar Clocktower was Sacré-Coeur de Jésus Cathedral

the Cathedral of our Lady of Immaculate Conception built in 1851 in the Grand Bazaar. was built in 1902 in the Neo-
was built in 1791, in the style of the Jesuits. Gothic style.
 MUSLIM QUARTERS

The Muslim Quarter boasts traditional Tamil houses Exquisite Tamil house dating from
Moullah Street, Muslim Quarter.
with variations to ornamentation and adornment to 1933 in the Muslim Quarter.
reflect the religion of their inhabitants.
FRENCH QUARTERS OF PONDICHERRY
Pondicherry is planned according to the French grid structure and has
perpendicular streets. The French Quarter (Ville Blanche / White Town) lies
on one side of the canal that separates the town from the Indian Quarter
(Ville Noire / Black Town).

The colonial style French villas have huge compounds, grand walls and
majestic doors. This defines the French lifestyle of keeping their personal
and social life to themselves behind the high walls.

The villas are eminently colored in sunburnt yellow, white and peach.

It is very common to cover the verandahs, balconies and terraces with

thatched roofs to give a cool ambiance in the tropical climate of
Pondicherry.

The windows and doors with ornate wooden grills contrast beautifully
against the white columns.

A lot of French houses and villas have been converted to beautiful guest
houses in the French Quarter.