The Doors of Pondicherry | Photo Gallery
Pondicherry, or Puducherry, is an Indian union territory situated on the south-eastern coast of India. The town has a long history of colonization by the English, French, Danes and Portuguese, all of which have left their mark on the local culture. For most of the time between the 1670’s and 1950’s, Pondicherry remained a French colony, after which the Treaty of Cessions was signed between France and India in 1962.
I visited Pondicherry in November 2019. Having been to Paris a few times before and having heard so much about the influence of French architecture in Pondicherry, I was looking forward to exploring this quaint little town.
The layout of the town is clearly divided into two parts: White Town, which is the French quarter, and Black Town, more commonly known as the Tamil quarter. There exists a clear demarcation along Gingee Salai, also along which the grand canal passes, and the two contradicting quarters co-exist on either sides in their individual harmony, seamlessly merging at times.
A quick stroll along the lanes, or rues, of White Town, and I was happily dreaming of the streets of Paris. The French quarter is structured into a grid-like pattern, with colorful structures that make for picturesque settings, and the French street names written on the street name markers at the beginning and end of every lane.
One of the first things that caught my eye was the stark difference, yet near-poetic similarity among the doors on every structure. No gate/door in the town is alike, and each gate speaks something about the establishment or the owner.
The architecture in Pondicherry, heavily influenced by the French, is broadly divided into three categories: French, Franco-Tamil and Tamil. The structures influenced by French architecture have elements like high walls, columns, rounded arches etc. that differentiate them from others. Franco-Tamil style entrances are elaborate and have intricate designs carved typically on top of the door frame. On the other hand, typical Tamil style houses have a grill-like door, wherein the grill has an aesthetic geometric or traditional design. Hundreds of buildings and houses in the French quarter have distinct doors, which makes for a beautiful sight while strolling across the town.
I couldn’t help but capture the distinctiveness and style of the doors that adorned each structure in Pondicherry.
