Local Heritage ‘N’ Architecture
Pondicherry, the “French Riviera” of India, has an interesting cross-cultural history, and its built form is one of the major components in lending a unique identity to the town. The old town of Pondicherry is a beautiful display of the two very distinct architectural styles, French and Tamil. What’s even more interesting is how these two styles have been combined to create a hybrid Franco-Tamil style. The buildings located in the French quarter are inspired by the European classical style, while the buildings in the Tamil quarter reflect the vernacular style of Tamil Nadu.
The interior of each building in the French Quarter is designed to provide complete privacy from the street outside, with its colonnade, portico, porch, and garden. The massive gate and the high compound wall create an introverted environment inside the house. The architecture of French townhouses is elevated by their simple, monochromatic colour scheme and use of white.
Tamil homes, in contrast, are more “extroverted,” with their verandas (thalvaram) and sitting platforms (thinnai) open to the street, welcoming neighbours and passersby for a chat or visit. The entrance verandas are very welcoming, and they also preserve the privacy of the inner house, as only family and close friends are allowed inside. Also, every Tamil house has a central courtyard (mutram), which is an important architectural space in Tamil architecture. Moreover, passing pilgrims could also spend the night on the thinnai, get ready in the morning, and continue travelling.
Furthermore, buildings in the French Quarter are generally colonial-style villas with long arched doors and windows with vertical cast iron bars as grills, pilaster projections on the main façade, ornate balconies, large courtyards, high ceilings, and stucco designs, whereas buildings in the Tamil Quarter are generally constructed following Vastu shastra and distinguished by lean-to roof constructions, ornamental parapets, decorative wooden eaves and windows, ceiling cornices, wooden pillars, red oxide flooring, teak wood doors with intricately carved wooden frames and a wooden relief on top of the door symbolising the community of the owner.
The Franco-Tamil architecture (hybrid) is a fusion of both Tamil and French architecture; it does not have any conventional style since the elements were chosen at the user’s whim. The lower roof would mostly retain Tamil architectural features, while the upper floor would be French. The INTACH Heritage Center on Aurobindo Street in Pondicherry is one prime example.
Apart from these architectural styles, another unique one can also be seen on the south boulevard of Pondicherry, and that is the Indo-Islamic architecture, which is a perfect blend of Islamic, Tamil, and French colonial styles. The Kuthba Palli of the 18th century is a great example of Indo-Islamic architecture in the region, with its elegant arches and minarets standing in stark contrast to the surrounding European-style buildings.
Seek, and you will find.
Knock, and the door will be opened for you.
Heritage buildings in French town
#Door Nº 6 Raj Nivas (Hôtel du Gouvernement), #Door Nº 46 Cluny Embroidery Society (Hôtel Lagrenée de Mézières), #Door Nº 62 Mairie -Town Hall (Hôtel de Ville), #Door Nº 16 French Veterans Home (Foyer du Soldat), #Door Nº 36 Public Works Department (Hôtel de la Monnaie), #Door Nº 19 Ecole Française d’Extreme Orient, #Door Nº 5 Chambre de Commerce, #Door Nº 12 Lycée Français de Pondichéry (Collège Royal or Collège Colonial), #Door Nº 1 Custom House (Batiment de la Douane), #Door Nº 4 Legislative Assembly, #Door Nº 2 Circle de Pondichéry, #Door Nº 2 French Consulate, #Door Nº 11 Institute French Pondicherry, #Door Nº 3 Capucine Church & Cemetery (Église de la Capucine et Cimetière), #Door Nº 11 Old Court (La Cour d’Appel), #Door Nº 58 Alliance Francaise, #Door Nº 1 Art and Culture Department (Bibliothèque Publique), Aayi Mandapam (Place du Gouvernement), Old Light House (L’ancien Phare).
Heritage buildings in Tamil town
#Door Nº 17 V. Subaiya Memorial, #Door Nº 194 V.O. Chidambaram School, #Door Nº 75 Calve College School, #Door Nº 48 Soucilabai Girls School, #Door Nº 109 Maison Ananda Rangapillai, #Door Nº 20 Bharathi Memorial.
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