Pondicherry Independence Day
why calling aug 16th is pondicherry independence day
(Fifteen years after India gained Independence, this small French colony was liberated on August 16, 1962 when Pondicherry was officially merged with the Indian Union
The French government came forward to liberate the territory from its rule following a referendum at Kizhoor village on November 1 in 1954 in which 1/4 of the total 181 councilors elected from various commune panchayats in Puducherry (21), Karaikal (8), Mahe (2) and Yanam (1) regions cast their votes against the French rule. Seven councilors did not take part in the exercise. Subsequently, the French in Puducherry ended on November 1 in 1954.
However, it took almost nine years for the formal merger of Puducherry with Indian union after the Indian and French parliaments ratified the ‘treaty of cession’ on August 16, 1962. Since then, Puducherry celebrates Independence Day on August 16 while the rest of the nation on August 15.
A section of freedom fighters demanded celebrating November 1 as Independence Day as it was on this day that the French rule ended and August 16 as the Republic Day as it was on this daythat Puducherry formally merged with the Indian union. However, Puducherry government decided to celebrate November 1 as liberation day and declared a public holiday on the day.
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As every year, Pondicherry is getting prepared to celebrate 15th August 1947, the Indian Independence Day.
Even among French people, only a few knows that 15th August 2019 will be Emperor Napoleon I's 250th Birthday.
And a very few among the few does know that 15th August was French National Day under Emperor Napoleon III's rule. In 1863, it was celebrated with ostentation at Government Square (presently Bharathi Park), and L'Illustration, a very popular French magazine at that time, devoted an article to the celebration, publishing engravings based on pictures shot in Pondy on that very day.
Source : Anciens de Pondichéry
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