The French Colonies In India – Vintage Card 1920
This is a vintage 1920 card of the French colonies in India. It shows the regions of Pondicherry, Karikal, Mahe, Yanaon & Chandernagore. Some of the names have changed Pondicherry is now Puducherry, Yanaon is Yanam and Chandernagore is now Chandannagar. They were under the French government until 1954.
From then onwards, the Indian government took over the colonies and made them Union Territories. The inhabitants of these colonies had to choose their nationality while the administration became entirely Indian. Ten percent of them chose French nationality. They were ruled from 1674 to 1954, which is 280 years of French rule.
There is text in French in the back, in English, it will read “Pondicherry with some small surrounding communities. It is all that remains in France of the great colonial empire that it had created in India. England had taken from it at the end of the 18th century..” Not sure what this means.
Did you know- the most visible sign of the French presence today is the kepi worn by the police in Pondicherry. See in – Kepi
From the collection- British India Era Steam Locomotive – Old Photo 1935., Cumballa Hill Area In The 19th Century – Old Photo 1880., Delhi-Bombay Car Rally In British India Era- Old Print 1904., Vintage Raja Ravi Varma “Laxmi” Oleograph
