Bastille Day in Pondicherry

On the fourteenth of July every year, the city of Pondicherry observes the Bastille Day with great fervor and revelry. Bastille Day in Pondicherry is one of the main Fairs & Festivals of Pondicherry. The Bastille Day marks the beginning of the revolution in France when the Batille Castle was seized by the French revolutionists in 14th July, 1789.

The Bastille Castle was the home to a dreadful prison where the revolutionists captured by the King's army was kept. The rebels stormed the prison and freed the inmates. The seizure of the Bastille symbolized the freedom of the nation. After the nation became a republic, the date was declared as a national holiday.

Pondicherry in India was one the major French colonies in Asia. The French ruled the area for more than three hundred years and contributed immensely to the city's cultural and architectural heritage. No wonder, the area still has a strong French flavor.

People take out colorful processions to celebrate Bastille Day in Pondicherry. The war veterans of the city comes out in the streets to join the processions, singing aloud 'Marseillaise' - the French national anthem. People hang the French flags and the Indian Flag side by side from their roof tops. Cultural programs are organized in many areas of the city. The eventful day strengthens the Indo - French friendship.