Bastille Day Festival

Introduction : The hangover left by the French settlers, the Tamil connection and the influence of Rishi Aurobindo, works together on the cultural map of Pondicherry to see the flowering of a plethora of fairs and festivals of all shapes, size, color and faith, in the horizon of Pondicherry. The Bastille Day Festival is a phenomenon particular to Pondicherry and speaks loads about Pondicherry's French colonial past. Pondicherry is the only place in India that celebrates the Bastille Day- 14th July. Activities : In Pondicherry during the Bastille Day Festival celebrations include the marching of war veterans in their uniforms singing "Marsellaise". More interestingly, the French Flag can be seen fluttering beside the Indian Flag atop some of the houses. The Bastille Day, an important step in the history of the abolition of constitutional monarchy is celebrated in its true color in France. However, at some of the places where France had had a colony, the Bastille Day celebrations can also be seen.