As I mentioned, the 1.2Km stretch of Promenade beach spots several historical monuments and statues; some of the places we could visit are,
Gandhi Statue: is a 4-meter statue of Mahatma Gandhi, bordered by eight granite pillars, which were reportedly brought from the fort of Gingee Sultans. The open space in front of the statue is being used to host various cultural and commercial activities throughout the year. We’re there on Oct-1st – one day before the Gandhi Jayanthi, so the whole place was getting some nice make over :)
French War Memorial: is just a few meters from the Gandhi Statue. This is a war monument to remember the brave soldiers who gave their life for France, during the First World War. On every French National Day - 14th of July (Bastille Day) , the memorial is superbly illuminated and respect is paid to those brave martyrs. The White tall monument looks elegant and it is good to see that Indians who gave their life were not forgotten (though not for India :( ).
Old Light House: This 19th Century Lighthouse in Pondicherry is a significant landmark. Its exceptional architecture of a round tower has made it a modern lighthouse at the time it was built. The Light house construction was started on 1835 and the first time it was lighted 1st July, 1836. This light house is still regarded as a milestone on French technical achievements in Asia.
Dupleix Statue: Joseph Francois Dupleix was the governor of Pondicherry, and was the key reason for most of the infrastructure development of Pondy. His statue is located at the south end of the Sea-side promenade, covered with dust/dirt and rust, tells a story of poor maintenance :(
Old Pier deck: One of the famous Pier deck of South India is almost washed away by the sea; still the remains of the pier deck adds-up the beauty of the Promenade beach!
2 Comments to "Promenade: Statues and Monuments"
Statue of Dupleix - A tribute to one of the actors in the history of Pondicherry in a spectacular setting near the Indian Ocean.
Despite the importance of the Marquis Dupleix has had in the history of Pondicherry and in general of the French colonization of part of India before the British dominated entirely, his statue lying lonely in a kind of park dirt and unadorned.
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