Travelling to FRENCH YANAM
Yanam (French: Yanaon) is a town in the Indian union territory of Puducherry, located in Yanam district, which forms a 30 km² enclave in the district of East Godavari in Andhra Pradesh. It has a population of 32,000, most of whom speak Telugu. For 200 years it was a French colony, and, though united with India in 1954, is still sometimes known as French Yanam[citation needed]. It possesses a blend of French and Telugu culture prevailing in Andhra Pradesh. During French rule, the Tuesday market (mangalavaram santa) at Yanam was popular among Telugu people in the Madras Presidency who visited Yanam to buy foreign and smuggled goods during Yanam People's Festival, which is held in January. Also, after implementation of the Sarda Act in British India in 1929, Telugu people came to Yanam to conduct child marriages, which remained legal under the French administration. In 1936, Yanam's population was 5,220.
Official languages
The official languages of Yanam are Telugu and French.
Tamil is an official language of Puducherry but Telugu is used only when communicating within the Telugu region (Yanam). So, more correctly it is considered as regional official language of Puducherry while being the official language of the Yanam region.
French is also an official language of Puducherry Union territory. Though it was official language of French India (1673–1954), its official language status was preserved by Traité de Cession (Treaty of Cession) signed by India and France on 28 May 1956. It remained as de jure official language of Puducherry U.T by the Article XXVIII of Traité de Cession, which states that,[19]
The French language shall remain the official language of the Establishments so long as the elected representatives of the people shall not decide
Commons has media related to Yanam.
Official regional website of Yanam
Future of French India, by Russel H. Fifield (Associate Professor of Political Science at University of Michigan)
Pravasandhrulu in France: identity and integration by Jonnalagadda Anuradha, France
Official website of the government of the Union Territory of Puducherry
Indian Ministry for External Affairs – 1956 Treaty of Cession
The French and Portuguese Settlements in India
Tourism in Yanam
