History of Pondicherry

According to mythology Pondicherry was once the abode of Agastya the great Hindu sage.  Excavation at Arikamedu suggests that Pondicherry   was a major port and trading center which imported Roman goods on large scale. The excavation also revealed that the place had the trading relation with Greece which continued till 10^th century when the region was under the rule of Cholas dynasty.    

During the 16^th century Pondicherry witnessed the arrival of Portuguese who ruled the region for the next some years. Thereafter Dutch and French came there for trading purposes. In 1663 French started to rule the region. It was French who ruled Pondicherry for the longest time. There were several minor battles between French and British over the land of Pondicherry. These conflicts came to an end after an agreement was signed between them. According to the agreement Pondicherry remained under the control of French who continued to rule it until 1954 when Pondicherry was annexed to the Indian republic. At present Pondicherry is one of seven union territories of India. Owing to the long rule of French, influence of their culture can still be seen in Pondicherry.

Kozhikode also known as Calicut is a major city in the Indian state Kerala and attractes travellers with its charming physical features and prosperity from the many years.Cultural festivals like Malabar Mahotsavm and Thyagaraja Festival is conducted every year. Professional artists as well as students of music participate and enjoy these music festivals. Highlights  musical concerts and performances of various classical dances. Calicut has a great history of Film making also, some of the main Malayalam film companies are Grihalakshmi Productions, Kalpaka, and Swargachithra etc. The place also has a well developed print as well as television media network.  Another important festival of the city is celebrated as the Temple Festival of Ravathy Pattathanam which is annually held at Thali Temple for seven days during the Malayalam month of Thulam. As an important part of the festival an intellectual debate of celebrated Vedic scholars is organized during this festival. 

Manali is famous hill station of Himachal Pradesh. It is situated in the Kullu district and is known for its vibrant culture and traditions. Fairs and festivals celebrated in Manali form an integral part of the rich culture of the people. Along with major national festivals Manali also celebrates other regional fairs and festivals with much enthusiasm. Manali celebrates Dussera festival with great zeal and zest. Though the festival of Dussera is celebrated in almost every parts of the country, the celebration of the festival in Manali and Kullu district is quite distinct from the rest parts of India. Here celebration of the festival is weeklong affair and begins on the day of Vijayadashami which serves to be another name of Dussera and is the last day of the celebration of the festival in other parts of the country.

Pipal Jatra also called as Vasantotsav is another major festival celebrated in Manali with much pomp and show. Celebration of the festival includes folk dance, songs and other cultural activities. Shamshi Virshu is another significant festival celebrated in Manali with much fanfare. The festival falls on the 13th April every year and contains various ceremonial and cultural activities. The beautiful town of Manali also witnesses another major cultural event in the form of Mela Bhuntar. It is religious congregation hosted at Bhuntar hamlet near Manali. The fair is attended by thousands of people from far and wide. 

Hubli celebrates almost all festivals of India. Ganesh Chaturthi, Deepawali, Navaratra, Ugadi, and Eid, are the important festivals to be celebrated in a year for the Indians. Among them the Ganesh Chaturthi would get more attention. Ganesh Pandals would be erected at every corner of the city, and the immersing of Ganesha procession attracts a huge crowd. 

The Lingayats dominate most of Hubli area; therefore, festivals related to their leader Basaveshwara gain much importance. Basava Jayanti is one such festival. Festivals in Hubli come up with unique kitchen delicacies such as Laddoo, Holige, Karjikayi, and Mandige. 

Hubli-Dharwad belt is well known for Hindustani classical music. Many exponents of music have brought fame to the city such as Pandit Sawai Gandharva, Basavaraj Rajguru, Bhimsen Joshi, Mallikarjun Mansur and Gangubayi Hangal. In the memory of Pandit Sawai Gandharva there would be a Music Festival held at Kundgol –a village near Hubli.