Yanam
Yanam ) is a town located in the Yanam district in Puducherry, India. It has a population of 35,000 and is entirely surrounded by Andhra Pradesh. It was formerly a French colony for nearly 200 years, and, though united with India in 1954, is still sometimes known as "French Yanam". It possesses a blend of French culture and the Telugu culture, nicknamed Frelugu. During French rule, the Tuesday market at Yanam was popular among the Telugu people in the Madras Presidency, who visited Yanam to buy foreign and smuggled goods during Yanam People's Festival held in January.
History
The French established a trading post at Yanaon in 1723, making it the third French colony established in India but gave up the area in 1727, after commercial operations proved unsuccessful, but was seized again by Governor-General Dupleix in 1731 but got confirmed by Nizam of Hyderabad in 1751. Until the end of the Napoleonic wars, Yanam went under British control intermittently but was finally restored to France again in 1814.Aftermath of liberation
The Yanam coup d'état dated 13 June 1954 had enraged the French authorities of Puducherry. Rumours were spread to the effect that the French government were despatching a cruiser to Yanam to capture Merger leaders and to re-establish their authority. After the coup, the last administrator of Yanam, George Sala was recalled by André Ménard, then Governor General of Puducherry in June 1954.Dadala was also appointed as Acting Commissioner for Yanam for 14 days. Towards the end of June 1954, Kewal Singh paid a visit to Yanam and requested Dadala's return to Pondicherry to continue his activities there. On 3 July, on Kewal Singh's request, Dadala left Yanam, after making all arrangements for its proper administration.
De facto transfer
Yanam remained under French control till 13 June 1954, when it joined the Republic of India by Indian military action. On 1 November 1954, after long years of freedom struggle the de facto transfer of the four enclaves of Pondicherry, Yanam, Mahé, and Karikal to India was achieved.The Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, visited Puducherry on 16 January 1955. Messrs Edouard Goubert, S. Perumal, Dadala and Sri Pakirisamy Pillai presented addresses to Pandit Nehru in a public meeting in the maidan of Gorimedu. Since 2014, 1 November is celebrated as Liberation day throughout Puducherry U.T. and is a public Holiday. This initiative has been taken shortly after the NDA government had taken power in 2014 and then newly appointed Lt. Governor A. K. Singh had issued a notification regarding that decision of central government.
1956 Treaty of cession
A treaty of cession was signed by the two countries on 28 May 1956. The de jure transfer was delayed until the end of the Algerian War. The treaty was ratified by the French parliament in May 1962. On 16 August 1962 India and France exchanged the instruments of ratification under which France ceded to India full sovereignty over the territories it held.Special administration status
According to Traité de cession dated 1956, the four former French colonies were assured of maintaining their special administrative status. That is why Puducherry is the only Union Territory with some special provisions like Legislative Assembly, French as official language, etc. This is the most important article in the Traité de Cession, which ensures and safeguards the personal interest of the people regarding their special administrative status.The Article II of 1956 Traité de Cession which is valid in both English and French versions, states that,
Ces établissements conserveront le bénéfice du statut administratif spécial en vigueur avant le 1er novembre 1954. Toute modification constitutionnelle à ce statut ne pourra intervenir, le cas échéant, qu’après consultation de la population
De jure Transfer
Treaty of cession was signed by the two countries in May 1956 was ratified by the French parliament in May 1962. On 16 August 1962 India and France exchanged the instruments of ratification under which France ceded to India full sovereignty over the territories it held. Every year on 16 August, the De jure Transfer Day was nominally celebrated throughout Puducherry Union Territory. Later, owing to the initiative by the Lt. Governor Kiran Bedi, this day was celebrated for the first time by the Puducherry government. Until 2016 it was merely a public holiday with no official celebrations took place.Merger with the Union Territory of Pondicherry
Pondicherry and the settlements of Karikal, Mahé and Yanaon became a Union Territory with effect from 7 January 1963 by the 14th amendment to the Indian Constitution, which was notified in The Gazette of India on 29 December 1962. In the same year, on 10 May, as the people aspired for a popular Government, the Indian Parliament enacted the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963 that came into force on 1 July 1963, and the pattern of Government prevailing in the rest of the country was introduced in this territory also, but subject to certain limitations.Dates of important events of merger of French India
Some communes of Pondicherry were liberated. The communes of Nettapacom, Tiroubouvane were liberated on 31 March 1954 and 6 April 1954 respectively. Also, some villages of Bahour commune were liberated around same time.Geography
The district lies in the delta of the Godavari River; the town is situated where at the confluence of the Koringa River, nine kilometres from the Bay of Bengal on the Circar coast.Soil
Yanam's soil is alluvium consisting of sand clay and gravel. It is grey black and clay-like in composition. A few thin layers of sandy clay or sand approximating 0.3 metres in thickness, are intercalated with the clay soil. The river sand on the bank of Gauthami, Godavari consist of quartz, felspar and mica, with monazite found in the black streaks. There are no minerals of economic value in the region.Irrigation
Yanam receives irrigation water via the Bank Canal, which begins at the Dowleswaram headworks of Sir Arthur Cotton's barrage on the River Godavari, downstream from Rajahmundry. The canal runs towards east to Pillanka, a village near Yanam, and is popularly known as French Channel, having been built under a 1949 agreement between the then French Government and the Government of India. It provides irrigation and drinking water to the areas west of the Coringa River.After its merger with the Republic of India, irrigation was provided to about 5.6 km2 of dry land on the eastern side of the Coringa River by constructing an irrigation canal, the Adivipolam Channel, from the tail end of Tallarevu South Canal and the starting point of the Neelapalli Channel on the right side. The work was undertaken by the Andhra Pradesh Public Works Department in 1964, and was completed and commissioned in June 1966. Like the French Channel, it provides irrigation and drinking water.
Climate
Yanam's climate is characterised by high humidity, a hot summer season, and plentiful rainfall. It enjoys the benefits of both the Southwest and Northeast monsoons. Average annual rainfall is 1226 mm.Temperature
Temperatures in Yanam range from 27 °C to 45 °C in summer, and 17 °C to 28 °C in winter. From February, temperatures start rising rapidly until May, which is the hottest month, with the mean maximum around 37 °C and mean minimum around 28 °C. Humidity being high, the heat is exhausting. The maximum temperature on some days in May or early June, before the onset of the south-west monsoon, may touch 47 °C. The sea breeze affords some relief in the afternoons.Similarly, pre-monsoon thunder-showers may also bring relief on some days. With the onset of the monsoon in June the temperature falls rapidly, and usually remains steady until September. In this season the mean maximum temperature is around 32 °C, and night temperatures fall rapidly until December or January, when day temperatures are around 27 °C, and night temperatures around 19 °C. At times the minimum temperature may drop to 14 °C. December and January are the coolest months.
Demographics
India census, Yanam had a population of 31,362. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. In Yanam, 14% of the population is under 6 years of age.- 1843 – 4,000
- 1882 – 4,536
- 1884 – 4,552
- 1885 – 4,266
- 1900 - 5,005
- 1901 – 4,681
- 1911 – 4,727
- 1926 – 4,995
- 1931 – 5,249
- 1936 – 5,220
- 1941 – 5,711
- 1948 – 5,853
- 1961 - 7,032
- 1971 – 8,291
- 1981 – 11,631
- 1991 – 20,297
- 2001 - 25,511
- 2011 - 31,500
- 2014 - 35,000
Villages
Literacy
Yanam has a literacy rate of 79.5%, higher than the national average of 74.04%, with male literacy at 82.8% and female literacy at 76.3%.French nationality
After liberation, the French government offered citizenship to the people living in colonies of French India, i.e., Pondichéry, Mahé, Karikal and Yanam. French law made it easy for thousands of colons, ethnic or national French from former colonies of North and East Africa, India and Indochina to live in mainland France.In Yanam, some 10,000 people chose French nationality. According to some estimates, nearly 120 to 150 Telugu families from former French India live in France. On the other hand, there are some French nationals living in Yanam and enjoying French pension.
The Yanam French Peoples Association was formed and its president is Penupothu Suryanarayan. As of the 2000s, around 80 French nationals live in Yanam.