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'Mahe **മാഹി'**
	'Mahe മാഹി'; Mayyazhi
	SUNRISE IN NORTH MALABAR
	'Mahe മാഹി' Location of Mahe മാഹി; in Pondicherry
Coordinates	12°00′38″N 75°16′13″E / 12.010650°N 75.270390°E
Country	India
State	Pondicherry
District(s)	Mahe Sub-division
Assembly constituency	02
Civic agency	Mahe Region (Pondicherry)
Population; • Density	36,823 (approx.) (2001); • 872 /km2 (2,258 /sq mi)
Sex ratio	1197 ♂/♀
Literacy	94.43%%
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Area	44 km2 (17 sq mi)
• Pincode	• 673310
• Vehicle	• PY-03
Website	www.pondicherry.gov.in

Mahé, (Malayalam: മാഹി, Tamil: மாஹே) a small town (9 km²) surrounded on all sides by Kerala this town is officially a part of Puducherry (Pondicherry). The official name of Mahe is Mayyazhi (മയ്യഴി) in the local Malayalam language. The original name of Mahé, Mayyazhi, means "eyebrow of the sea". The Kannur District surrounds Mahe on three sides. The nearest airport is Calicut Airport, Kozhikodeat a distance of 85 km; Kannur Airport under construction is nearing completion at Mattannur at a distance of 40 km. Nearest Railway Station is Mahe where only few local trains stop. The nearest major Railway Stations where long distance trains stop are Kannur, Thalasserry and Badagara.

Formerly a French colony, Mahé now forms a municipality in Mahe district of the Union Territory of Puducherry (based on the east coast). Mahé has two members (MLAs) in the Puducherry Legislative Assembly, representing Mahé and Pallor.

[edit] Demographics

As of 2001^[update] India census,^[1] Mahé had a population of 36,823, predominantly Malayalis. Males constitute 47% of the population and females 53%. Mahé has an average literacy rate of 85%, higher than the national average of 59.5%, with male literacy at 86% and female literacy at 85%. In Mahé, 11% of the population consists of children under 6 years of age.

[edit] Naming

The name Mahé originated in honour of Bertrand François Mahé de La Bourdonnais (1699–1753), a key architect of French policy in India. One hypothesis suggests that the form of the word originated from Mayyazhi, which evolved to sound like Mayye, and which the French adopted as "Mahé".

An alternative account suggests that the Count de La Bourdonnais adopted the name of the Indian town as part of his own name, rather than vice versa.

[edit] History

Before British Raj in India, this area was part of Kolathu Nadu which comprised Thulunadu, Chirakkal and Kadathanadu. During the British Raj in India, this area was a French Colony. After independence of India this area continued to be a French Colony. After the French left, Mahe stood as a Union Territory. Later this became a Sub-Division of Pondicherry State. The area of Mahe begins from Mayyazhi puzha in the north to Azhiyoor at the south. In fact the present Mahe entirely is part of North Malabar.

The French East India Company constructed a fort on the site of Mahé in 1724, after an accord concluded between André Mollandin and the raja Vazhunnavar of Badagara three years earlier. In 1741, Mahé de La Bourdonnais retook the town after a period of occupation by the Marathas.

Mayyazhi remained under French jurisdiction until 13 June 1954, when a long independence struggle^{[citation needed]} culminated in its joining the Indian Union.

Mahé consists of Mahé town and Naluthara, which includes four villages: Pandakkal, Pallur, Chalakara and Chembra. The ruler of Mysur from the 1760s, Hyderali (ca 1722–1782), gifted Naluthara to the French as a token of appreciation for the help they gave in opposing the British.

[edit] Education in Mahé

[edit] Schools

Jawaharlal Nehru Govt. Higher Secondary School, Mahé

Jawaharlal Nehru Govt. Higher Secondary School was previously known as La Bourdonnais College, named after the French captain who was instrumental in setting up the French enclave.

Govt. Higher Secondary school, Mahé

This school was previously known as Govt. Girls High School. During French rule the name of the school was Ecole de Filles.

Govt. Higher Secondary School, Palloor,
Govt. High School for Girls, Palloor
Govt. Higher Secondary School, Pandakkal
Chalakkara High School, Chalakkara
Ecole Centrale et Cours Complémentaire, Mahé (French medium High School)

Many private schools also operate in Mahé. The St. Theresa church, for example, runs Avila School and St. Theresa School at Chembra, Dr.Ambedkar Public School-Chalakkara, M.M.Nursery and Upper Primer School-Cherukallayi and Eden School, P.K. Raman Memorial School etc....

[edit] Mahatma Gandhi Government Arts College

Mahatma Gandhi Government Arts College, the premier college in Mahé, was established in the year 1970, as realisation of the dream project of I. K. Kumaran, the leader of French-Indian Liberation Movement, who was the representative from Mahe to the Legislative assembly. The founder Principal was Prof K.Ravindran.

The college is situated at the picturesque Mount Vera, Chalakkara, a short distance from Mahé Town. Affiliated to Pondicherry University, the college offers undergraduate courses in Malayalam, Hindi, English, Economics, Chemistry, Plant Science, Physics, Computer Science, Zoology and Mathematics. Post-graduate courses in Plant Science and Hindi are also conducted here.

[edit] Mahé Co-operative College of Teacher Education (MCCTE)

This college was established in the academic year 2006 and is run by a Cooperative Society. The President of the society is Mr. E.Valsaraj, Minister for health and education. The MCCIT has one more education institute under it, the Mahé Institute of Information technology (MIIT) that provides IT education to the students. The Principal of the MCCTE is Mr. A.P. Aravindakshan. The College is situated near the famous Mahé church.

[edit] Culture and geography

The culture and geography of this area is almost of those in Kerala. The major festival of this region is Vishu. The Mahé Church is a famous pilgrimage centre for Christians. The major languages are Malayalam, Tamil and French.

[edit] Mahe Municipality

Mahe Municipality is the seat of Local Administration in Mahe. Mahe Municipality is in existence 200 years before under the French Regime. Mahe Municipal area comprises 9 km². with two Assembly Constituencies, i.e. Mahe and Palloor. The last Mayor and the first Chairman of this Municipality is Late. V. N. Purushothaman. Municipal Council was not in existence with effect from 1978. Thereafter the Regional Administrator, Mahe / Regional Executive Officer, Mahe used to exercise the power of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman in the capacity of Special Officer of Mahe Municipal Council.

[edit] Present Wards of Mahe Municipality

Mahe Municipality consists of 16 wards. They are:

Naluthara Pocket

Pandakkal (North)
Pandakkal (Centre)
Pandakkal (South)
Palloor (North-East)
Palloor (North-West)
Palloor (South-West) (W)
Palloor (South-East)
Chalakkara (North)
Chalakkara (South)
Chembra

Cherukallayi Pocket

Cherukallayi (W)

Mahe Pocket

Mundock
Manjakkal (W)
Choodikotta
Parakkal (W)
Valavil (W)

[edit] Present Situation

Civic elections were held during 2006 after nearly 30 years. Present Chairman and Vice-chairman of Mahe Municipality is Mr. Ramesh Parambath and Mr. Vinodan. P.P respectively. The Chairman and the fifteen councillors of Mahe Municipality were sworn in.

The present councillors are,

Vinodhan. P.P (Vice-Chairman)
A.P. Sheeja
Karthyayani
Palliyan Pramod
Zainaba
Sathyan Keloth
K.V. Shoba
Thittayil Uthaman
Shobha. P.T.C
E.V. Narayanan
Arikulath M.P. Basheer
Kannipoyil Babu
Vadakkan Janardhanan
T.K. Gangadharan
K.V. Mohanan

[edit] Famous People

I. K. Kumaran, Leader of French Indian Liberation Movement, known as Mayyazhi Gandhi, and the first Administrator of free Mahe.
M. Night Shyamalan, filmmaker and script writer.
M.Mukundan's, Malayalam novelist and fiction writer.

[edit] Locations

The Saint Theresa Roman Catholic Church in Mahe is known in the region. The Annual festival, is conducted by the church between the 5th and 22nd of October every year.
Puthalam, A temple in Mahe. Is known for its Theyyam.
Tagore Park
Water Sports Complex also known as Boat House situated at Manjakkal are nearby locations.
Mandola Temple (Kavu)

[edit] See also

[edit] References

^ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. http://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999. Retrieved 2008-11-01.

[edit] External links

PRESS INFORMATION BUREAU

[0] "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. http://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999. Retrieved 2008-11-01.

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