PUDUCHERRY: The 12th edition of the Pondicherry Heritage Festival (PHF) will begin on August 18, organisers announced at a media conference held at the Alliance Française in Puducherry on Tuesday. The festival, themed “Celebrating the heritage of Education”, will combine restoration projects, craft exhibitions and collaborations between civic and cultural institutions.
Theme seeks to broaden the idea of education
Sunaina Mandeen, member of PondyCan and co‑founder of People for Pondicherry’s Heritage, said the theme was selected because many residents remain unaware of Puducherry’s long and varied history of education. She traced educational activity in the territory back to the pre‑Chola period, when a Sanskrit college operated in Bahour alongside other institutions providing different forms of learning.
“People are not aware of the heritage of education in Puducherry,” said Sunaina Mandeen.
Ms Mandeen said the festival will interpret the word “education” broadly, encompassing not only formal schooling but also traditional crafts, institutional knowledge and other community practices that transmit learning across generations.
Bahour to remain a focal point
Bahour, which has been highlighted in past editions of the festival, will again be a key focus this year. Organisers said heritage walks, site visits and community programmes in Bahour are intended to bring attention to local education sites and to involve residents in preservation work.
Institutions step in
Ramadurai Venguattaramane, president of Alliance Française de Pondichéry, reiterated his institution’s support and described its role as extending beyond language teaching to cultural exchanges. “We don’t concentrate on teaching of the French language alone — cultural and civilisational aspects are also part of our job, and both our cultures are to be developed,” he said.
The French Institute of Pondicherry (IFP) is among the collaborating institutions; organisers said the IFP will host a special exhibition as part of the festival.
Restoration work highlighted
A. Arul, co‑convenor of the Puducherry chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), outlined conservation efforts taken up since the festival began in 2015. INTACH has been involved in restoring several heritage school buildings and other structures, the organisers said.
According to the announcement, the following heritage sites have seen restoration work under INTACH's programmes and partners:
| Heritage site | Activity/status |
|---|---|
| Calve College | Restored |
| VOC School | Restored |
| Pensionnat De Jeunes Filles | Restored |
| Police Headquarters | Restoration begun with support from the Puducherry government |
| Lok Nivas | Planned for restoration soon |
Mr Arul said these interventions are aimed at preserving the Territory’s architectural and institutional heritage and at making historic education spaces accessible and legible to visitors and locals alike.
Programme mix and public engagement
Organisers described the PHF programme as a mix of exhibitions, restoration showcases, talks and craft displays with an educational thread running through each element. The festival’s framing intends to create opportunities for schools, residents, heritage professionals and tourists to engage with Puducherry’s layered past.
- Start date: August 18; organisers announced details at Alliance Française in Puducherry.
- Theme: “Celebrating the heritage of Education” — broad interpretation of education.
- Focus locations: Bahour and other heritage sites across the Union Territory.
- Key partners: PondyCan, People for Pondicherry’s Heritage, Alliance Française, INTACH, French Institute of Pondicherry.
Organisers have not released a full day‑by‑day schedule in the briefing; participants and visitors are being asked to follow official festival communications for the complete programme and timings. The festival’s emphasis on education as heritage is expected to bring greater attention to the role of schools and informal learning spaces in shaping Puducherry’s historical identity.
As the PHF prepares to open, stakeholders said the festival will continue to combine conservation action with public programming to ensure that restored buildings and traditional crafts are linked to community memory and ongoing learning.
