Editing Puducherry (union territory) (section)

== History ==
{{Main|History of Puducherry}}
The earliest recorded history of the [[Puducherry (city)|municipality of Puducherry]] can be traced to the second century CE. The ''[[Periplus of the Erythraean Sea]]'' mentions a marketplace named ''Poduke or Poduka'' (ch 60). [[G. W. B. Huntingford]] suggested this might be a site about 2 miles from the modern Puducherry, which was possibly the location of [[Arikamedu]] (now part of [[Ariyankuppam]]). Huntingford noted that Roman pottery was found at Arikamedu in 1937. In addition, [[archeology|archaeological]] excavations between 1944 and 1949 showed that it was "a trading station to which goods of Roman manufacture were imported during the first half of the 1st century" Subsequent investigation by Vimala Begley from 1989 to 1992 modified this assessment, and now place the period of occupation from the third or second century BCE to the eighth century CE.<ref>
{{cite web |title=The Dating of Arikamedu and its Bearing on the Archaeology of Early Historical South India |author=Vimala Begley |url=http://utilisateurs.linguist.univ-paris-diderot.fr/~chevilla/FestSchrift/V_Beg_3x.pdf |access-date=1 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190101100834/http://utilisateurs.linguist.univ-paris-diderot.fr/~chevilla/FestSchrift/V_Beg_3x.pdf |archive-date=1 January 2019 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all}}
</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea: Travel and Trade in the Indian Ocean by a Merchant of the First Century|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZoZwPQAACAAJ|date=2007|publisher=Kessinger Publishing|isbn=978-0-548-20943-1|page=119|access-date=15 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160517054619/https://books.google.com/books?id=ZoZwPQAACAAJ|archive-date=17 May 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:French India 1815.gif|left|thumb|French Indian Colonies in 1815]]
In 1674, the municipality of Pondicherry (Pondichéry) became a colony in the [[French colonial empire]]. Together with [[Chandannagar|Chandernagor]] (already French since 1673), [[Mahé, Puducherry|Mahé]] (since 1721), [[Yanam]] ([[Yanaon]]) (since 1723), [[Karaikal]] (Karikal) (since 1739) and [[Masulipatam]] (1760), it formed the colony of [[French India]], under a single French governor in Pondicherry, although French rule over one or more of these enclaves was repeatedly interrupted by [[United Kingdom|British]] occupations. The territories of French India were completely transferred to the Republic of India ''[[de facto]]'' on 1 November 1954, and ''[[de jure]]'' on 16 August 1962, when French India ceased to exist, becoming the present Indian union territory of Pondicherry, combining four coastal enclaves. The fifth, [[Chandannagar]], merged with the state of [[West Bengal]] in 1954. Immediately after the ''de facto'' transfer, the area was renamed the 'State of Pondicherry' by the "French Establishments (Change of Name) Order, 1954" issued by the [[Ministry of External Affairs of India]].<ref name="CriminalJustice2005">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Axfuc5A8mxMC|title=Criminal Justice India Series: Pondicherry|section= D.Banerjea|volume=20|publisher=Allied Publishers|year=2005|isbn=978-8177648713}}</ref>{{rp|37}} The State of Pondicherry continued to be under the direct control of the [[Government of India]] under the aegis of the Ministry of External affairs until 31 August 1964. Meanwhile, with effect from 1 July 1963, the State of Pondicherry officially became the Union Territory of Pondicherry and after 31 August 1964 it came under the control of the Ministry of Home Affairs.<ref name="CriminalJustice2005"/>{{rp|37}}

Until 2016, the ''de jure transfer day'' (i.e. 16 August) was a public holiday with no official celebrations taking place.<ref name=newsminute>{{cite news |last=Mathew |first=Pheba |date=16 August 2016 |title=Liberated from France 55 years ago, Puducherry celebrated 'De Jure Day' for the first time ever |url=http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/liberated-france-55-years-ago-puducherry-celebrates-de-jure-day-first-time-ever-48445 |work= The News Minute |access-date=3 July 2022}}</ref><ref name=DejureTransferDay2021>{{cite web|date=16 August 2016 |title=68th De Facto Merger Day of Puducherry to Be Celebrated on November 1 |url=https://www.news18.com/news/politics/68th-de-facto-merger-day-of-puducherry-to-be-celebrated-on-november-1-4387469.html|publisher= News18 |access-date=3 July 2022}}</ref> In 2016, [[List of lieutenant governors of Puducherry|Lt. Governor of Puducherry]], [[Kiran Bedi]], made it a holiday as "De Jure Transfer Day."

Since 2010, ''de facto transfer day'' (i.e. 1 November) has been celebrated as Liberation day throughout Puducherry.<ref>{{cite web|title=Puducherry to celebrate 'Formation Day' on Nov 1|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/Puducherry-to-celebrate-lsquoFormation-Dayrsquo-on-Nov-1/article15798191.ece|work=The Hindu|date=1 November 2010|accessdate=9 August 2022}}</ref> In 2014, Liberation day was declared as a public Holiday. This initiative was taken shortly after the [[National Democratic Alliance|NDA]] government came to power in 2014 and newly appointed Lt. Governor [[A. K. Singh]] issued a notification regarding that decision of the central government.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/puducherry/november-1-is-liberation-day/article6364429.ece|title=November 1 is Liberation Day|date=30 August 2014|newspaper=The Hindu|language=en-IN|access-date=8 August 2022}}</ref>