A land that satiates an intelligent tourist, Indian, as well as foreign. For, this small land, its every nook and corner, has got its own wonderful story to tell, which keeps your eyes wild with awe and excitement. If, as a French Tourist has once reveled in, there is any place in India that makes and keeps its own history as a beautiful legend, that is Mahe fantastic blend of Myth and Mystery. Ma
hé, a small town (9 km²) in the south of India on the Arabian Sea, has the official name of Mayyazhi (മയ്യഴി) in the local Malayalam language. The original name of Mahé, "Mayyazhi", means "eyebrow of the sea". The Kannur District of the state of Kerala surrounds the town on three sides. 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 Pallur. Demographics
As of 2001 India census, [GR|India] Mahé had a population of 36,823, predominantly speakers of Malayalam. 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. 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 [http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Bertrand_Francois%2C_count_Mare_de_la_Bourdonnais 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". History
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 struggleFact|date=February 2007 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 English. Education in Mahé
Schools
* Jawaharlal Nehru Govt. Higher Secondary School, MahéJawaharlal 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, MahéThis 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. 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....
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.Paleri Damodharan was Principal
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. Mahe Co-Operative college of Teacher Education(MCCTE)
The college is established in the academic year 2006, the main aim is to provide very good training and education for young teacher aspirints, the college is under controlled by one of the Co-operative socity know as Mahe Co-Operative Centre for Information Technology (MCCIT)the president of the society is Mr.E.Valsaraj, Minister for health and education. The MCCIT have one more education institute know as Mahe Institute of Information technology (MIIT) provide excellent IT education to the students. The Principal of the MCCTE is Mr.A.P.Aravindakshan. College is situated near to famous Mahe church. The college offers B.Ed cours in Commerce,Physical Science,Social Science and English. The MCCIT have planned to implement a Post Graduate college for M.Sc Computer science, MBA and MCA . Also the society planned to start a under graduate college in B.Com,B.Sc Computer science, B.Sc Microbiology. STUDENT ORGANISATIONS
In MGGAC there are SFI, NSU , ABVP student organisations
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 sq.km. 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. Present Wards of Mahe Municipality
Mahe Municipality consists of 15 wards. They are
*Parakkal (W)
*Choodikotta
*Valavil (W)
*Mundock
*Manjakkal (W)
*Chalakkara (South)
*Cherukallayi (W)
*Chalakkara (North)
*Palloor (South-West) (W)
*Palloor (South-East)
*Palloor (North-East)
*Palloor (North-West)
*Pandakkal (South)
*Pandakkal (Centre)
*Pandakkal (North)
Famous People
* Birth place of M. Night Shyamalan, the director of "The Sixth Sense", "Signs" and "The Village".
* Malayalam novelist and story-writer M.Mukundan's home town.
* Painter Paris Mohan Kumar
* Freedom fighter, Mahe Gandhi I. Kumaran Master
* Freedom Fighter, Prof. Muchikkal Padmanaban
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)
