Mahé, India facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mahe Mayyazhi
Town in Puducherry, India
Mahe Location in Kerala Show map of Kerala Mahe Location in India Show map of India
Country	India
Mahé Town	Puducherry
District	Mahe
Government
• Type	Municipality
• Body	Mahe Municipality (Mairie de Mahe)
Area
• Total	1.77 km2 (0.68 sq mi)
Population  (2011)
• Total	25,000+ (approx)
• Density	14,124/km2 (36,580/sq mi)
Languages
• Official	Malayalam, English, French
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	673 310
Telephone code	91 (0) 490
Vehicle registration	PY-03
Climate	Tropical monsoon climate (Köppen)
Literacy	97.87%
Vidhan Sabha constituency	1

Mahe (/mɑːˈheɪ/), also known as Mayyazhi (Malayalam: [mɐjːɐɻi]), is a small town in India. It is part of the Puducherry Union Territory. Mahe is located at the mouth of the Mahe River. It is surrounded by the state of Kerala. The Kannur district is on three sides, and Kozhikode district is on one side.

Mahe was once a part of French India. Today, it is a municipality in the Mahe district. This district is one of the four districts of the Union Territory of Puducherry. Mahe has one representative in the Puducherry Legislative Assembly.

What's in a Name? The Story of Mahe

The name Mahe comes from Mayyazhi. This is the name for the local river and region in the Malayalam language. Early French documents from the 1720s spelled it Mayé. Later, Mahe became the usual spelling.

Some people thought the town was named after Bertrand-François Mahé de La Bourdonnais. He was a famous French person linked to India. However, this is not true. The name Mahe was used before he became well-known. It is likely that the similar sound of his name and the town's name led to this confusion later on.

Mahe's Past: A Glimpse into History

Before European traders came to India, Mahe was part of a larger area called Kolathu Nadu. In 1724, the French East India Company built a fort in Mahe. This was agreed upon with the local ruler of Vatakara.

In 1741, Mahe de La Bourdonnais took the town back from the Marathas. Later, in 1761, the British captured Mahe. They gave it to the Rajah of Kadathanadu. The British returned Mahe to the French in 1763 as part of the Treaty of Paris.

However, war broke out again in 1779, and the French lost Mahe. In 1783, the British agreed to give the French settlements back. Mahe was returned to the French in 1785.

Mahe in 1726. This map shows the area after the French took control.

Map of Mahe in 1900.

During the French Revolutionary Wars in 1793, a British force captured Mahe again. In 1816, the British returned Mahe to the French. This was part of the 1814 Treaty of Paris, after the Napoleonic Wars.

Mahe remained a small French colony, like an island within British India. This lasted until 1954. On June 13, 1954, after a long fight against colonial rule, Mahe joined the Indian Union.

After the French left, Mahe became a district of the Puducherry Union Territory. The area of Mahe stretches from Mayyazhi Puzha in the north to Azhiyoor in the south. Mahe includes Mahe town and Naluthara. Naluthara has four villages: Pandakkal, Pallur, Chalakara, and Chembra. Hyder Ali, a ruler from the Kingdom of Mysore, gave Naluthara to the French. This was a thank you for their help in a war.

Mahe's Fight for Freedom

After India became independent in 1947, leaders like I. K. Kumaran fought for Mahe to join India. On October 21, 1948, the French administration's office was attacked. The French flag was taken down, and the Indian flag was raised.

On October 26, a French navy ship arrived, and the French took back control. The ship left on October 31. In April 1954, some people tried to take over the Cherukallayi area. Two Indians died during this struggle. On May 1, the Indian flag was raised in the Naluthura area.

Freedom fighters blocked Mahe from June that year. On July 14, 1954, a group called Mahajanasabha marched into Mahe. The town was finally freed on July 16, 1954.

Freedom fighters in Mahe, 1954.

People of Mahe: Demographics and Culture

In 2011, Mahe had a population of 41,816 people. Most of them are Malayalis. About 46.5% of the people are male, and 54.5% are female. Mahe has a very high literacy rate of 97.87%. This means almost everyone can read and write. The number of females per 1000 males (1184) is also higher than the national average.

The main language spoken in Mahe is Malayalam. There are also a few French language speakers, but less than 100. Some people also speak Arabic. The culture and geography of Mahe are very similar to the Malabar Coast of Kerala.

The main religion is Hinduism, followed by 66.8% of the people. Muslims make up 30.7% of the population, and Christians are 2.29%.

Cultural Landmarks in Mahe

Even though French influence is small now, some old buildings show it. These include:

• St. Teresa's Shrine, Mahe (built in 1736)
• A statue of Marianne, celebrating the French Revolution (in Tagore Park)
• The Government House
• The River Walk
• Mahe Lighthouse
• The St. George Fort in Cherukallayi

Major festivals celebrated in Mahe are Vishu, Onam, and Eid.

Mahe's Weather: Climate Overview

Mahe has a tropical monsoon climate. This is typical for the coast of Kerala and Karnataka. There is a dry season from December to March. However, during the monsoon season, Mahe gets a lot of rain. In July, it can receive up to 1080 millimeters (43 inches) of rain.

Getting Around: Transport in Mahe

The closest airport to Mahe is Kannur International Airport in Mattanur, about 40 kilometers away. The next nearest is Kozhikode International Airport, about 85 kilometers away.

The nearest train station is Mahe railway station. Some local and express trains stop there. For longer journeys, major railway stations like Thalassery, Kannur, Mangalore, and Vatakara are nearby.

A few Puducherry Road Transport Corporation buses operate in Mahe. Most public transport, like private buses and auto rickshaws, is managed by the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation.

How Mahe is Governed

The Mahe municipality is in charge of local administration. The Mahe municipal area covers 9 square kilometers. It has one Assembly Constituency, which is Mahe. The municipal council was set up in 1978.

For a long time, a Special Officer managed the council. But in 2006, civic elections were held after almost 30 years. After these elections, a chairman and 15 councillors were sworn in.

Areas of Mahe

Mahe is divided into several areas:

• Mahe Town
• Cherukallayi
• Chalakkara
• Chembra
• Palloor
• Pandakkal

Learning in Mahe: Education

Mahe has many educational institutions. The Mahatma Gandhi Government Arts College was started in 1970 by I. K. Kumaran. Other colleges include:

• Mahe Co-operative College of Teacher Education (2005)
• Mahe Co-operative College of Higher Education & Technology
• Mahe Institute of Dental Sciences & Hospital
• Rajiv Gandhi Government Ayurveda College
• Indira Gandhi Polytechnic College, Mahe
• Rajiv Gandhi Govt Industrial Training Institute, Mahe

The Pondicherry University Community College also has a center in Mahe. There is a Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV Mahe) in Pandakkal.

Mahe has four higher secondary schools, three high schools, two middle schools, and eight lower primary schools. The higher secondary schools follow the Kerala Board. Two high schools also follow the Kerala Board. One high school teaches in French, and its exams are set by the Deputy Director of French Education, Puducherry.

Famous People from Mahe

• I. K. Kumaran: A leader in the movement to free French India. He was the first administrator of free Mahe.
• M. Mukundan: A well-known Malayalam novelist and writer.
• V. N. Purushothaman: He was the last mayor and first chairman of the Mahe municipality.
• M. Night Shyamalan: An Indian American film director and screenwriter.

Images for kids

• 

  Morning in Mahe

• 

  Mahe Light House

• 

  Mahe Town Hall

• 

  Mahe in 1867

• 

  Mahe Church, 1940

• 

  Kallappally Mosque

• 

  Keezhur Monument

• 

  Statue of freedom fighter Kumaran

See also

In Spanish: Mahe (Puducherry) para niños