Ananda Ranga Pillai Mansion in Pondicherry

Pondicherry is a place that speaks about the history of the achievements of the French in India. When you go for sightseeing in Pondicherry, one tourist attraction you must visit, it is the Ananda Ranga Pillai Mansion in Pondicherry. Before knowing about the mansion, you should know something about the man Ananda Ranga Pillai. He was a close confident and dubash of Dupleix, the French governor of Pondicherry. He has made immense contribution to the history of Pondicherry. This is because he used to keep a personal diary for 25 years i.e. from 1736 to 1760. This diary, which is written in Tamil, provides us with lots of valuable information about the culture and history of Pondicherry along with the history of the French in India in the later half of the 18th century.

When you are on a trip to Pondicherry, then go to the Ranga Pillai Street, lying opposite the Grand Bazaar. Here you will find the celebrated Ananda Ranga Pillai Mansion in Pondicherry. The number of the house is 109 and the street is named after the famous courtier.

Ananda Ranga Pillai Mansion in Pondicherry was built in 1735 and it is one of the oldest buildings in Pondicherry. Though the British ransacked many buildings when they conquered Pondicherry in 1761, this mansion remained untouched. In the architecture of the Ananda Ranga Pillai Mansion in Pondicherry you will find a beautiful blend of both Asian and European style. It was built following the traditional Tamil architecture and therefore on the ground floor, you will find a courtyard, a typical feature of every Tamil house. The courtyard of the Ananda Ranga Pillai Mansion of Pondicherry is supported by pillars which are made of beautifully carved wood. You will find a terrace on the first floor and the elegant columns which support it reflect European Gothic design. Though time has taken its toll on this grand building of the famous dubash of Dupleix yet whatever is still there is enough to arouse awe in the minds of the onlookers.

Therefore, for any tourist, Ananda Ranga Pillai Mansion of Pondicherry is worth a visit.