Which town?

Seized and stimulated by the country’ economic growth, the wild development of the small State of Pondicherry, with its uncontrolled speculative practices, was inexorably drawing closer to Her city. The tourism industry on the one hand and on the other, for the wealthier classes, the appeal of an environment respectful of Nature and of a certain fame with artistic, multicultural and spiritual connotations, contributed together to a physical and economic conversion of most of the region. Amongst the villagers, those who still owned some land could now sell it to the highest bidders while others, who had nothing, could now open little shops or businesses and a number of local situations were modified according to a sudden rise of material prosperity. For Her town was acquiring a name throughout the country, even though its recorded population was barely that of a hamlet and its urbanism remained largely theoretical, through the radiance of its activities, its orientation and its approach to Nature and energies, to social and cultural issues, to health, to spiritual life – and to work ethics.

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