Chennai & Pondicherry: Real & Unseen | KL to London | EP4

I left Madurai enriched and came to Pondicherry excited to dip my toes into its rich, complex colonial history... only to fall ill within a day of arriving. Did that stop me from exploring this wonderful city? Nope! Did you know that Pondicherry stayed a French colony until 1954? That's almost a decade after India gained its independence from the British. Pondicherrians are the living legacy of the colonial past; White Towns and Black Towns, Tamils speaking fluent French and vice versa, intermarriage, a true blend of the past and present. Its people are diverse, and its food is heavenly (if there's a place in India where you can get the freshest baguettes, Pondicherry is it!). Classic South Indian fares, the richest fish curries, smoky fresh milk Indian filter coffees, spiced teas, prawn masala... the list is endless! I think my favourite part of Pondicherry was how proud and excited Pondicherrians were of their city, eager to share little nuggets about the coastal gem. Chennai was my final stop in India on this journey, so I was determined to soak up as much as possible before saying goodbye to this stunning country. Arrived in Chennai, exhausted and was immediately met with the warmth of the people, another Tiruvila, where I received the much-needed blessings to continue this journey, food that comforted me, and to my pleasant surprise, an interview with an Indian radio (‪@FeverFMOfficial‬) and YouTube channel (‪@MercuryDigital19‬). India, thank you. You showed me true resilience and what living with a lengthy colonial past truly looks like. The discussions I've had, the connections I share with this land my ancestors came from, will stay etched in my mind. #india #chennai #indianfood #pondicherry