January
Republic Day
January 26 each year
India's Republic Day is marked in Pondicherry with a formal flag-hoisting ceremony on Goubert Avenue, a military and school parade, gallantry awards, and tricolour illuminations along the seafront through the night.
The ceremony
On January 26, the Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry hoists the national flag at Beach Road (Goubert Avenue) and takes the salute at a formal parade. Police contingents, armed services units, and columns of school children march along the scenic seafront. Gallantry Awards, the President's Medal for meritorious service, and state honours are presented publicly during the ceremony. The citations are read aloud. This is a formal civic occasion, conducted with seriousness.
The illuminations
From the evening of January 25 through January 26, government buildings, the Gandhi Statue, the French War Memorial, and landmarks along the seafront are lit with tricolour lighting. A walk along the Promenade at dusk on Republic Day, from the War Memorial to the Lighthouse and back, is worth the effort. The seafront looks different with the buildings lit up.
Pondicherry University and JIPMER
Beyond the main ceremony, institutions like Pondicherry University and JIPMER (Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research) hold their own flag-hoisting ceremonies, student marches, and cultural programmes on January 26. If you are near either campus, the events there are often more intimate than the main parade.
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