As Karl passed through Chandernagore, a small commercial city under French rule since 1816, he documented a part of India’s history that piqued my interest. Chandernagore was once considered part of French India, under the political control of the governor-general in Pondicherry, until it gained independence in 1950.

Intrigued by the allure of "French India," I decided to make a detour to Puducherry, formerly known as Pondicherry or "Pondy." The city is divided by a canal, separating the French Quarter and the larger Tamil Quarter to the west.