This presentation will enable the students to know about the Freedom Movement of Karaikal from the French

1. Dr. P.CHARLESCHRISTOPHER RAJ
M.A., M.Phil., M.I.M.,M.Lisc.,M.C.A., B.Ed.,P.G.D.T.A.,Ph.D.,
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF HISTORY
KASTHURBA COLLEGE, VILLIANUR, PUDUCHERRY 605110
MOBILE :9443723327
Email :ccraj18@gmail.com
GLIMPSES OF FREEDOM MOVEMENT OF
KARAIKAL FROM THE FRENCH
NATIONAL SEMINAR
TBML COLLEGE –PORAYAR
On
THE PLACE OF KARAIKAL IN INDO-FRENCH RELATIONS

2. The Grossest Crime for a man is to
remain a slave; and the
heinous crime for a man is to
compromise with inequity
or injustice………NETAJI SUBASH
CHANDRA BOSE

3. • The study of the freedom movement in
the Indian subcontinent has always for
focus – British India.
• The Freedom movement from French
India comprised of five territories,
Pondicherry Mahe, Karaikal, Yanam and
Chandernagore.
 Karaikal an enclave of the Union
Territory of Pondicherry.
 Karaikalist started their revolt against the
Colonist, though very late but with the
firm mind to achieve freedom.

4. • Sekkizhar’s magnum – opus the Periyapuranam
•Karaikal was a flourishing sea-port in which,
borne by the billowing waves, the curved chanks
travelled far inland up the creeks.
•Punitavatiar ---- KARAIKAL AMMAIYAR
•KASAKKUDI COPPER PLATES – NANDIVARMAN II
PALLAVAMALLA 731 AD to 796 AD
• LEYDEN Grant of Rajaraja Chola
•Jouveau Dubreuil “la capitale due pays au nord
de Negapatam

5. POSSESSION OF KARAIKAL BY THE
FRENCH
• Francois Martin in Dec. 1688 as a loge
• Saiyaji offered the town of Karaikal to Dumas
• 25,000 pagodas were in exchange
• French and Saiyaji signed a deal on 18th July 1738.
• Karaikal became permanent abode of the French
on 14th February 1739 and the French National
Flag was hoisted
• 1741 Karaikal became an important integral part
of the French possession in India.

6. FREEDOM STRUGGLE FROM THE
FRENCH
• Feeling of patriotism and free from the Colonial
rule came to the hearts and minds of the Karaikal
people much before the other regions.
• 16th February 1934 Mahatma Gandhiji paid his
visit to Karaikal and delivered a fiery speech
which triggered the minds of the people
• As a token of fund raising Harijan Sevak Sangh
leader Karaikal Arangaswamy Naicker and Conseil
General Thiyagaraja Pillai presented Rs.1010 to
the hand of Mahatma.

7. • French imposed Poll tax in 1938 – paved the way for the
launch of struggle against the French regime
• Poll tax was Rs. 20 per head per year.
• Non-payee were punished by imprisonment of two to six
months and a fine of 200 francs.
• The French minister, himself commented “inopportune” and
“impolite”
• Second World War supported by Karaikal region acted as
instrumented through selfless sacrifice and raised the fund
of Seven Crores Francs
• Two Indian Candidates of National Democratic Front as
Representative s in the Senate of Paris ---- Pakkirisamy from
Karaikal and V.Subbiah of Pondicherry – the Communist
leader.

8. Contributions of various parties
• Karaikal National Congress
• The French Indian Socialist
Party
• Karaikal Youth Congress
• Merger Congress

9. Contributions by Freedom Fighters
• French Indian Gandhi – Arangasamy
Naicker
• Karaivelan Leon Saint Jean
• Karai Ponnu Thambipillai
• Veteran Freedom Fighter
R.Ramasrinivasan

10. Press and Media
• The Dinamani
• The Swadesa Mitran
• The Dinathanthi
• The Bharatha Devi
• The Nava India
• The Kalki
• The Ananda Vikatan
• The Karai Mail
• The National Herald
• The Kudiarasu
• The Amrita Bazaar
• The Hindu
• The Indian Express

11. Merger with Indian Union
• Referendum at Kizhur
• 170 out of 178 participants voted in favour of
merger
• De facto transfer on 1st November 1954
• Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru visit to Karaikal in
October 1955 “I have not come here to invite
you for soft living but to ask you to undertake
this great adventure in our country”
• De Jure was 16th August 1962.

25. • Books referred
• Moore, Freedom Movement in India
• Ramasrinivasan,Karaikal in Freedom Struggle
• Animesh Rai,The Legacy of French Rule in India
• Baskara Gadjindirin, Histoire de Pondicherry
• Krishnaswamy Iyengar,The Begginnings of South Indian
History
• Raja,RitaNathKesari,Glimpses of Pondicherry
• Malleson, History of the French in India
• Saroja Sundarajan,Glimpses of the History of Karaikal
• Thillaivanam, History of Pondicherry
• Sen,History of French India
• Emmanuel Divien, Freedom movement in India (article)
• Interview with Veteran.Ramasrinivasan, Iyyappan,
Alexander de Paul……