Yanam

Yanam or Yanaon is a town in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry (Puducherry); it is located in Yanam district. Yanam has some 300 years of history and is well known as French Yanam even now although it was transferred to India in 1954. It forms a 30 km² enclave in the district of East Godavari in Andhra Pradesh. It has a population of 32,000, most of whom speak Telugu. Yanam is a unique blend of French and Telugu culture prevailing in Andhra Pradesh. During French rule, the Tuesday market (mangalavaram santa) at Yanam was popular among Telugu people in the Madras Presidency who visited Yanam to buy foreign and smuggled goods during Yanam People's Festival, which is held in January. It was previously also called as kalyanapuram, because after implementation of Sarda Act in British India during 1929 many Andhra people used to come and do marriages (mainly Child marriage) here since local French government did not oppose child marriages. In 1936, Yanam Population is just 5,220.