Ancient History
Mahe
was known previously by the name of ‘Mayyazhi’. Even now this name is
written in Malayalam. It was under the Jurisdiction of Kadathanattu
Thamburan.
Mahe
has a history of two and a half centuries commencing from the visit of the
French. MOLLANDIN, the representative of the French East India company,
landed in Mahe, on 2nd
April 1721. MOLLANDIN and the
VAZHUNNAVAR (Ruler) of Badagara, entered into an agreement; according to
which the French were permitted to establish a trading center in Mahe. The
relations between the French and the VAZHUNNAVAR became strained and in
1725 fighting broke out. The
French were obliged to retire to Calicut.
In
December 1725 DE PARDAILLAN, recaptured Mahe. The skill and enterprise of
MAHE DE LA BOURDONNAIS, a
French naval captain, was mainly the cause of this victory. So this place
was named MAHE (MAYE is the
pronunciation in French ) after the captain.
Further, the local name ‘MAYYAZHI’ had a close similarity to
this name. Mahe was used as a base for attack by Hyder Ali and Tippu
Sultan.
The
periodical hostilities between the English and the French had its impact
on Mahe; which changed hands a number of times. In conformity with the
treaty between the French and the English in 1773, the French got
Pondicherry, Karaikal, Chandernagre, Mahe and Yanam, which constituted
French India.
In
1791 came into existence a colonial Assembly of 21 members at Pondicherry
of whom one was from Mahe. All the French settlements were over-run by the
British and kept under occupation from 1793 to 1816. Mahe was restored to
the French on 22nd February 1817. According to the treaty no
French settlement in India was to be fortified and no settlement was to
maintain troops more than necessary for law and order. The treaty also
recognized the paramount of the Government of India over all parts of
French India.
History of Mahe
The
French left Mahe on the 16th of July 1954. the de facto transfer of the four settlements of Pondicherry,
Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam took place on 01.11.1954.
The
de Jure transfer of power took place on the 16th of August 1962
. After merger there has been a phenomenal growth in all spheres. In
the Pondicherry Legislative Assembly Mahe is represented by two MLA’s,
one for Mahe and the other for Pallour
