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Christmas and English New Year can be mentioned as the main festivals of the Solthas who lived in the French Tamil culture mixed with the Tamil culture of their native land and the culture of the French land where they lived.
From the first of December, the houses of Solthas will be weeded. As a sign of Christmas all the door bulbs are stuck with colored paper star garlands. Some of the stars are also lit up in the colors of the French flag! A crowd gathers to see the Christmas hut set up on the verandah of Sebamalai Soltha Mama’s house.
Duck or turkey biryani is a must at the Repas de Noël Christmas feast.
The next minute after Christmas, Solda families start preparing for the New Year celebration!
Along with these,
Bonjoor Musye, Jee Poomba, Doctor, etc., there are some annual events where Solthas who have earned “nicknames” for their everyday extraordinary activities join other average Solthas in a dignified, no-fuss manner…
Puducherry French Consulate (Consulate) representatives will visit the Alliance Française office in Karaikal once in a few months to listen to the grievances and receive their applications.
As the peon of the Alliance Française scurried about, beckoning the French students to speak in a low voice, one could guess that there were consular officers inside the “bureau” (office room)!
Starting with Bonjoor Muhammed, the problem of pension, children’s education allowance, etc.
The French officer would give answers like “D’accord, On verra” (D’accord, On verra) in a soft voice and with a smile!
Before the officer returns to Puducherry, Po (Pot) is mandatory! A small party with drinks and snacks is called po. Wine and Champagne are a must!
The sight of a peon burying a bottle of champagne in a special Eversilver bucket filled with ice cubes will be a nostalgic sight for those who have come to study French with dreams of France.