Bygone French memories make comeback in Mahe

Kozhikode: Mooppan Sayiv's Bungalow and surrounding hillock are a sweet memory of the bygone era of French rule not just for Mahe residents, but for the Malayalis, thanks to M. Mukundan’s literature. The hillock is now being developed into a tourism destination. The inauguration of the renovated hillock, which is popularly known as ‘Mooppan Kunnu’ will be held on Monday.

The French administrators ruled the nine-square-kilometer coastal land for 233 years from the bungalow situated on this hill which was known as Mooppan Sayiv’s Bungalow that time. At present, the bungalow is the seat of the Regional Administrator of Mahe and is known as the Government House.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Mahe Regional Administrator Dinesh Mangalatte said the renovation of Moopan Kunnu was undertaken by the Puducherry public works department under the ‘Development of Heritage Precinct’ at a cost of Rs 1.8 crore. Under the project, the old French flag post, lighthouse, which was a guide to the ships which anchored at the coast during the French rule, stone chairs and water tank have been restored. An extended walkway, which surrounds the hill, has also been set up.

From the hillock, one will get an impressive view of the Arabian Sea, the beach, the Mahe river and also the Dharmadam Island in Thalassery. “The hillock will be opened for the public on December 1. We hope that the hillock opening would increase the tourist inflow to the Union Territory,” he said.

Apart from the renovation of Mooppan Kunnu, the administration is also planning to extend the walkway to the other side of the Mahe Bridge from where the existing walkway starts. The hillock inauguration will be done by Puducherry tourism minister P. Rajavelu.

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