Interesting facts

1. Mahe is geographically the smallest district in India, covering an area of just about 9 square kilometers. 2. Although located on the coast of Kerala, it is administratively a district of the Union Territory of Puducherry. 3. The town was a French colony for over 200 years, established in the 1720s, and only integrated into India in 1954. 4. Mahe is locally and historically known as "Mayyazhi" in the Malayalam language. 5. The Mahe River (Mayyazhipuzha) acts as a natural border between Mahe and the state of Kerala. 6. During the colonial era, the Mahe River was affectionately dubbed the "English Channel" of India because it separated French-ruled Mahe from British-ruled Malabar. 7. St. Theresa's Shrine in Mahe is one of the most famous pilgrimage centers in the region, built by the French in 1736. 8. Acclaimed Malayalam writer M. Mukundan's masterpiece novel, *Mayyazhippuzhayude Theerangalil* (On the Banks of the River Mayyazhi), is set in Mahe and captures its political and social transition. 9. Due to lower taxation in the Puducherry UT, Mahe is a popular destination for "liquor tourism" for visitors from neighboring Kerala. 10. The town features a statue of Marianne, a national symbol of the French Republic, erected in the local park. 11. Mahe has an exceptionally high sex ratio, with significantly more women than men (1,184 females per 1,000 males in 2011). 12. Tagore Park is a prominent historical site in Mahe, featuring a memorial dedicated to the freedom fighters of the region. 13. The name "Mahe" is often attributed to Bertrand François Mahé de La Bourdonnais, a French naval officer, though it may also be a French adaptation of the local word *Mayyazhi*. 14. The district is represented by two members in the Puducherry Legislative Assembly (from the Mahe and Palloor constituencies). 15. Despite being governed from Puducherry, where Tamil is dominant, the primary official and spoken language in Mahe is Malayalam. 16. Traditional art forms like Theyyam are celebrated with great fervor in the temples of Mahe, reflecting its strong cultural ties to the North Malabar region. 17. The Puthalam Bhagavathy Temple in Mahe is renowned for its historic annual Theyyam festival. 18. The enclave consists of three main areas: Mahe town proper, Palloor, and Pandakkal. 19. Mahe was officially handed over *de facto* to the Government of India on July 16, 1954, months before the main territory of Pondicherry. 20. The Mahe Walkway along the river is a heavily visited spot, offering stunning sunset views over the Arabian Sea.