A regular sight during an evening walk through the streets of Puducherry is people playing with heavy metal balls on a small cleared field. Wondering what it is? This is the game of petanque.
Petanque, which has been played in Puducherry for the past five centuries, is one of the relics of French India. The game being played is a constant sight in the nooks and crannies of White Town. It was introduced here by the French.
The game is now attracting many youngsters. One can see people playing petanque in the evenings on the lawns of the French church or Notre Dame Church overlooking the famous Puducherry beach. One can see people playing it on both sides of the famous French Canal. Petanque was one of the many French traditions practised by veterans recruited into the French Army during the World Wars.
