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Standing tall

The old lighthouse on Goubert Salai is still one of the most symbolic buildings, writes RAPHAEL MALANGIN

PHOTO: T. SINGARAVELOU

DOWN MEMORY LANE The lighthouse from the "Magasin Pittoresque", 1839

The old lighthouse on Goubert Salai is still one of Pondicherry's most symbolic buildings. Even if it is not the oldest lighthouse built on the Coromandel coast, it was probably one of the most modern, when it was built in 1836, because of its round tower.

Between 1830 and 1835, the city's principal merchants and few ship captains set up a comity and complained that it was difficult to reach Pondicherry by sea. Some were actually misguided to the Colram sands by the lights of the Parrish factory of Cuddalore. The only signal in Pondicherry, lightening the night, was a fire located on the top of the highest red hill, a few kilometres away from the city. Consequently, the comity asked the government to build a real lighthouse. But the project was postponed at least for six years. The period of M. Desbassyns de Richemont's great changes was apparently over.

Nevertheless, the project was taken into consideration with the coming of Governor Saint Simon. At the end of 1835, the ground works began, and five months later, the engineer Louis Guerre managed to lay the foundation, the base and erected the tower. At the beginning of the following year, the lighthouse was completed, and the inauguration ceremony took place in February 1836. But the building was still unusable. The beacon, which was imported from France, was yet to reach Pondicherry. So the first lightening of the lighthouse was done in July.

In the 19th Century, the lighthouse was considered by the French as an example of European technical achievement in Asia. In 1839, Le Magasin Pittoresque - a newspaper specialised in technical innovations - gave a nice description of the building made by Louis Guerre: 29 metres high, round tower, square base. So the old lighthouse's shape was different from today's. But the reporter was more impressed by the pace at which the building was completed and the low cost than by the modernity of the external aspect. The lighthouse's cost was only 10,000 francs, and with the newly set up Lighthouse rights, it was to earn much more. The architectural aspect, and mainly the way Louis Guerre dealt with a sandy ground, was also impressive. He built the foundation with masonry wells, nine metres in depth, which were equilibrating the building on a moving ground. The complete achievement of the lighthouse made Louis Guerre the most serious and competent engineer of Pondicherry in the eyes of the governors. A few years later, he became the "colonial engineer" and soon he was at the head of the public works department of the French India colony.

The lighthouse keeper

At that time, the lighthouse could be seen at 15 miles, with its six oil lamps, and its two glittering reflectors. A French lighthouse keeper, paid 600 francs a year, was appointed to light the beacon every sunset. He was not permitted to go out during the night and was obliged to live in the small square base. Each day, it was his duty to maintain the lamps, fill the oil tanks and polish the reflectors. But it was also possible for the inhabitants of Pondicherry to enjoy the view. Dropping a little money in a box at the entrance, they were allowed to go up. The money was used for charity.

The lighthouse was modernised a couple of times. The main change appeared at the end of the 19th Century; when a round base was built around the square one. Later, in the beginning of the 20th Century, a first floor was built, and its overall shape did not change anymore. The lamps were replaced a number of times. In 1913, it was electrified, and in 1931, a much more powerful lamp was installed. But all this wasn't enough; and in 1979, the old lighthouse was abandoned.

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