Centuries of French intercourse did not leave India altogether unaffected. Though France’s status as a prominent western power in India ended with in the 3rd Carnatic war and the Treaty of Paris in 1763, the French influence endured; their settlements remained centers of French culture. Even the name ‘Pondicherry’ was given by the French; from small beginning it grew up into a prosperous French settlement, nourished by French manners, customs and political practices. So was Mahe on the Malabar Coast.
The French influence spread over a wide area; they made the people of their settlements the citizens of France, conferring on them political equality. Political equality of the French conception was very realistic and they shared with the people what they enjoyed themselves. This helped them to imbibe the French culture with ease.
In the social and religious spheres, their contribution was of no mean order. The French East India Company was from the beginning inclined towards evangelical work as the Charter of 1664 bestowed on it perpetual sovereignty in Madagascar and the neighbouring islands on condition that it would work for the promotion of Catholic faith in them.
In South India the Capuchin missionaries took up the lead in propagating the French faith and towards the closing years of the 17th century, the ‘Carnatic Mission’ the chief instrument through which the French evangelical work was conducted, took shape. They have to their credit today the conversion of more than a million men and women of South India to Christianity.
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The missionaries working in the society and moving closely with the masses have contributed much to the social uplift of the people. They had been able to clean up the social life to a great extent, by removing many of the meaningless and evil customs and manners.
Their humanitarian work also needs special mention. In this connection, the monumental work on the Hindu Customs and Manners by Abbe Dubois, one of the missionaries who came to India in 1792 needs special mention. This work of the immeasurable value to us, as it is the work says Mark Muleller, of a “man remarkably free from theological prejudices.
In the field of Literature and Education, the French contributed a great ideal. They built up educational institutions where local subjects were taught; a large number of schools and colleges sprang up under their initiative. Arokiawami writes-at least five colleges in Madras (now Chennai), Trichinopoly, Pulayom Cottah, Bangalore and Mysore and at least eight high schools and hundreds of elementary schools, convents, orphanages and industrial schools owe their existence to these French missionaries.
Their successors inspired by their example have built up an equal number of educational institutions in this part of the country. Father Tachard from Pondicherry speaks of a school of Pilotage in the 18th century in which training was given to boys who had a flair for the sea.
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The French impact was most evident in the fields of literature and learning. The French show great interest in South Indian languages especially Tamil. To linguistics their contribution is great; the first Sanskrit grammar in an European language was published in French and in Paris. The names of Father Pous and Father Calmette are peculiar significance in the field of Sanskrit study.
To the development of Tamil literature, also they have contributed much. On the religious side, the French Jesiit De Rossi of the Madurai Mission prepared the ‘Meditations on God’ and the Realities meant for the seven days of the week and were published in seven volumes, which are still in use among the Christians in South India. On the secular side, under the auspices of the School of Oriental languages, founded in 1821, much work has been done on Tamil.
Julien Winson’s Grammar of Tamil and a Book of Tamil Studies and Auriel’s Collections of rare Tamil Manuscripts and his translation of a part of Tirukural and the works of Avvaiyar were all brought out by this Institute. The name of Male and Dr. Fillozat are also worthy of special mention in this connection. Several French works were translated into Tamil and Malayalam. The impact of these translations of the French works was most pronounced on the literary styles in Malayalam.