Nestled in the Southern part of India, Pondicherry is often hailed as the “French Riviera of the East” and is a place where bougainvillea grow wild against the yellow walls of charming colonial bungalows, cozy cafes are abuzz with backpackers and locals alike, and the sound of waves crashing against Rock Beach, the whiff of spicy curries and crepes perfume the air, and magnificent French churches raise their steeples in an atmosphere of serenity and calm.  This erstwhile French colony still retains the charm of days long ago, and a walk through the narrow streets of Pondicherry is likely to give one a taste of France in India.