Magical yet ordinary to the casual eye, the Pondicherry city harbours a deeper meaning and connection to the intangible realms of beauty, wisdom, tranquillity and harmony. This has led Pondicherry to become a universal platform for positive inner change and has inspired an inclusive, collective and inspiring evolution towards a future, long foreseen by the sages of Yore. The marriage of spirituality and material research is a trademark of Pondicherry’s excellence and uniqueness. On November 29th 2014, the collapse of the Marie building (Town Hall) of Pondicherry, which was built in 1870 to accommodate the offices for the Mayor of Pondicherry, led to the realization that the need to conserve and celebrate the heritage of Pondicherry is immense. A group thus emerged from the civil society called “People for Pondicherry’s Heritage” (PPH) and conceived the idea of the Pondicherry heritage festival, first of which was held in 2015 and became an annual event. The Pondicherry heritage festival is being organised by People for Pondicherry’s heritage (PPH), INTACH Pondicherry and PondyCAN. The main objectives for the Pondicherry heritage festival are: 1. To create and strengthen this distinct identity of belonging and being Pondicherrian for all it’s residents 2. To show its unique character in all its variety to visitors who come from all over the country and the world attracted by the idea of “Pondicherry” 3. To create a platform for experts, Historians and old residents to meet and discuss what is special about Pondicherry and how we can preserve our town. The charm and beauty of Pondicherry presents a unique challenge to the government and civil society organizations interested in protecting and restoring its built heritage. Unlike the monuments and National Parks under the purview of the Archaeological Survey of India, the architectural style of Pondicherry is a melange of private and government buildings. Pondicherry has two distinct parts namely, the French and Tamil quarters. The French quarter has structures built in the European classical style whereas those in Tamil quarter are built in the vernacular style of Tamil Nadu. The two construction methods have influenced one another resulting in a harmonious blend of both styles in many buildings. Pondicherry’s unique architectural style is an inheritance of which we are but today’s custodians It is our responsibility to preserve the essence of this built heritage for the future generations. It is with this wide vision that the Pondicherry Heritage Festival sought to explore the various facets of the town’s culture, spiritual heritage, contributions to the world of art, literature, folk and classical music and dance, traditional and contemporary crafts and the work done by many organizations, institutions and individuals towards understanding and preserving the heritage of the town.