is Vilvanallur, from "vilva marangal niraindha nalla vur"), which roughly translates as nice with archery trees is located about away (towards Villupuram) from Pondicherry. This temple is renowned as Periya Koil "Big Temple". The prime god is Lord Shiva and the prime goddess is Goddess Kokilambigai. There are other Hindu gods such as Murugan, Vinayagar, Thakshanamoorthy, Perumal, Bhramah, Chandikeshwarar, Natarajar, Navagrahah, and 63 Naayanmaars. The pioneers in this temple say that the age of this temple is about 1000 plus years. It is thought to have been built by one of the Chola kings. There is also a huge temple pond. The Ther Thiruvizha (chariot procession) is celebrated at this temple. Notable people Leaders V. Subbiah, Trade Union leader & freedom fighter. Literature and Arts Tamil poet Bharathidasan. Anandaraj, Tamil film actor Kalki Koechlin, Hindi movie actress Ayesha Kapur, Hindi movie actress M. Night Shyamalan, Hollywood director Tao Porchon-Lynch, Yoga instructor, American actress Science and technology S. Somasegar, former senior vice-president, Microsoft Ganapathi Thanikaimoni, Indian scientist and director of the Palynology laboratory of the French Institute of Pondicherry Yvonne Artaud, French educationalist and psychologist. Navi Radjou, an innovation and leadership strategist based in Silicon Valley. Armed forces Maréchal Le Marquis de Lauriston (1768–1828), a very senior-ranking military commander in the French Army, was born in Pondicherry. Fictional Prince Pondicherry, a character from Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, is named after the city. The character asked that Willy Wonka build him a palace made of chocolate. Given the heat of the Indian climate, this decision worked out poorly for the fictitious prince. Pondicherry is the setting for the first third of Yann Martel's Booker Prize-winning novel Life of Pi (2001). A portion of the subsequent film adaptation was filmed there. Lee Langley's novel A House in Pondicherry (1996). Educational institutions Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research Lycée français de Pondichéry Pondicherry University Puducherry Technological University Gallery See also Karaikal, India Mahé, India Manakula Vinayagar Temple Pondicherry urban area Yanam, India References Municipalities of Puducherry Indian union territory capitals 1674 establishments in the French colonial empire Populated places established in 1674