pondicherry is described as an anomaly,the former capital of what was once French India. in terms of storytelling,what makes this town an appropriate choice for Pi's upbringing?

in Part 1, Pi is in Pondicherry, and there he is innocent. In the movie there is an almost perfect beauty and innocence about the place. It mixes the Indian with the colonial French without the strife that went along with the two. The serene and colorful backdrop really makes us feel that Pi's childhood home was a "paradise".

Yann Martel recalls that many Pondicherry residents provided him with stories, but he was most intrigued by this tale because Mr. Adirubasamy said it would make him believe in God. Did Pi's tale alter your beliefs about God?