Destinations>>TAMILNADU>>Pondicherry

his restored, attractive, former French colony exudes a Mediterranean aura, with its chic streets, elegant houses, ornamental gardens and the Hotel de Ville. Being a small and quiet enclave of Tamil Nadu, it has imbibed the Tamilian culture. Pondicherry is oval-shaped, with streets aligned at right angles. The skilfully planned township is distinguished by a 3 km long espalanade which skirts the town and encloses the tourist attractions.

How to reach

By Air
The nearest airport is Chennai (160 km) connected by Indian Airlines.

By Rail
Villupuram (32 kms) is the nearest railhead connected directly to Chennai which in turn is connected to major cities in India.

By Road
Pondicherry is connected by good motorable roads to places in South India. Bangalore 503 kms, Chidambaram 68 kms, Kanchipuram 113 kms, Chennai 162 kms, mamallapuram 134 kms, Thanjavur 170 kms, Thiruvannamalai 103 kms, Trichy 198 kms etc. Bus Service It is very well connected by bus service to Chennai, Nagapattanam, Karaikal, Tanjavur, Chidambaram etc.

Places to Visit

Sri Aurobindo Ashram
Established by Sri Aurobindo, a revolutionary turned poet and later developed by the Mother, the Aurobindo Ashram has grown into a centre for the practice of Integral Yoga, a seat of learning and a training ground for sadhana. In the main building of the Ashram is the Marble Samadhi where Aurobindo and the Mother have been laid to rest and the houses they lived in.

Government Square
The XVIII Century Palais du Gouverneur (now Raj Nivas) the old Tribunal now housing the Legislative Assembly, the cercle de Pondichey, the hospitals, the Ashram Dining Hall, the UCO Bank are all lined up to form "Place de Gouvernment" (Government Square) with a monument Aayi Mandapam at the Centre of a well laid garden. Some exquisitely carved monolithic pillars adorn the "place". These pillars, ascribed to the XVII Century were brought from Gingee to Pondicherry after the capture of its fort in 1751.

Promenade
The 1.5 km long promenade running along the beach is the pride of Pondicherry. There one can relax or take a stroll at any time of the day. On the sea front are several landmarks the statues of Mahatma Gandhi, Jeanne d'Arc and Dupleix, the elegant war memorial raised by the French, the heritage building Mairie, the 27 metre tall old lighthouse, the circular shaped two storied structures on either side of Gandhi maidan.

The Pondicherry Museum
The Museum brings back to memory the glorious past of Pondicherry from the days of the pre-Christian era down to the present day providing glimpses of the art and culture of the people of this region during the Pallava, Chola and Vijayanagar days.

Auroville
Auroville is described as the city of Tomorrow where an attempt is made to replicate on much larger scale the experiment that is being carried out in Sri Aurobindo Ashram for the evolution of a new society envisioned by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother where people could live "freely as citizens of the world, obeying one single authority that of the Supreme Truth, a place of peace, concord, harmony". Under the Mother's direction it was launched in 1968 with the co-operation of many nations.

The Botanical Garden
The Botanical Garden in Pondicherry was created in 1826. When the garden came under the control of the eminent botanist Perottet "rare and interesting plants" were procured from Calcutta, Madras, Ceylon and Reumian and introduced now it is having a proud collection of 1500 species.

Temples
There are about 32 temples in Pondicherry of these Manakula Vinayagar temple, Sri Vedapureeswarar temple, Kamatchiammalle temple and Varadarajaperumal temple are famous.

Churches
French missionary zeal in the XVII and XVIII Centuries saw a number of grandly embellished churches built in Pondicherry. The Church of Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Cathedral, the Eglise de Notre Dame A'es Angles are paraticularly noteworthy.

Boat House, Chunnambar
Facilities for boating are available at a Boat House on the River Chunnambar 8 Kms from Pondicherry. The backwater and the lush greenery on both sides of Chunnambar provide an ideal setting for boating. Boats are available on hire on all days of the week.