Pondicherry Travel

Pondicherry - The Lingering French Culture
Pondicherry, the small Union Territory is located in the eastern side of the Indian Peninsula. The ancient city was ruled by the Cholas, Pallavas and the Vijaynagar kings. The modern history of modern Pondicherry began with the French settlement in 1763. Even after the Independence of India, Pondicherry was under the French rule and it became a part of the Indian Union in 1954. It consists of Karaikal (Tamil Nadu), Mahe (Kerala) and Yaman (Andhra Pradesh). Pondicherry is the place where history lingers in its majestic buildings and boulevards. The French legacy is evident in its stunning landscape and old churches. The town is built on a grid plan encircled by almost circular boulevards, so it is easier to find your way around. Pondicherry is an ideal place for those who want to get away from the maddening crowds and busy city life.


Travel Attractions of Pondicherry
Sri Aurobindo Ashram : Situated on Rue de la marine, Sri Aurobindo Ashram is the main attraction of Pondicherry. It is surrounded by many educational and cultural institutions of the Aurobindo Society. Sri Aurobindo who was the freedom fighter of the pre-Gandhian era came to Pondicherry in 1910 following spiritual order and remained here for ever. He was later joined by a French lady, Mirra known as the Mother. After Sri Aurobindo's death the spiritual authority was passed on to Mother. The main Ashram building enshrines the samadhis of Sri Aurbindo and the Mother.

French Institute : The internationally renowned institute is situated on Dumas street. It was founded in 1955 by Dr. J. Fillozet, the famous French Indologist. This institute has a rare collection of books on science, technology, cartography, ecology, pedagogy, Indian languages and culture. The Romain Rolland Library has a huge collection of around 60,000 books some of them are rare French volumes.

Botanical Garden : The botanical garden is located near the old bus stand off the West Boulevard. It was planned by C. S. Perrotet in 1826 and houses exotic flower plants including the alien and indigenous. Toy rail and the Jawahar Bal Bhavan are the major attractions of the park.

Aquarium : The aquarium is located inside the Botanical Garden at the junction of West Boulevard and Lal Bahadur Street. It has a rare collection of some ornamental fish.

Temples : Pondicherry and its nearby village are dotted with several temples built by the Cholas between 10th and 12th centuries. Some of the famous temples are the Varadhraraja temple, Ambalathu Adigal Mutt temple, Kimbli Swami Mutt temple, Siddhanata Swami Samadhi temple, Thirukkameswara temple, Manakula Vinayagar temple etc.

Churches : Pondicherry is also home to a number of magnificent churches. The most popular church is the Church of Sacred Heart of Jesus, located on South boulevard. The Gothic style church depicts the life of Christ with three stained glass panels that lies in a corridor. Another famous church is the Englise de Norte Dame des Lourdes in Villiyanur.

Bharti and Bharthidasan Memorial Museum :
Situated on Dharma Raja Koil Street, Bharati Museum is the place where the legendary Tamil poet Bharathi took asylum after arriving in Podicherry in 1908. The museum has a good collection of rare photographs, manuscripts written in Bharathiar's own hand, volumes of his works and papers he published. Bharthidasan Memorial Museum is located at Perumal Koil Street where Kanakasubburatnam, a disciple of Bharathiar lived. The house has also been converted to a memorial, which attracts literary pilgrims.

Pondicherry Beach : Pondicherry is located on the coast of the Bay of Bengal. The town has a 1500 m long beach. Pondicherry beach is ideal for adventure activities like swimming and sunbathing. Other attractions of the beach are the 4-metre-tall statue of Mahatama Gandhi, a lovely artificial mountain park, the statue of Pondicherry's illustrious Governor Dupleix, the 150-year-old light house and the War memorial.

Excursions
Auroville : 8 kms north of Pondicherry, the city is the brainchild of the Mother. Auroville was designed by the French architect Roger Arger. The main aim of Auroville was an international community where people would live in amity despite all creed, politics and nationalities. The Mata Mandir situated in the heart of the city is the main attraction of Auroville. This huge globe like structure is a spiritual centre having a 30 m high globe with lotus shaped foundation urn.

Chidambaram : The temple town of Chidambaram is located at a distance of 58 km from Pondicherry. Chidambarm is popular for its temple complex which houses the renowned Nataraja Temple. The temple celebrates the Natyanjali Dance Festival, every year during the Mahashivratri festival which falls during February/March.

Thiruvannamalai : Situated 107 km away from Pondicherry, Thiruvannamalai is known for housing the Arunachaleshwara Temple. This temple is one of the most important Shaivite temples in South India. Another attraction is the Ashram of the famous Saint Sri Ramanna Maharshi, which lies at a distance of 3 km from the temple.


How To Reach Pondicherry
By Air : Pondicherry does not have its own airport, nearest airport is Chennai Airport, which is located at a distance of 135 km. Flights connect Chennai to major cities in India and directly to many international destinations like Europe, Asia, Middle East and the US.

By Rail : Pondicherry is connected by meter gauge railway line with Villupuram (36 km), which is connected to Chennai, Madurai, Trivandrum etc.

By Road : Pondicherry is well connected by a good network of roads with major towns and cities of South India and other parts of India.

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