This Union Territory on India locally known as Pondy is a unique combination of traditional south Indian culture & a mixture of Dutch-French culture. The clean streets, French colony, bungalows, cafes, boutiques of this planned city emit a nostalgic flavor to which you will definitely fall in love within few hours. All the bricks of those heritage building are story-teller, they depict about the glorious history of this old city.
How To Reach:
It is well connected with every parts of India by train, road & air.
What to do:
As my hotel location is too good, I used to go to Ashram in the morning & also to the Promenade sea-beach on the evening. I can bet that your mind will surely be changed by the calmness & nostalgic flavour of Pondicherry.
1. Aurobinda Ashram – Since the year 1926 the Aurobinda Ashram, established by Rishi Aurobinda with the help of his spiritual collaborator Mother Mirra Alfassa , became famous for meditation world-wide.
The flower covered “Samadhi” of Sri Aurobinda & the mother lies in the centre of the main building. It looks beautiful. Moreover many of the houses of these French Colony are now under the Ashram Authority, where the residents of the Ashram are busy in making different materials in the workshops like- perfumes, incense stick, candles, woollen cloths etc.
Timing for visitors’ entry - 8 a.m.- 12 noon & 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.
2. Pondicherry museum – Previously it was the administrative building of Dupleix, now converted to museum.
3. Bharati Park & Aayi Mandapam – It is a beautiful, well maintained wide spread of greenery where a big water tank exists of the time of royal era.
4. Auroville - This world-wide popular destination for meditation is an universal township, which offers you the peace, spirituality & harmony. At the centre of the entire Auroville the large meditational auditorium “Matrimandir “ exists, which is made up of soil of 121 nations & 23 Indian states.
Spl note: “Matrimandir” has its scheduled time to enter into the central Meditational hall. If you want to go inside, then you have to know the proper time chart, which is easily available at your hotel reception.
5. Ambedkar museum – Among many other important collections, the unique collection of this museum is the blood-stained cloth of Gandhi ji that he wore at his last breath.
Due to shortage of time we couldn’t visit Paradise beach, Serenity beach, Arikamedu (Ruins of Roman civilisation only 2 k.m. away from city centre), Chunnamber boat house, Ananda Ranga Pillai Mansion.
If you have sufficient time you must visit those places by hiring a cab.
Reviews: It is advised by locals that some of the beaches of Pondicherry have Quicksand, so it’s better not to go alone & take a stick, while going to beaches
