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Pondicherry town is a surprise in India. This you'll realise as you pass through well-laid, wide streets carrying French names and kept unpolluted and Clean. A French past is still present.
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Pondicherry is a union teritory, which lies within the state of Tamil Nadu.The inherent ambience of Pondicherry, becomes most evident in the oldest part of the town, which flanks the seashore boulevard.
The French ruled this territory for 300 years, Pondicherry is a living monument of French Culture in India. The Aurobindo Ashram and 'Auroville' the international township are famous all over the world.
Situated on the Coromandel coast, about 160 kms south of Chennai, lies the Union Territory of Pondicherry. It is bound on the east by the Bay of Bengal and on the other three sides by the South Arcot District of Tamil Nadu. About 150 kilometres south of Pondicherry, on the east coast, lies Karaikal, while Mahe is situated on the Malabar coast. Yanam is situated in the adjoining East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh.
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Pondicherry traces its origin to Saint Agasthya, the revered sage of the south. The excavations near Pondicherry reveal, that a Roman settlement existed here, 2000 years ago. It was also the site of many a battle between the British and the French, and was the capital of French India, before it attained its independence. |
This 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. Apart from the charming atmosphere, excellent restaurants and cheap beer, what attracts most travellers to Pondicherry is the Sri Aurobindo Ashram and its offshoot, Auroville, 10 km outside town. The ashram, founded by Sri Aurobindo in the year 1926, has brought international reputation to this coastal town. The ashram, the spiritual tenets of which combine yoga and modern science is quite popular within India and abroad. |
Festivals of Pondicherry differ from the rest of India, for the French influence still persists prominently here. Masquerade, held in March - April, is a popular mask festival, during which brilliantly costumed and masked people of Pondicherry, dance down the streets to the music of trumpets and accordions. During the Eve of the Bastille Day, retired soldiers parade the streets in war finery, singing the French and Indian National Anthem. French is still widely spoken, and the seaside villas and the cobbled streets are more reminiscent of the south of France than the south of India!! |
By Air : The nearest airport is Madras- 160 kms. Domestic Airport at Pondicherry.
By Rail : Villupuram- 32 kms connected directly to Madras.
By Road : Bangalore- 503 kms, Chidambaram- 68 kms, Kanchipuram- 113 kms, Madras-162 kms, Mamallapuram- 134 kms, Thanjavur- 170 kms, Thiruvannamalai- 103 kms, Trichy- 198 kms |
| Tourist Places In Pondicherry |
| Auroville |
Located 10 kms north of Pondicherry town, Auroville is envisioned as a universal town, where people from different nationalities, faiths and beliefs, can live in peace and harmony.
The construction of this 'universal town' was started in 1968 under the guidance of the mother, a paries- Born painter-musician who become sri Aurobindo's disciple and close companion from 1924 till his death in 1950. The development of this Utopia is still in progress. Several countries have offered to set up permanent pavilions, reflecting the culture and ethos of their countries.
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| Thirunallar Temple |
Thirunallar is 5kms west of Karaikal. The sanctum sanctorum of Lord Dharbaraneswara Temple holds Siva as the main deity. However, its shrine dedicated to Saneeswaran (Saturn) which figures in the story of Nala-Damayanti; makes this the most famous Saturn temple in India.The blessings of Saturn are said to be overwhelming, while its wrath causes great misery.The temple hosts a mammoth festival (Shanti peyarchi), each time Saturn moves from one sign of the Zodaic to another.
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| Light House |
One of the most frequented tourist spots in the city, the 19th Century Light House in Pondicherry stands pretty on the Red Hills in Gorimedu. Located at a distance of five Kilometers from the western border of the city, the 19th Century Light House in Pondicherry is among the prime Pondicherry Attractions.The inception of the 19th Century Light House in Pondicherry has an interesting story attached to it. There was a time when it was very difficult to navigate the ships to Pondicherry at night. Apart from an arrangement of fire atop the Red Hills, there was practically no signal to guide the ships towards Pondicherry. Even that fire was not enough as it was hardly visible from great distance. The shipping community formed a committee and requested the government to solve this problem.
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| Chunambar Beach |
The Chunambar Beach at Pondicherry, 7 km out of town is a wonderful place to wander around leisurely. The city ends at the cafe and bar lined beach with the roaring waves crashing against the rocks. Try to relish your sightseeing, start you beach combing from the 1 ½ km long promenade that provides a magnificent view of the beach from the feet of the statue of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation. Behold the eight exquisitely carved monolithic pillars embellishing the place along with a War Memorial raised by the French in honour of those who died in World War I. It is often possible to spot dolphins gamboling in the sea close to the beach. A natural of entertainment comes from hawkers, acrobats and snake charmers who make an evening besides the shores a memorable experience. |
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| Botanical Garden |
Botanical Gardens Pondicherry is well known for its various tourist hotspots, which attracts tourists all the year round to this destination. Apart from Auroville, Sri Aurobindo Ashram,various museums and beaches what is an important Tourist Places in Pondicherry is the Botanical Garden.
The Botanical Garden in Pondicherry was opened to the public in 1826 , it is located at the southern entrance of city bus stand. The Botanical Gardens situated in the center of the city provides a cool retreat from the oppressing heat and humidity of Tourist Places in Pondicherry . Tourist Places in Pondicherry sprawls over a 22 acres area and here you can just relax and listen to the twittering of birds and explore the rich variety of flora here. |
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| Pondicherry Museum |
The Pondicherry Museum showcases an eclectic collection of art, Pallava sculptures, handicraft, weaponry, archaeology, geology and the old French governor Dupleix’s bed, an old palanquin and other interesting things.
The Pondicherry museum housing some of the superb collections of sculpture is located in the Bharathi Park. This museum has an excellent gallery with sculptures and has the remains of archaeological findings from the Arikamedu Roman settlement. One can go through the history and legendary French colonial details in the section of the museum. |
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