Puducherry is a quiet little town on the southern coastline of India. The unique French connection, the tree lined boulevards, the pretty colonial heritage buildings, the spiritual vista, the endless stretches of unspoilt virgin beaches, a surprising choice of restaurants serving a mixture of cuisines, provide a exciting mix that draw travellers from all around the world.
The Union Territory of Puducherry comprises of four coastal regions viz- Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam. Puducherry and Karaikal are situated on the East Coasts in Tamil Nadu, Yanam in Andra Pradesh and Mahe on the West Coast in Kerala.
Main language spoken in the region is Tamil. Telugu, Malayalam, English and French are other languages, which are spoken by a considerable number of people.
Quiet beach resorts to the north and south balance the town's bustling, yet easy going life. But Pondy hasn't only its own special attractions to offer. It is a perfect base to explore the rich destinations around the town – including, Auroville, the international City of Unity; the imposing Gingee Fort, the holy temple towns of Kanchipuram, Tiruvannamalai and Chidambaram, the heritage sculptures and magnificent rock temples of Mamallapuram etc.
Puducherry has a wide choice of hotels for most visitors - beach resorts for the easy going tourist and families, heritage hotels for those who want to experience something else, high end business hotels for the corporate visitor. Ambient restaurants serve a rich variety of French, Indian, Asian and continental food, with the latest pizza for an American bite.
For the shopper, Puducherry has a lot to offer. Puducherry is soft on your purse with taxes low or non-existent. It is known for its traditional doll-making and textiles and silks. But it is also the birthplace of several world class brands in leather, pottery, aromatics, fashion and handmade paper. These excellent products came to renown solely by their superb quality. A new trend is the proliferation of exquisite decor boutiques and export-quality antique furniture galleries.
How to Reach
The closest airport is in Chennai, which is around 135 kms from Puducherry (approx. 3 ½ hrs. journey). Chennai has excellent connections with almost all cities in India and direct connection to Europe, USA, Middle East and South East Asia. Trichy airport is 220 kms away & Bangalore is 320 kms.
Though Puducherry is on the rail map, journey by train to and from Puducherry is not very popular. Villupuram is the nearest junction; it is fairly well connected to places like Chennai, Madurai and Trichy.
Climate
The weather in Puducherry is hot. But it can be managed. And it can be delightful.Winter runs from December through February. Daily temperature around 30° C and nights are pleasant, even cool. This is high tourist season in Puducherry.
Summer is from March through July has hot and humid climate. Temperature is around 35° C- 38° C.
The monsoon on the west coast brings temporary relief towards the end of July and in August which results in milder temperatures and occasional showers which might continue right up to the month of October. The North West Monsoon in October through December brings cooler weather. The monsoon develops throughout this period, peaking in November and occasional quick tempered storm fill the streets for a day or so. Throughout the year, evening sea breezes can bring relief.
Unique Experience
Puducherry has a wealth of heritage buildings of both French and Tamil architectural styles. The grid patterned layout of town divides the town into two distinct settlements. The French section is on the east of the canal that bisects the town while the Tamil section is essentially on the western side. Being a small laid back place, puducherry is pleasant to explore on foot.
Toursit’s Delight
SRI AUROBINDO ASHRAM
The Sri Aurobindo Ashram located on rue de la Marine, is one of the most well known and wealthiest ashrams in India, with devotees from India and all over the world flocking to it for spiritual deliverance. Its spiritual tenets represent a synthesis of yoga and modern science. It is open to the public daily between 0800 -1200 hrs and 1400-1800 hrs. Children below 3 years of age are not allowed into the ashram and photography is allowed only with permission of the ashram authorities.
The Ashram was set up in 1926 by Sri Aurobindo Ghose, one of India’s greatest philosopher-poets, who originally came to Pondy to escape harassment by the British. It was after arriving in puducherry, that he was drawn into the spiritual realm and discovered the power of yoga. His philosophy deeply rooted in yoga and his writings inspired a number of followers.
One of them was a Parisian mystic, painter and musician called Mirra Alfassa, who was so inspired by his philosophy that she stayed on in Puducherry and was instrumental in establishment of the ashram. After Aurobindo’s death in 1950, the running of the Ashram was entrusted to his chief disciple and companion, Mirra Alfassa, (also known as ‘The Mother’). The idea of Auroville or the “City of Down” was conceived by ‘The Mother’. She died in 1973 at the age of 93.
AUROVIILE
Auroville - or the ‘City of Dawn’ - was conceived as a place of research into the ideal of human unity by the Mother, the spiritual collaborator of Sri Aurobindo. The idea is to build a innovative city where people of goodwill can live together in peace and progressive harmony, above all creeds, all politics and all nationalities. Auroville came into existence in 1968. Its Charter says, “To live in Auroville one must be a willing servitor of the Divine Consciousness”, and describes it as “belonging to nobody in particular, but to humanity as a whole”; as a place “of constant progress”; and as “a bridge between the past and the future.”
Located around 8 kms north-west of Puducherry, Auroville was designed by the French architect Roger Anger. Around 2,000 people live there in settlements with names like Grace, Fraternity, Fertile, Certitude and Transformation. Nearly two-thirds of the residents are non-Indians.
Architecturally speaking the buildings are a combination of modern western and traditional Indian elements, set in a rural landscape of deep red earth and widespread forestation, with narrow earth roads linking the settlements. The residents are involved in agriculture, administration, commerce and handicrafts, alternative technology, education, healthcare and development projects, the latter including AuroRE Systems, an international award winning unit involved in solar photovoltaic and thermal systems.
The central Matrimandir, which is not a temple but a place for individual silent concentration, is set in an area of 62 acres at the centre of the emerging township, and is seen as “a symbol of the Divine’s answer to man’s aspiration for perfection. Union with the divine manifesting in a progressive human unity.”
The Auroville visitors Centre is located near Bharat Nivas, the Indian national pavilion in Auroville’s International Zone, and is open from 0930 to 1730 hrs every day. This Centre has a permanent exhibition on the history and philosophy of the project, an Information Service offering books, brochures and leaflets on various aspects of Auroville, three boutiques, a bookshop, and a cafeteria providing refreshments and international cuisine. Introductory videos on the township and the Matrimandir can be seen at the Centre by request.
BEACHES
Puducherry has four main beaches which are fairly popular with tourists and locals alike. The beaches here are relatively clean and not very crowded. Beaches are a little away from the town.
Promenade:
The 1.5 km long promenade running along the beach is the pride of Puducherry. There one can relax or take a stroll at any time of the day. On the sea front are several land marks. The War memorial cold and dispassionate throbbing the memory of last dreams, the statue of Joan of Arc blazing an inspiration, the heritage town hall, the statue of Mahatma Gandhi standing tall, Dupleix statue, old light house, the remains of the old pier, the old customs house, speak the splendour of the bygone era. The well furnished tourist information centre is situated in aesthetically heritage building facing the sea to cater to the need of visiting tourists.
Paradise Beach:
Located 8 kms from the town, along the Cuddalore Main Road, this beach can be accessed from the Chunnambar Resort. Flanked by a quiet flowing creek on one side, the beach can only be accessed by boat.
Serenity beach:
This beach is a ten minutes drive to the north of the town. This virgin beach, with its serene surroundings is an ideal place to laze away your day.
Auroville Beach:
The Auroville Beach as the name indicates is close to Auroville. It is right off the ECR, opposite the road leading to Auroville. Located around 12 kms from the main Puducherry town, its shallow waters and small waves make it an ideal place of swimming. It is a fairly popular destination on weekends. On weekdays it is relatively less crowded.
Puducherry is a quiet little town on the southern coastline of India. The unique French connection, the tree lined boulevards, the pretty colonial heritage buildings, the spiritual vista, the endless stretches of unspoilt virgin beaches, a surprising choice of restaurants serving a mixture of cuisines, provide a exciting mix that draw travellers from all around the world.
