Pondicherry Travel Guide
Pondicherry lies 162 kms from Chennai on the east coast of India. It comprises of four coastal regions - Pondicherry and Karaikal in Tamil Nadu, Yanam in Andhra Pradesh, and Mahe in Kerala. Pondicherry is the capital of this Union Territory.
There are more than 350 temples in and around Pondicherry, 75 of them dedicated to Vinayakar. Legendary associations trace the origin of this city to Rishi Agastya, the revered sage of the south. And excavations near Pondicherry reveal that a Roman settlement existed here 2000 years ago. Pondicherry has been the theatre of many battles in the wars between the British and the French, and was the capital of French India before it attained independence in 1954. Pondicherry is famous as a centre chosen by late Sri Aurobindo, revolutionary turned saint, who built his Ashram, which draws huge crowd of tourists. Going beyond the attractive envoirn of Pondicherry, there are many interesting sites for tourists. The Sri Aurobindo Ashram, where Sri Aurobindo and the Mother lived for the most parts of their lives; The Pondicherry Museum hub of the most exquisite collections on architecture and sculpture; Pondicherry beach located alongside historical monuments.
Pondicherry is the part of a region rich in architectural and cultural wealth. The grand temples of this region are a matter of great pride. Auroville was established as a tribute to Sri Aurobindo. Chidambaram is a temple town in Tamil Nadu famous for its temple of Nataraja, the dancing form of Lord Shiva. The 1500 metre long beach that borders the town on the eastern side is clean and is an ideal place for swimming and sun bathing. There are two monuments of historical importance on the beach. The climate in Auroville is sub-tropical. From December to March the day-time temperature range is 24 - 30°C. From April the temperature rises and reaches its peak of about 38°C in May-June. The main monsoon is in November with occasional rainfall in July which brings the temperature down. Nights are generally about 5°C cooler than the days.
Places of interest: Botanical Gardens-, Eglise De Sacre Coeur De Jesus, The Promenade, Govt. Park, Manakula Vinayagar Temple, Romain Rolland Library, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, French Institute, Museums & Art Galleries.
Attractions: Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Government Square, Promenade, The Pondicherry Museum, The Botanical Garden, Temples, Boat House, The French Connection, Jipmer, Pondicherry Museum, Sacred Heart Church, Bharathi and Bharathidasan Memorial Museums.
Access: The nearest major airport is at Chennai, 162 km away. Vayudoot Air service has regular flights from Chennai to Pondicherry. Trains ply regularly from Chennai to Pondicherry. State Government buses as well as private buses, and taxis ply regularly from Chennai to Pondicherry.
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