Explore Pondicherry to Indulge in #YehMeraIndiaWaaliFeeling

Ritika Jain

Last updated: Jan 28, 2020

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Pondicherry or Puducherry literally means ‘new town.’ Everything in this charming city is within walking distance since it’s just 190 square miles in area. While most visitors get charmed by the French Quarters with colonial villas and chic boutiques, we insist that the most spectacular thing about this quaint place is the sunrise over the Bay of Bengal. Take a look at the best places to visit in Pondicherry to include in your holiday itinerary.

Serenity Beach

pondicherry beach

This picturesque beach with white sand sets up weekend bazaars selling a myriad of handicraft items, leather goods and apparel. It is clean, calm and sparsely crowded. One can go for adventure activities like surfing, boating, canoeing and kayaking, or relax with sunbathing or a dip in the waters. There are many more popular beaches around like the Paradise beach and the Rock beach.

Manakula Vinayagar Temple

Dedicated to Lord Ganesha, this temple predates the French settlement in Pondicherry. Made via donations, the golden chariot is an attraction for devotees who bring their newborns here before heading anywhere else.

Pondicherry Museum

The Pondicherry Museum has an excellent sculpture gallery and houses several bronze statues and handicrafts from the Chola and Pallava era. The painting section includes Tanjore paintings, colonial prints, contemporary oils, pastels and water colours.

The Church of Sacred Heart of Jesus

Located on the south boulevard, this gothic building is a highly revered place, and one of the 21 basilicas in India. A striking statue of Madonna draped in a blue sari is placed at the right side of the high altar. It also has rare stained glass panels depicting events from the life of Christ and a few saints of the Catholic Church.

Ananda Ranga Pillai House

Opposite the Grand Bazaar on Ranga Pillai Street, this beautiful traditional Tamil mansion— also known as Native’s Quarters—has a huge courtyard with exquisitely carved wooden pillars. It is a treasure house for those wish to learn more about the French colonial period in Pondicherry as documented by Pillai in his diaries. The mansion was one of the few buildings to survive the British invasion and has been recognized by the Puducherry government as a heritage structure.

Seaside Promenade

pondicherry

This stretch of 1.5 km boasts of some of the most iconic landmarks of Pondicherry like the French War Memorial, Town Hall and Old Lighthouse. In addition, you can see the grand statues of Mahatma Gandhi, Dupleix and Joan of Arc. The area is extremely clean and well-maintained. There are many food outlets nearby, where you can savour authentic seafood preparations.

Osudu Lake

Situated at Osudu Village between Pondicherry and Tamil Nadu, these backewaters are one of Asia's most important wetlands. They are inhabited by more than 40 migratory birds like the Golden Oriole, Painted Stork, White Ibis, Open Bill Stork, Tailor Bird and Spotted Owlet. Boating facility is also available at the lake.

Botanical Garden

Spread over 22 acres in the centre of the city, the garden is favoured by both locals and tourists. Pruned trees and flower beds along with fountains and Perrotet’s memorial can be seen inside the premises. Each of the 28 plots within the garden has a separate theme. Other attractions include a small toy train, musical fountains and an aquarium.

Raj Nivas

Le Palais Du governor, now called the Raj Nivas, was built on the former site of the Hotel de la Compaigne. It is a double-storeyed house showcasing the Rococo style of architecture, and has a valuable collection of ancient artefacts, including a magnificent collection of porcelain, brass and silverware, coins, statues, vases, antique furniture and a grand piano. It’s been opened to public since May 2017, and the visiting hours are 12.00 -1.30 p.m., Monday to Saturday. Online registration is a must, and visitors are required to carry Photo IDs.

SITA Cultural Centre

Also known as the South Indian Traditional Arts Society (SITA society), this centre is the ideal place to catch exhibitions and performances. It offers creative classes in Ayurveda, Yoga and traditional dance forms like Bharatnatyam. Indian Martial Arts like the Kalaripayat and art forms like Tanjore painting are also taught here. Visitors can enrol in Indian cooking classes, using locally produced ingredients.

Auroville

auroville

13 km from Pondicherry, lies the UNESCO endorsed township housing the Matrimandir – a hundred foot high spherical structure with its lotus bud shaped foundation, gold-disc encased exterior and marbled meditation chamber. Owing to good weather, a lot of people flock to Auroville between December and February. Based on the teaching of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother – Mira Alfassa’s vision of uniting humanity, this habitat is intended as a city for upto 50,000 inhabitants from around the world. One can get initiated into a new way of life involving community service, take part in Yoga sessions, and also shop for unique products manufactured in Auroville. The Auroville beach is one of the less crowded, serene ones.

How to Reach Pondicherry

By Road: Pondicherry lies on NH45. Chennai is just 150 km from Pondicherry and Bangalore is 320 km away.

By Train: The nearest railway station is Villupuram, just 35 km from Pondicherry. It is well connected to cities like New Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai and Trivandrum.

By Air: Puducherry Airport is a domestic airport in the Lawspet district. It has regular flights ex Bangalore. Chennai Airport is the nearest international airport.

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Ritika Jain

I'm a wanderer at heart, interested in the world's history and culture, and collecting souvenirs from wherever I go. I believe the best way to travel is to mingle with the locals, eat street food and visit contemporary art galleries. I also try to be a responsible tourist, careful not to buy products made through child labour and be sensitive to the local ecology.

Comments

ASHISH KUMAR MISHRA | on 28 May 2018

Very Nice Post. About me, I am a travel freek, I love to explore new place so if you have any group of people who travel frequently. I really love to join.