Pondicherry – A bit of France in India

A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.”

– Tim Cahill

Gandhi statue on the beach road

Puducherry formerly known as Pondicherry is the capital of the union territory of Pondicherry and is located in the Coromadel coast of the Bay of Bengal. It is a former French colony, and is referred by names such as ‘Quintessence of French Culture’, ‘India’s Little France’ and ‘The French Riviera of the East’.

In September 2006, the territory changed its official name from Pondicherry to the vernacular original, Puducherry, which means "New village" in the Tamil language.

The union of Pondicherry consists of four places, namely Pondicherry and Karaikal in Tamilnadu, Yanam in Andhra Pradesh and Mahe in Kerala. The main languages spoken here are Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, English and French.



You won't believe isn't Photoshopped!

Pondicherry is a well planned and well built town. This territory was under the French rule for nearly 281 years. Having been the capital of French colonies in India, the town is drenched with the French culture. Today, it exudes a charming picture of a quaint French town with its neat, cobbled streets, elegant houses, policemen with red kepis, quaint signboards, statues of Dupleix and Joan of Arc and pretty gardens. The entire town is divided into the French Quarter (Ville Blanche or White town) and the Indian quarter (Ville Noire or Black Town). Many streets still retain their French names and French style villas are a common sight in Puducherry.

The natural beauty mesmerizes and influences the visitors. People who love to go for shopping can select Pondicherry as goods in this town can be bought for cheaper prices and the shoppers can bargain and pay the minimal charges for goods to their satisfaction. Pondy as Pondicherry is fondly called has an exquisite range of hotels and resorts. All of them have a distinct class and cater to the domestic and international tourist needs. The eateries cater to multi cuisine tastes with the cuisines ranging from French, continental, oriental and so on.

HISTORY:

Pondicherry has a glorious history. A lot of foreign rulers have been here including the Portuguese, the Dutch, the Danes, the English and the French. But out of all of them, the French have had the greatest influence with their rule spreading across centuries.

According to mythology, it is said that Pondicherry was the abode of Sage Agasthya and the place was known as Vedapuri. It is believed that Pondy had trade relations with the Romans, proof of which is found in the excavations at Arikamedu which is 7 kms from Pondy. The town fell into the hands of the successive rulers of the place which includes the Pallavas, the Cholas and the Pandyas.

In 1673 the French started their rule over Pondicherry and were involved with regular conflicts between the English over the possession of the place. The disputes were however settled over an agreement between the French and the British. Subsequently the place was returned to India.

The Aurobindo Ashram



AUROBINDO ASHRAM:

Pondicherry was the residence of Sri Aurobindo. The Aurobindo Ashram founded by Sri Aurobindo in 1926, and Auroville (10 km) with its quiet spiritual experience, draw people from all over the world.



Chunnambar Beach



PLACES TO VISIT:

• Anglo-French Textile Mills
• Aurobindo Ashram
• Auroville
• Bharathi Park
• Botanical Garden
• Chunnambar Boat House
• Museum
• Pondicherry Museum
• Puducherry Beach
• Romain Rolland Library

GETTING TO PONDICHERRY:

• By Air: Nearest airport is Chennai Airport.
• By Rail: Nearest rail junctionVillupuram Junction.
• By Road: East Coast Road, NH 45-A from Chennai.