If you have never been to Pondicherry then on your arrival in the city, you will feel like you are in France. Even though France and Pondicherry are 6000 miles away, but the city in India still looks like a small town in France. A long time ago this union territory was colonized by the French.Because of this reason, you can see the road signs are in French, Tamil and English. People here celebrate Bastille Day, have croissants for breakfast and speak fluent French.
Pondicherry, now called Puducherry is located in the Coramandel coast of India. It is approximately 160kms from Chennai which is a 2 hour drive.People come here for all sort of things like meditation, yoga or to relax at the beach.
Thousands of people come and visit this city. They come here to inhale the beauty of Puducherry. If you want to make your trip memorable, then here is a list of things you must do.
Go for spiritual growth. Sri Aurbindo in the year of 1926 build the Aurobindo Ashram. The aim was to get away from the public view and grow spiritually. This place is where people come seeking for inner peace. Another place you can visit is the Auroville. This was founded as an international community in the year of 1968, where people of different nationalities could stay together in harmony and study composure and calmness of the mind. It also has a golden meditation dome, known as the MatriMandir.
Puducherry has the most stunning beaches in India. The Paradise, Promenade, Serenity and Auroville are the 4 main beaches in the city. You can enjoy a long walk, some ice cream to kill the heat at these beaches.There is also scuba diving in this city. The beaches will show you the most picturesque sunset and sunrise. One can also visit the beach road. It is basically the prime landmark of the city, where at all times you can see the carnival. After 6:30 pm, no motored vehicle is allowed to enter. Locals and tourists sit around the rocky beach and enjoy the quietness without all the honking. There are street artists, hawkers and many more making it lively here.
Next up is shopping and eating. Puducherry is the place where you can shop till you drop. People say it is every shopaholic’s heaven. You can start shopping from the famous Mission Street, visit the Casablanca boutique, and try the Kalki. The food in this city is finger licking good. You can totally become a foodie once you visit Puducherry. Try the unique taste in the Hotel De L’Orient which serves the Creole cuisine. Then there is also the Baker’s Street where you get some of the best cheese baguettes, and freshly baked breads. You can also try some delicious chocolates from Chocola.
Other places you can visit are the French War Memorial, the 19th century lighthouse, the Gandhi statue, and the Pondicherry museum. You can also pay visit to the churches of Sacred Heart, Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Our Lady of Angles. You can also try a cycling tour of the city. These are well guided tours that make it a wonderful experience.
Life at Puducherry is very simple, relaxed and quaint. You can come here and enjoy the small things in life.
