Pondicherry or Pondy is an amalgamation of Tamil and French cuisines and architecture; making it a compelling place to visit in India. The Union Territory of Pondicherry blessed with picturesque coastline is indeed a destination for beach lovers where they can enjoy multiple water activities. The colonial architecture compliments the beach life whereas the far situated Auroville add another dimension to Pondicherry tourism. Also called Puducherry it is an ideal holiday destination for tourist in India for a 4 day visit.
On arrival on the 1st day ain the morning tourist can head out to visit Sri Aurobindo Ashram, a spiritual community in Pondicherry, established by SriAurobindo in the 1910. it is a place for spiritual minded people who can spend a lot of time either meditating or simply spending time admiring the surroundings. After a good lunch tourist can visit Auroville, located 8 kms away from Puducherry, a great place to experience the uniqueness of mixture of the principles of peace, harmony, sustainable living and ‘divine consciousness’ which was the philosophy of the Mother of Sri Aurobindo Society, Mirra Alfassa or Srimaa.
if tim,e permits visit the beach. After that tourist. can return to their place of stay or take a evening stroll on the famous Paradise Beach. On the 2nd day tourist can visit Promanade beach for a view of the sunrise, after spending some time at the beach tourist can head out to one of the famous cafes that serve gourmet food for a sumptuous brunch. After that tourist can visit the famous Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus known for its Gothic architecture. One of the 21 Basilicas in India and the only one in Pondicherry, this church was set up by the French missionaries in 1908 which was given the status of the Basilica in 2011.
after that tourist can visit Meeran Mosque,the uniquely built mosque established by the Arcod Nawabs in Gothic Islamic style, showcases four pillars supporting the dome of the structure. The beauty of the shrine is further enhanced by the placement of Bronze Kallasa on the front facing minaret. In the late evening tourist can visit only functional Pondicherry Lighthouse, A landmark in Pondicherry it is a spot that giving its visitors the most amazing bird’s eye view of the city, after which tourist can retire for the day. On the 3rd day tourist can start after breakfast by visiting the Jawahar Toy Museum, which is right next to the old light house now closed for the public.
Located near near Gandhi Maidan the museum houses a wide range of dolls and toys collected from all over the country. totalling over 140 types of toys and dolls. Each one carefully labelled the doll museum, is a delightful place to visit if you have kids with you. After this tourist can visit the Pondicherry Museum, located in the Bharathi Park. Pondicherry Museum houses a collection of Bronze sculptures of god and goddess. remains of the archeological findings from Arikamedu Roman settlement, a wide gathering of temple lamps, handicrafts and specimens of Chola and Pallava art from Pondicherry and Karaikal.
After adminiring the artifacts tourist can head out for lunch in a south Indian restaurant nearby. In the late afternoon tourist can visit the Sri Manakula Vinayagar Temple, a 500 year old temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha, situated behind the Raj Niwas. Besides Vinayaka Chaturthi the temple attracts a large number of devotees on the 18th,day of Brahmotsavam festival. after which tourist can visit the Pondy market to buy souvenirs before retiring for the day.. On the 4th day after an early morning breakfast tourist can visit Veerampattinam Beach. It has an extensive coastline and is counted among the most beautiful beaches.
Located on the outskirts of Pondicherry it is named after the largest coastal village Veerampattinam, In the afternoon tourist can visit the French War Memorial, a stylish structure located in the Goubert Avenue dedicated to the soldiers who lost their lives in the First World War.On 14th of July every year, an annual commemoration ceremony is held here during which the monument is beautifully illuminated. Later tourist can visit Gokilambal Thirukameswarar Temple , situated 11 km from Pondicherry in small town of Villianur.,it is a beautiful temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.and is famous for the French influence in its construction.
In the evening tourist can visit Bharathi Park located at the centre of the Old Colonial area at Rue Saint Gilles Street, White Town in Pondicherry, Bharathi Park (also known as the Government Park) is a vast lush green park flanked by some of the most prominent government buildings in the town. After that to tourist can take a stroll in White Town, known as the French Colony of Pondicherry. White Town is a residential area in town which boasts of an interwoven culture of the Tamils and the primal French families and is known for its cobblestone streets and mustard yellow houses. The colony retains the old world charm, and also the architecture of ancient French Quarters. Most of these have been converted into heritage hotels, restaurants, quirky cafes and art galleries. The buildings are mostly painted in pale yellow colour or shades of it.
