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The Union Territory of puducherry comprises of four coastal regions viz- puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam. puducherry and Karaikal are situated on the East Coasts in Tamil Nadu, Yanam in Andra Pradesh and Mahe on the West Coast in Kerala.
puducherry is the Capital of this Union Territory. It is on the east coast about 162 kms south of Chennai (Madras) located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. There are no hills or forests in this region. The main soil types in this region are red ferrallitic, black clay and coastal alluvial.
Main languages spoken in the region are Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam. English and French are other languages, which are spoken by a considerable number of people. Majorities of the people are Hindus. There are quite a number of Christians and Muslims, whereas very few Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists.
puducherry is a unique place. Many feel that it has a distinct spiritual vibration. Stories of resident sages come down through its history from the earliest days. The nickname “Pondy” sums up this shared feeling of belonging, of having come home.
clean streets and house the French institutions, private homes and businesses, and the sprawling premises of the famous Sri Aurobindo Ashram. The visitor is greeted by mellow colours of cream, yellow, pink and grey with flamboyant bougainvillea bursting over gates and compound walls of cool courtyards.
Quiet beaches and peaceful resorts to the north and south balance the town's bustling, yet easy going life. But Pondy hasn't only its own special attractions to offer.It is a perfect base to explore the rich destinations around it (TamilNadu), even in daily trips: Auroville, the international City of Unity;theimposing Gingee Fort, the holy temple towns of Kanchipuram, Tiruvannamalai and Chidambaram, the heritage sculptures and magnificent rock temples of Mamallapuram, and the cool and lush hill stations of Yercaud and Kodaikanal.
puducherry is best accessible by road from Chennai, Bangalore and even from Kerala.Chennai has an international airport which directly connects to the highway to puducherry. And good transit hotels are available in the vicinity for travellers who arrive in the night.
puducherry has a wide choice of hotels for most visitors: beach resorts for the easy going tourist and families, heritage hotels for those who want to experience something else, high class commercial hotels for the corporate visitor and the neat Ashram Guest Houses for the spiritual seeker. And ambient restaurants serve a rich variety of French, Indian, Asian and continental food, with the latest pizza for an American bite.
Fairs & Festivals
New Years Day
– People of puducherry welcome the new year in exotic and esoteric nature, it is
just extra bonus for them.
International Yoga Festival
Republic Day
Ramzan Id-Ul-Fitr
Masi Magam
– The festival will be celebrated in the sea shore. In the morning around
30 sacred images from a wide region are bathed ritually. In the evening the
sacred images gathered in one place. In night there is a procession of images in
a illuminated cars in differed shapes(image bearing vehicle) The Mother’s Birth
Anniversary On 21st February, devotees queue at Sri Aurobindo Ashram starting
early in the morning, to visit the Mother’s room. Bakrid – Muslim day of Sacrifices.
Tamil New Year
Good Friday Department of Art & Culture, Government of puducherry organize Indian Classical music and dances in various places of puducherry.
Bastille Day-in
July 14th, Bastille Day, puducherry witnesses an Indo-French pageantry.
A cultural pageant, coinciding with Liberation Day
and Independence Day. Government of puducherry organize the fete features free
evening cultural presentation in various places of puducherry.
puducherry De Jure
Transfer Day- 16th of August marks
puducherry’s complete accession to the Indian Union in 1962. Vinayaka Chathurthi – The festival of India’s most ubiquitous god, Vinayaka (or Ganesh or Ganapati).
Navaratri
This day marks the end of Navaratri. Gourds reddened
with vermilion powder are broken, banana leaves are installed, and all forms of
implements and equipments, including cars and motorcycles are given a puja as a
honour.
Vijayadasami-
the next day to Ayudha Puja is given over to the Goddess Durga, the warrior
aspect of the Divine Mother.
the new moon between mid-October and
mid-November sees the Festival of Light, marking the triumph of Good over Evil.
Mostly all the peoples wear new dress and celebrate the festival with sweet and
crackers. This day is the happiest day for the children. Karthigai Deepam Festival- during this three day festival mostly all the Hindu houses even in rural and urban is illuminated.
Christmas Season - the Christmas season is quiet. Shops and houses are hung with perforated star lanterns
Beaching in puducherry Any trip to puducherry would be incomplete without a visit to its beaches. Though it’s hot and muggy through most of the year, puducherry has four main beaches which are fairly popular with tourists and locals alike. As opposed to the rest of India, the beaches here are relatively clean and not as crowded.
Most of the beaches are a little away from the town except for small stretch of sand behind Seagulls restaurant on Goubert Avenue. However this stretch is not as popular because of its lack of accessibility and security.
The 1.5 km long promenade running along the beach is the pride of puducherry. There one can relax or take a stroll at any time of the day. On the sea front are several land marks. The War memorial cold and dispassionate throbbing the memory of last dreams, the statue of Joan of Arc blazing an inspiration, the heritage town hall, the statue of Mahatma Gandhi standing tall, Dupleix statue, old light house, the remains of the old pier, the old customs house, speak the splendor of the by gone era. The well furnished tourist information centre is situated in esthetically heritage building facing the sea to cater to the need of visiting tourists.
Paradise Beach : Located 8 kms. from the town, along the Cuddalore Main Road this beach can be accessed from the Chunnambar Resort. Flanked by a quiet flowing creek on one side, the beach can only be accessed by boat
Serenity beach : This beach is a ten minutes drive to the north of the town. This virgin beach, with its serene surroundings is an ideal place to laze away your day.
Auroville Beach : The Auroville Beach as the name indicates is close to Auroville. It is right off the ECR, opposite the road leading to Auroville. Located around 12 kms from the main puducherry town, its shallow waters and small waves make it an ideal place of swimming. It is a fairly popular destination on weekends. On weekdays it is relatively less crowded.
Though the temples in puducherry are not as well known as their more famous counterparts in towns like Tanjavur or Chidambaram, they are charming in their own unique way, with some of them even dating back to the 10th Century AD Chola period.
This temple is more than 300 years old and is dedicated to Ganesha. It has a golden spire and walls portraying forty different forms of Ganesha. The temple also has a smaller shrine dedicated to Lord Murugan, who is Ganesha’s younger brother. Over 5000 devotees flock to this site everyday. The temple compound also plays host to ‘Lakshmi’, the temple elephant, who uses her trunk to dispense blessings and to collect coins from the devotees.
Varadaraja Perumal Temple Located on M.G.Road, this is believed to be the oldest temple in town, dating back to 600 AD. The temple built in the typical Dravidian style, complete with brightly coloured ‘gopuram’ and sculpted pillars, is probably the oldest standing structure in puducherry. This temple is dedicated to Vishnu. Legend has it, that the temple was originally built for the idols of Rama, Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman, which were brought to the present site by fishermen, from the sea. The main deity here is Venkatachalapathy (Vishnu). Right behind that is a separate shrine for Narashima (who is also an avatar of Vishnu).
Vedhapureeswarar Temple This temple also known as the Eashwaran koil, is located on M.G.Road and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It has colourful ‘gopuram’, adorned by the statues of gods and goddesses, like most temples in South India.
Kanniga Parameswari Temple This temple, dedicated to the godess Shakti is unique as it seems to be strongly influenced by the French architectural style. Located on M.G.Road, it has an unusual blend of both Tamil and French architecture. With its arched walls, ionic columns, stained glass windows and even some angel decorations, it is reminiscent of a French building. However, the inner ceiling supported by the more traditional granite pillars and the sanctum sanctoram, which has a typical Tamil design, highlights the more traditional Tamil features.
Kamatchiamman Temple Located on Bharathi Street, this temple is different from most other South Indian temples by virtue of its lack of colour and ornamentation. Its starkness is what makes it stand out from the rest. This dark rust coloured temple is dedicated to Durga, the goddess of war.
Sri Gokilambal Thirukameshwara Temple This is located in a small town called ‘Villianur’, 11 kms. from puducherry. The main shrine housing the ‘Shivlinga’ and the shrines dedicated to the Devi and Murugan date back to the 12th century Chola period. This temple has a little bit of French heritage attached to it, though not in its architecture, but in some of its traditions. The annual Temple Car Festival which is held in the months of May and June, involves the pulling of a 15 metre tall chariot through the streets by a large crowd of devotees. During French colonial rule, the Governor of puducherry used to join this very procession and actively participate in the drawing of the chariot through the streets. This tradition lives on with the present Lieutenant Governor of puducherry participating in the festival now.
Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Located on Subbayah Salai, this white and brown neo-gothic church is one of Pondy’s finest Catholic churches. It was built by French missionaries in the 1700’s in a contrasting Neo-Gothic manner, with towers flanking a central gable and stained glass windows on the side. The church has an imposing entrance and the beautiful stained glass panels depict incidents from Jesus Christ’s life. Further along the southern boulevard is the cemetery which has some interesting tombs with ornate marble decorations.
Church of the Capuchins Located on rue Dumas, this is one of the first churches to be built in puducherry. Even though it was one of the very few buildings that partially survived the destruction of the town in 1761, it is a mere shadow of its past glory, except for its rather interesting gable. Today, it houses an orphanage.
Notre Dame de’ Located on Mission Street, this cathedral, which bears a strong resemblance to a church in France, was built in 1791 in the place of a former church. The imposing façade presents paired Doric columns below and ionic above. In front of the church is a statue of Our Lady with the infant Jesus in her arms. The interior design consists of eight barrel vaults and a central dome pierced with eight circular openings.
The Notre Dame des Anges
The Church of our Lady of the Angels on rue Romain
Rolland was built in 1852 in the Greek Roman architectural style. Its façade,
flanked by two unadorned square towers, faces east towards the ocean. The
interior is roofed by a barrel vault, with
This church is also famous for its rare oil painting of Our Lady of the Assumption, which was a gift from the French emperor, Napoleon III. The cemetery next to the church has the tomb of Marquis de Bussy (dated 1785), who was one of Dupleix’s most enterprising followers.
Church of the Assumption
Located at Nellitoppu, on the western outskirts of
the city, this church was built in 1851. The main entrance has an image of Our
Lady and on the left towers is the statue of St. George in the act of slaying a
yall-like monster. Inside the church you will find some of the finest glided
altarpieces including a Crucifix surrounded by flying angels. The Church of Our Lady of Lourdes
This interesting located at Villianur, a small town
11 km. from puducherry. It was erected in 1876 is modeled on that of the
Basilica in France. The statue of Notre Dame was donated by the French
Government a year later. A curious feature here
Church of Our Lady of Good Health The church is located at Ariyankuppam, a tiny village 4 km south of puducherry. The church makes for an interesting cycling expedition off the beaten track. The church founded in 1690 was subsequently rebuilt several times. The interior has rounded arches carrying a vault over the central aisle. A freestanding Crucifix is displayed upon the altar and brightly painted wooden images are set on shelves in the side walls.
Besides these imposing structures there are various smaller churches and shrines in puducherry which have their devout followers, like The Church of Francis Assist, which was built in 1843, the shrine of St. Anthony in the French Quarter, The Saint John Church and the Seventh Day Adventist Church.
JAMAI MOSQUE Located on Mulla Street, this beautiful mosque’s distinctive architecture and swaying palm trees in the back make it beautiful to behold.
MEERAN MOSQUE: Meeran mosque is the oldest mosque in puducherry.It was built before 350 years. It has the old gothic Islam architecture in it. It was built by ARCOD NAVAB.It has four lofty pillars below its dome, with MEERHATH near it and MEEMBER next to it. It also has the KALIMA SLAB above the MEERHATH, with clean blankets spread all over the hall.
The bronze KALLASAS in the top of the façade minaret
adds beauty to it. It has the divine graves of
MEERAN
who built this mosque and SUUBHI ERRAI PERRIAR
Mullah’s in it. The mosque has everyday prayers in it.
KUTHBHA MOSQUE: Kuthbha mosque is the first mosque in puducherry.It is said that it was near the Seventh day school now, during 17th century. As the mosque was in the white area the FRENCH people ordered them to vacate the place and shift the mosque and the Islam society to the southern end after the channel.
These streets where built facing
MULLA MOHHAMED MOSQUE:
To have the preaching in URUDHU and
URUDHU
in Islam one part of KUTHBHA MOSQUE
was built as MULLA MOAHMED MOSQUE.
This mosque has a small pond with fishes, clean hall, and
RAMJAN fasting food cooking hall and
JENESHA in it.
Heritage Buildings & Monuments
No visit to puducherry is complete without a walk along beach road. Friday, Saturday and Sunday and holiday evening are busiest. The Police close both end of the road for vehicular traffic. Beach road has little of architectural interest, but oceans of simple charm and officially called Goubert Avenue.
Children’s Park & Dupleix
Statue
The Mairie
Le Café
Gandhi Statue
French War Memorial
Nehru Statue
19th Century Light House
French Consulate
Around
Bharathi Park
Raj Niwas
Romain Rolland Library
Sri
Aurobindo Ashram
The Ashram was set up in 1926 by Sri Aurobindo Ghose, one of India’s greatest philosopher-poets, who originally came to Pondy to escape persecution by the British. It was after arriving in puducherry, that he was drawn into the spiritual realm and discovered the power of yoga. His philosophy deeply rooted in yoga and his writings inspired a number of followers.
One of them was a Parisian mystic, painter and
musician called Mirra Alfassa, who was so inspired by his philosophy that she
stayed on in puducherry and
The ashram’s influence can be felt in most of puducherry. The main ashram building is where the mortal remains of Aurobindo and the Mother are kept. Their ‘Samadhi’ or mausoleum, which is generally surrounded by supplicating devotees, is in the central courtyard under a frangipani tree and is covered daily with flowers.
Some of the ashram’s facilities like the Library and the Main Building (during collective meditation) can be accessed, only after obtaining a gate pass from the Bureau Central or some of the Ashram Guest Houses.
Auroville or the ‘City of Down’ was conceived as a
utopian paradise by the Mother, the spiritual successor of Sri Aurobindo. The
idea was to
Located around 8 km northwest of puducherry, it was designed by the French architect Roger Anger. Around 1900 people live in communes, with names like Grace, Serenity, Fertile, Certitude and Transformation. Two-thrids of the residents are non-indians. Architecturally speaking the buildings are a combination of modern western and traditional Indian elements and are set in a rural landscape of narrow lanes, deep red earth and lush greenery. The residents sustain themselves by involving themselves in agriculture, handicrafts, alternative technology, educational and development projects including Aurolec, a computer software company.
The Matri Mandir is set in an area of 62 acres and reflects the Mother spiritual beliefs. It was conceived as “a symbol of the Divine’s answer to man’s inspiration for perfection. Union with the Divine manifesting in a progressive unity”.
During the inauguration ceremony of Auroville on 28th February 1968, the soil of 124 countries was poured into a lotus-shaped an urn, to symbolize universal oneness. This urn is today kept in the Matri Mandir. This spherical marble chamber has a crystal placed inside it, (believed to be the largest of its kind in the world) reflecting the suns rays. The concentrated light acts as a focal point to aid mediation.
Botanical Gardens
The Botanical Gardens are located south of the New
Bus Stand.
The gardens also have a musical fountain which is active over the weekends, with two shows in the evening. Check for timings and the frequency of the shows as they may change depending on the season.
Bharathi Park
The Government Park or Bharati Park is in the green
centre of the French Town and its lush trees provide ample relieve from the
scorching sun on a hot summer day. With children playing in ponds, on their hill
or in the traffic park, grown-ups sitting or lying on granite benches, families
on a picnic and occassional sit-ins of striking citizens, the park is the most
appreciated public area in town. Strolling under the cool trees is as dynamic as
it gets. Unless people rush to the spot when an occassional movie is being shot.
The Aayi Mandapam has become the unmistakable centre from which four lanes divide the Park in four almost equal parts. The area is dotted with ancient sculptures and not so ancient statues. Around it stand a number of stately buildings:
The Raj Nivas - The residence of the Lt. Governor, formerly the Palace of the French Governor of puducherry.
The Museum - situated opposite the Raj Nivas on St Louis Street, houses an interesting collection of excavated artifacts from Roman Times and heritage from the French Period.
Towards the east, hidden behind a thick wall and huge trees lies the former French bandstand on which the French Army Band used to play.
Past the General Hospital on the western side are the Legislative Assembly and the Cercle de Pondichéry.
Turning back towards the Raj Nivas on the left is beautiful Villa Aroumé, which houses the Ashram Dining Room.
Keezhoor There is a huge banyan tree near the village here. The canopy of the 400 year old tree covers a few acres at the very least. Kizhoor a border village is situated at a distance of nearly 28 kms from puducherry. It is a historic place in the sense that it is here only in the year 1954. Voting took place for the merger of puducherry with the Indian Union. As part of the celebrations of 50th Anniversary of De-facto puducherry, a permanent Exhibition of paintings relating to the merger of puducherry was opened at the Kizhoor Monument.
Chunnambar is situated 8 kms from puducherry, along the Cuddalore Main Road. This tropical paradise is flanked by a quiet-flowing creek on one side. You can sail downstream to the sands and pitch up a cozy seaside tent for yourself. Overnighting within the tree-houses on the backwater banks provides a relishing experience of the great outdoors.
'Sunrise Panorama' (a two storey tree top house) gives you an unrestricted view of the backwater up to its mouth. 'Palm house' on the other hand overlooks the artificial pond and the park. 'Nest bird' is the perfect abode for the adventure loving folks, it has a rope ladder that leads to a small balcony. All in a tree house!
Districts Of puducherry
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Away
from the hustle and bustle of big city, puducherry is a quiet little town on the
southern coast. The unmistakable French connection,the tree lined boulevards,the
quaint colonial heritage buildings, the spiritual scene, the endless stretches
of unspoilt virgin beaches, backwater, a surprising choice of restaurants
serving a melange of cuisines, provide a heady mix that draw travellers from
near and far. It is the perfect place dto come to if you wants tko take the pace
of life down a few notches.
Puducherry
has a special ambience, not felt anywhere else in India. It is a blend of
spiritual aura, French colonial heritage, Tamil culture and the cosmopolitan
flair of many nationalities in a small but varied town. The inherent ambience
of Pondy, as it is fondly called, becomes most evident in the oldest part of
the town which flanks the seashore boulevard. Colonial buildings, some which
trace back to the 18th century, line along a grid of straight 
Pongal
Festival – The harvest, earth and
sun festival
Independence
Day- 15th of August, the day is
celebrated with enthusiasm.
Deepavali
Promenade
: 
Manakula
Vinayagar Koil
a
great dome rising over the crossing. The pastel peach and lime colours give it a
very serene appearance. 
is the
Church tank, which is usually common in all the Hindu temples. We can only
speculate as to the purpose of the tank. Was it an
attempt to
assimilate the local customs or was it built out of necessity. The ritual
bathing of devotees at the tank here, a long
standing tradition, is one of the highlights during the festival honouring the
Madonna held in June.
BEACH
ROAD
Aayi
Mandapam
The
Sri Aurobindo Ashram located on rue de la Marine, is one of the most well known
and wealthiest ashrams in India, with devotees from India and all over the world
flocking to it for spiritual salvation. Its spiritual tenets represent a
synthesis of yoga and modern science. It is open to the public daily between
08-1200 hrs and 1400-1800 hrs. Children below 3 years of age are not allowed
into the ashram and photography is allowed only with permission of the ashram
authorities. 
was
instrumental in establishment of the ashram. After Aurobindo’s death in 1950,
the running of the Ashram was entrusted to his chief disciple and companion,
Mirra Alfassa, (also known as ‘The Mother’). The idea of Auroville or the “City
of Down” was conceived by ‘The Mother’. She died in 1973 at the age of 93.
build a futuristic city where people of goodwill would live together in peace
and harmony. Auroville came into existence in 1968. The Auroville Charter says
“To live in Auroville one must be a willing servitor of the Divine
Consciousness” and describes it as belonging to “nobody in particular, but to
humanity as a whole and as being a place of constant progress and a bridge
between the past and the future”. 
The
gate leading to the garden is reminiscent of French architecture and it stands
out from its immediate surroundings because it is smack in the middle of the old
Tamil town. The Botanical Gardens were laid out in 1826 in the ornate French
style, with pruned trees, beautiful flower beds and gravel lined paths and
fountains. The French introduced many exotic plants from all over the world,
many of which thrived. With over 1500 species of plants, this could actually
qualify as one of the best botanical gardens in South India. 
