Discover the peaceful Pondicherry.

Pondicherry also known as puducherry, is a Union Territory which is located on the eastern side of Indian mainland. Being a former French colony Pondicherry shows a strong influence of yesteryears. One can witness a large number of religions thriving in small yet beautiful part of India. Hinduism always had a strong hold in Pondicherry. And with time Islam and Christianity also found home in Pondicherry and today are as major as Hinduism.

Located just 160 Km south of Chennai and close to most states of South India, Pondicherry today is an merger of people from all these states. And with them came all the languages of these states. Here you will find many languages being spoken like Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil and French. So is the culture different. This potpourri of culture and traditions is what makes Pondicherry a truly wonderful tourist destination.

Tourist Attractions

Auroville

Located 10 kms north of Pondicherry town, Auroville is visualized as a universal town, where people from different nationalities, faiths and beliefs, can live in peace and harmony.

The construction of this 'universal town' was started in 1968 under the counseling of the mother, a paries- Born painter-musician who become Sri Aurobindo's disciple and close companion from 1924 till his death in 1950. The development of this Utopia is still in progress. Several countries have offered to set up permanent pavilions, reflecting the culture and ethos of their countries.

Pondicherry Museum

The Pondicherry museum is also a big draw for tourists. The museum has a part dedicated to archaeological findings of the roman settlement from Arikamedu and an impressive sculpture gallery. The museum has a French division as well where one can trace the history of this colony. There are many exhibits in this section; one popular exhibition is a four-post bed that was used by the famous French Viceroy, Dupleix. Besides history one can also enjoy watching their snail shell’s amazing collection. The snail shells exhibited are all from Pondicherry.

Sacred Heart Church

There are several large churches and cathedrals around the town, including the striking brown and white sacred Heart Church on South Boulevard. Nearby are the peaceful, extensive Botanical Gardens, opened in 1740.

Botanical Garden

Established by C.S perrotet in 1826, it preserves a large assortment of exotic species of plants from all over India and abroad.

Mansion of Ananda

Rangapillai Built in 1773, this mansion is a fine specimen of indo - French architecture. Ananda Rangapillai was the courtier of Joseph francois dupleix , the governor. The dairy which Rangapillai maintained between 1736 - 60 is a book of great value as a source of information on the history of Pondicherry and the French in India.

How to reach!

By Air

The nearest airport to Pondicherry is Chennai, 135 km away from the city.

By rail

Though Ponidcherry is on the rail map journey by train to and from Ponidcherry is not very popular. Villupuram is the nearest junction, it is fairly well connected to places like Chennai, Madurai and Trichy.

By road

Ponidcherry is well connected to all districts and major towns of various states like Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Andra Pradesh. Ponidcherry is best accessible by road, either by bus or by taxi. There are regular buses, almost every 15 minutes in the day from Chennai’s new bus stand in Koyembedu.

Tour to Pondicherry, therefore is the ideal getaway, if you want to leave the bustle of the daily life far behind and seek a rendezvous with yourself in an atmosphere that exudes tranquility.