Chidambaram temple

Chidambaram is a beautiful temple greatly famous for its dedication for dance forms. The deity worshiped here is Nataraja the dancing form of Shiva. It is located 58kms from Pondicherry. The details of Natya Shastra are engraved on the gates of the Chdambaram temple. Sculptures of different poses of Bharatnatyam are filled in the interiors of the temple. During Shivaratri lots of devotees comes here for a night of prayer. The temple is a venue for a very famous dance festival. Many domestic and international visitors come here to see and learn from the rich culture and tradition of this temple and the surrounding places in Pondicherry.

Chennai is the nearest airport, as the state doesn’t have an airport. The nearest railway station is Villupuram. There are plenty of hotels and resorts in Pondicherry for tourists.

Anglo- French Textile mills

Anglo French Textile mill is a historic place started by the French in the year 1898. It was then called Rodier Mills. The quality of the fabrics manufactured here is still considered one of the best in the country. Rebates are given to the tourists who purchase it directly from the mills. Initially the spinning and weaving department only manufactured grey fabrics later it became mill with automatic looms and process. Today it is the largest composite textile mills in India. This mill provides direct employment to almost 4000 people. The products are exported and have ISO Certification. The mill celebrated its 100 years of service in 1998.

Chennai airport is the nearest one as Pondicherry does not have an airport and the nearest railway station is in Villupuram. The roadways are well maintained and well connected to all parts of the country. There are also several hotels, tourist homes and resorts in Pondicherry for tourists to stay and enjoy their sightseeing.

Festivals of Pondicherry

Pondicherry is a place with a mixed culture of both west and east. The best of both the world can be seen here. There are several fairs and festivals celebrated in Pondicherry irrespective of religion, caste, creed and all the other differences. The most famous festivals are, Pongal, International Yoga festival, Maasi Magam, the Mangani festival, celebrations on Bastille Day, Fete De Pondicherry, and Christmas etc. Pondicherry looks stunning during Christmas seasons. The French culture influence can be seen in the festivals held here.

Pondicherry does not have any airport, but the nearest one is located in Chennai (Tamilnadu). Villupuram railway station is the nearest. The state also has good road connectivity. The state also has several city hotels and resorts to provide enough accommodation facilities during festival seasons.

Sri Aurobindo Ashram

Pondicherry is situated 162 km south of Chennai. Sri Aurobindo Ashram is the most popular landmark in Pondicherry. From all over the world people come to visit this Ashram. The ashram was made by Sri Aurobindo in 1926. Just behind the Raj Nivas at the marine street, the main building of ashram is found. The Ashram main building was abode of Sri Aurobindo and the mother during their stay in Pondicherry.

Most of the people come to the ashram and meditate there as it is a very peaceful place. Also in the ashram the dwellers teaches yoga as Sri Aurobindo had elaborated a system of eternal yoga in order to practice yoga and modern exercise. So there is a yoga learning centre is The ashram is beautiful estate of 120 buildings and 2000 dwellers along with 400 students of the centre of education. These buildings serve for education as well as industries.

Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education is the important part of the ashram. Apart from this the ashram consists of libraries, a printing press, and small scale industries, facilities for recreation as well as cultural activities, gardens and farms. The ashram runs a paper factory called Sri Aurobindo Handmade Paper Factory. The facility of guest houses is also available in a very cheap rate in the ashram where the visitors can stay comfortably. The famous International centre for Yoga Education and Research is found in the ashram which is also called Ananda Ashram.

To reach Pondicherry you can take a flight to Chennai airport which is the nearest airport. Also by Pondicherry Express from Chennai you can reach to Pondicherry. As pondicherry is having a good network of roads which connects to most of the parts in South India you can also go by bus and taxi.  There are lots of hotels available in Pondicherry which provides a good service. You  can get a good hotel with a reasonable price.

Pondicherry – The calm city

Pondicherry or Puducherry as it is now called continues to be the perfect weekend getaway for the city of Chennai. Besides being by the sea, what makes this a unique destination is the distinct French feel that the city bears to this date. Especially places near the beach road. Many streets still have French names and the place is really clean.

Pondicherry isn’t a big city thus it is very calm. A favorite place in the city is the beach road, a long stretch of road with the Bay of Bengal on one side and restaurants and the Aurobindo ashram to the other. There is the French war memorial on one side and the Gandhi memorial on other side of the beach road.

One can explore the whole stretch of the beach road, have a great lunch at one of the restaurants there, explore more and in the evening sit down at the restaurant on the beach road.

Cuddalore – By the coast

20kms from Pondicherry, Cuddalore is a short drive away and promises a very different experience for the tourist.

Cuddalore as the name suggests, is a place by the sea. Its association with water goes a step further. The town is also situated at the point where the Rivers Ponnaiyar and the Gadilam often ravage it with flash floods. A sea-port of yore and an important temple town, Cuddalore is also famous for its beaches and its star attraction, the Pichavaram mangrove forest. The British also left their own imprint on the town with various monuments that are now part of the town’s heritage. Industry also plays an important role here with manufacturing units like SIPCOT and the Neyveli Lignite factory near by.

Pondicherry and Chidambaram also promise tourist attractions and have good access from here. Cuddalore is an interesting stop in the Tamil Nadu tourism circuit.

Sri Gokilambal Thirukameswara Temple in Villiannur

Sri Gokilambal Thirukameswara Temple at Villiannur is located 10 km away from Pondicherry. It is a holy place of pilgrimage importance for all the Hindus. Thousands of devotees from all over India come here for a ten-day annual festival (Brahmotsavam) to receive the blessings of the Lord.

During the Brahmotsavam, the devotees supply curd, rice, buttermilk, sandal as it is believed that their wishes are fulfilled by serving the crowd. These are the local beliefs which are very popular among the people of Pondicherry and also neighboring states. It is held in the month of May – June along with the appearance of the full moon.

Apart from this temple, the breath-taking view of the Ousteri Lake is located nearby which is spread over 10 hectares and is home to rare varieties of species of birds.

Mamallapuram, famous ancient rock-carved temple

Mamallapuram is around 58 km south to Chennai. The world famous shore temple has been listed among the world heritage sites of UNESCO. The beach temple was built during the seventh century in the period of Rajasimha.

The temple hasn’t suffered much from the sea, as there is already a breakwater protecting it. The waves have only caused damage to the pavement.

Mamallapuram is famous for its stone carvings. Most magnificent carving is “Arjuna’s Penance”, which is the largest carving (30m long by 15m high) on the face of the rock.  Arjuna’s Penance is a story from the Mahabharata and shows how Arjuna, the hero of Mahabharata, performed severe austerities in order to obtain Shiva’s weapon.

“Five Rathas” Five monolithic temples each created in different style. They are also known as Pancha Pandava Rathas.

“Krishna Mandapam”, it is a rock cut temple and has a carving showing Krishna lifting up the Govardhana Mountain to protect people from the wrath of Indra.

Handicrafts & Shopping in Pondicherry

Pondicherry is a shopper’s paradise. Shopping at Pondicherry is very cheap compared to other places as the government follows the low taxing structure on all commodities. It is also known for its traditional doll-making and textiles and silks. But it is also the birthplace of several world class brands in leather, pottery, stylish garment, refinished French and British colonial furniture and handmade paper. These excellent products came to renown solely by their superb quality. A new trend is the development of refined decor boutiques and export-quality antique furniture galleries.

Traditional handicrafts like  semi-precious stones,  stone carvings, bronze icons, brass figurines, wooden sculptures, jewelers and silver ware, hand woven carpets, candles, marbled silks and aromatherapy products at very competitive prices.

About Thiruvakkarai

Thiruvakkarai or Tiruvakkarai is situated about 30 km from Pondicherry. Thiruvakkarai is famous for three places, they are:

National Fossil Wood Park: It is located 1 km east of Tiruvakkarai village on the road between Tindivanam and Pondicherry. National Fossil Wood Park is India’s first wood fossil park, maintained by the Geological survey of India.

More than 40 to 50 million year old wood fossils are scattered over 247 acres, a small portion is open to the public.

The Mailam Murugan temple: The Mailam Murugan temple is located 10 kilometers from Tiruvakkarai, 45 km from Puducherry. It is atop a small hillock. It is believed that the place was where Lord Murugan freed a celestial being from a long standing curse.

Vakkara Kali Amman: The Vakkara Kali Amman is an ancient temple of 12th century AD. The prime attraction of this temple is a shrine dedicated to the powerful Goddess Kali, the slayer of evil. This stunning piece of sculpture of the angry goddess consists of 8 arms. It stands in a slightly tilted posture.