Pondicherry

Aurobindo Ashram or the Sri Aurobindo Ashram is a spiritual group (ashram) situated in the union territory of Pondicherry. The ashram was a small community that expanded over some time as more and more disciples of Aurobindo Ghose gathered around to seek spirituality. Aurobindo Ghose founded this ashram after he left his political career and aspired to inherit spiritualism in his life. A few followers of Aurobindo joined him in the ashram with the same aim of seeking spirituality. Located in eastern Pondicherry, Sri Aurobindo Ashram has become a hub of tourists who are inclined towards divinity and simplicity in their lifestyle. The ashram is popular not only in India but also in other countries because of the work put forth by the community towards the healing of humanity. The ashram in its initial days only had a few buildings but later, as more and more people joined, the ashram grew bigger and presently, it consists of many small buildings that are adjacent to each other. The ashram provides all the basic needs of its members for living a healthy and simple life. There is a library in the ashram where members can read and learn about the history and teachings of the place. Also, there are various cultural facilities like dance, theatre, music, arts, and sports for the all-round development of the members. The ashram is managed by a board of five trustees who make sure that the legacy and vision of Aurobindo Ghose remains in the ashram.History of Aurobindo Ashram:After quitting politics, Aurobindo Ghose spent most of his time writing and meditating in the ashram. From 1910 to 1920, the ashram had a few members alongside Aurobindo who all lived a simple life involving reading, writing and doing their daily chores. In 1920, Mirra Alfassa or “The Mother” who was regarded as the “spiritual collaborator” of Aurobindo returned to Pondicherry and lived in the ashram. Soon, more and more people came in the ashram and it gradually became a community under the umbrella of Aurobindo and the Mother. In 1926, the formal foundation of the ashram was done and this resulted in more and more people coming to the ashram. From just 24 people in 1927 to 150 in 1934, the ashram started to grow like a community. Over the years, as the ashram grew in numbers more and more departments were formed and the sadhaks looked after the departments as a part of their sadhana. Today, the ashram is spread throughout the town in around 400 buildings and houses more than 2000 sadhaks. Highlights of Aurobindo Ashram:-Aurobindo Ghose founded the ashram in 1926 after quitting his career in politics -Mother (Mirra Alfassa) companion of Aurobindo carried on the legacy of the ashram after Aurobindo’s death in 1950.-One of the biggest Ashrams in India, Aurobindo Ashram housing more than 2000 people living and serving each other. -Auroville, the city of dawn was the brainchild of Mother. Auroville is associated with the ashram in its ideological structure and well-being.-Aurobindo Ashram publishes many periodicals about the essence of spirituality and peace in life-It takes around 2-3 hours to see the entire ashram 

Rock Beach, often referred to as the Promenade Beach or Pondicherry Beach is a beachfront located along the Bay of Bengal. The coastline of this beach is 1.5 km long and starts at the War Memorial built at the beginning of the beach, while ends at the Dupleix Park built at the Goubert Avenue. Unfortunately, this beach is not open for taking dips in the sea or any water sport activities, but many visit the place during sunrise and sunset for walking, jogging or taking a stroll. The beach is clustered with tetrapods along the coastline, while a concrete pathway has been constructed which is flanked with cafes, restaurants and pubs. These restaurants serve various cuisines including French, Indian, Arabic and Chinese. Some of the places have live band performances that attract many tourists. The restaurants and pubs do not allow any customers after midnight and shut down before 1:00 AM.Apart from restaurants, there are shopping boutiques that sell textile materials, home décor and souvenirs for you to take home. The various hotels built around the beach provide several stay-at options for foreigners and local travellers. There are no vehicles allowed on the concrete and paved path, but there is a parking space provided at the entrance where you can give a fee of NR 5 and let the watchman take care of your vehicle.One may encounter various hawkers and vendors selling balloons, neon bands and tiaras whose presence may be vexing. The beach is not as crowded on weekdays as it is on weekends.

The Raj Niwas building is constructed on the foundation of a hotel named Hotel De La Compagnie. This is the government house of the Pondicherry and is a blend of both Indian and French architecture. The previous name of this Raj Niwas is Palais du Government. The Raj Niwas isn’t open to public but it is one of the attractions in Pondicherry. Most of the people who went on a trip to Pondicherry will surely pay a visit to this Raj Niwas to enjoy the Indo-French architecture. The monolithic pillars, fountain are the biggest asset of this Raj Niwas. They enhance the look of the construction as well as add royalty too. The public can go into the Raj Niwas on some special days and occasions only.Location:White TownPondicherry 605001Best Time To Visit:The Best Time To Visit: Raj Niwas will be between 12 pm and 1:30 pm as you will be allowed into the house. The point to remember here is the passes are limited to 40 per day.TimingsThe Raj Niwas will be open between 12pm and 1:30 pmDistance Between Pondicherry Bus stand and Raj NivasThe distance from Pondicherry bus station to Raj Nivas is 2.6 kms which can be travelled in 4-5 mins.Image Credits: thehindu.com

About the Place:This church, one among the 21 basilicas in India, is a famous pilgrimage for roman catholic Christians and considered one of the best places to visit in Pondicherry.It was built in 1908 by French missionaries. The sacred heart Basilica, a 100- years- old structure represents gothic architecture. It is 50 meters long, 48 meters wide and 18 meters high. Inside the church, there are 28 glass paintings which are a depiction of the life of Christ and saints of the church. The church has a huge area on the exterior too.Location:The church is located on the south boulevard of Pondicherry. Its address is 132, Subbaiah salai, Pondicherry, 605001.Best Time To Visit:This sacred abode of Jesus remains open throughout the year. People visit the church in masses during the Christmas festival. Though there is no specific time of the month to visit, a large number of outsiders can be seen here during winters considering the climatic condition of Pondicherry.Timings:Monday-Saturday: 7:00 AM – 6:30 PMSunday: 8:00 AM – 6:30 PMDistance From Pondicherry Bust-StandThe church is situated 2.5 Km away from Pondicherry bus stand towards south boulevard.

The French soldiers memorial is constructed in order to honor the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the country in World War I. The war memorial was constructed in 1970 and is one of the best attractions in Pondicherry. The memorial is decorated beautifully on 14th July of every year and is celebrated as Bastille Day. The people from complete Pondicherry and remaining other places visit this war memorial and respect the soldiers in the form of homage. The war memorial is smaller in size and doesn’t take much time to take a trip around it. The memorial itself has a good and positive vibe which make many people from in and around Pondicherry to visit it.Location:White TownPondicherry 605001Best Time To Visit:The Best Time To Visit: this war memorial is in the morning. You can enjoy the nature as well as spend some pleasant time in this place.TimingsThe French Soldiers memorial is open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pmDistance from Pondicherry Bus stand to French MemorialThe distance from Pondicherry bus stand to French memorial is 3.5 km which take 2-3 minutes to travel.

A stretch starting from War memorial and ending at Duplex park, Promenade Beach is a 1.2 -kilometer long stretch. It has some other best Pondicherry tourist places near it including Old lighthouse, The War Memorial,  Heritage Town Hall etc. The beach is a crowded spot of Pondicherry where travelers enjoy sports and hang out with their loved ones. You can also enjoy the mouth-watering street food of the food stalls present at the corners of the beach. Not only this, if you love handicraft materials, then the beachside shops offer beautifully knitted handicrafts too. This is the most preferred Location: by nature lovers and wanderers for sightseeing in Pondicherry.Location: It is located at Beach Road, Pondicherry starting from War memorial and ending at Dupleix Park.Best Time To Visit: With its busy street and breathtaking sunset view, the beach is most likely to be visited most in the evening time.Timings: The beach can be visited any day of the week from 5 am to 8 pm.Distance from Pondicherry Bus Stand: The Promenade beach is at the distance of 2.5 km via South Boulevard from the bus stand. This will take approximately  9 minutes to reach the bus stand from the beach.

About the Place:This place is located along the Cuddalore Main Road. If you are a person who loves boat riding, then this is heaven for you. Chunnambar Boathouse which is 8 km from Pondicherry offers you a chance to sail downstream and create a night camping experience for yourself. This boathouse is also called as Paradise Beach. You can spend your day enjoying beach sports and getting sun-kissed. Chunnamabr Resort offers rental boats for visitors as well as organizes beach sports. There is a multi-cuisine restaurant called as Seagulls, which serves delicious Chinese and Tandoori food.Location:It is located at Pondy-Cuddalore Road, Nonankuppam. This is 8 km away from Pondicherry.Best Time To Visit:It is advisable to visit this place for the rides and water sports during afternoon time and come back to the shore by evening.Entry FeeEntry fee is Rs. 10 per head, with extra charges for different water sports.TimingsThe boathouse remains open from 9:30 in morning till 4 pm in evening.Distance From the Pondicherry Bus StandThe two places are 6.4 k away. If you travel via Cuddalore Road, it will take around 15 minutes to reach the destination.So this is Pondicherry, a place that has a variety to offer. If it is known for its sacred churches and historical monuments, one cannot forget the adventurous time it gives you with its beachside views and water sports. Indeed this small territory is a unique combination of fun and tranquility. So now are you convinced to book a ticket to this land of beaches, this winter?

Installed as a tribute to the Father of the Nation, the Gandhi Statue in Pondicherry is one of the most visited monuments of the city. The four feet tall statue made of black marble is the tallest Gandhi statue in all of Asia. The statue captures the essence of Gandhiji, as he ventured out for his infamous Dandi March in the year 1930.Located on the Seaside Promenade, the black statue towers against the backdrop of the rolling blue waves of the Bay of Bengal. The statue itself is surrounded by eight monolithic pillars. These pillars were transferred from the Gingee Fort in the year 1986, even before the statue itself was installed, which was in the year 1995.A stage flanks the Gandhi statue towards the front side. This stage is known as the Gandhi Thidal. A number of cultural activities, including dance and music functions, are held on this stage throughout the year. The Gandhi Statue is well-lit and adds to the beauty of the beachside, especially during the evening, and marks the area as a prominent landmark in Pondicherry.History of Gandhi StatueThe Statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Pondicherry was constructed by the celebrated artist, Roy Chaudhury, of the Madras School of Arts and Crafts. Apart from the statue itself, there are eight white monolithic pillars that surround the edifice. These beautifully carved monolithic pillars was transferred from the Gingee Fort, which is located only 68 kilometers out of Pondicherry, and erected in the year 1986. The Gandhi Statue itself was erected much later, in the year 1995, right opposite to the Old PierHighlights of Gandhi Statue1. The four meter square statue of Mahatma Gandhi on the Beach Promenade in Pondicherry is the biggest Gandhi Statue in Asia.2. The eight magnificent granite pillars surrounding the statue were transferred all the way from Gingee, a Fort located 70 kilometers away from Pondicherry. 3. There is a tunnel beneath the statue that leads all the way to Gingee. Initially, the government had tried to desilt the tunnel and open it for public use. However, following a fatal accident in which four people got trapped and died of suffocation, the tunnel was closed for good in the 1960’s.