Pondicherry

 PONDICHERRY

Pondicherry aka Puducherry, is a city on the coast of Bay of Bengal. It is one of the most noteworthy and worth seeing places of Southern India. It was initially known for being a French colony and  you will be able to see the French styled township and architecture here. After the French rule , it was converted into a bustling Indian colony. This paved way for friendly ties between India and France. You will still get to see a strong French influence here, right from street names and sign boards, to people who speak French as fluent as Tamil. It is a wonderful vacation spot to visit with friends and family members. It is also a town of varieties and diversities in culture and cuisine. With its beautiful , clean beaches to the historic monuments of different cultures, it has become a place which is cute and delightful in  all aspects. Pondicherry will definately impress you in every way.

HOW TO REACH: 

By air: Pondicherry's domestic airport does not have a wide choice of flights. Fly by international or domestic flights to the nearest major airport at Chennai, and hit the road to Pondicherry.

By train: The Pondicherry railway station was inaugrated in 1879 and had trains running between Pondicherry and Villupuram. Today, it is a busy railway station with trains chugging in from major cities across the country.

By road: A drive along the East Coast road from Chennai to Pondicherry alongside the Bay of Bengal holds you in its sway. Drive to Pondicherry or board a bus which runs from a number of southern cities to Pondicherry.

BEST TIME TO VISIT: Months from December to March are winter here and the best period to visit Pondicherry.

THINGS TO DO: 

1) Beaches

2) Learn the arts

3) Walking tour

4) Heritage structures

5) Art and craft village

6) National fossil wood park

FOOD: For a Tamil-French fusion cooking try Parisian styled cafes in the White town or French Quarters. If you want a traditional South Indian meal spread on a banana leaf, try the South Indian Messes. Tanto Pizzeria near Auroville serves Italian food and Cafe Xtasi has firewood pizzas, while Baker's Street has French pastries. Kelsang Dolma's La Casita has the most delicious Tibetan momos served in the Travellers' Cafe on the rooftop.

SHOPPING: Visit Goubert Bazaar for Pondicherry's local produce including veggies, fruits,  fish and flowers and Serenity Beach Bazaar for ceramics, handicrafts and accessories. Shop at Auroville for hand crafted musical instruments and cotton garments. Buy furnishings, antiques and designer clothes at La Maison Rose at Ru Romain Rolland.

PLACES TO VISIT:

1) Sri Aurobindo Ashram

2) French war memorial

3) Promenade beach

4) Pondicherry museum

5) Gingee fort

6) Arikamedu

7) Raj Niwas

8) Auroville

9) Manakula Vinayaka temple

10) Paradise beach

11) Seaside Promenade

12) Serenity beach

13) Botanical garden

14) Pondicherry lighthouse

15) Quiet beach

16) Rock beach

Pondicherry shall always be on my 'must visit places' list. It is a place of peace , learning as well as relaxation. I love this place because I found it's name 'Pondicherry' very cute. It is a different world of its own since it is home to so many cultures, people, nationalities and backgrounds. We will get to learn a lot from this place. Pondicherry shall always be one among my favourite places to visit.