A Low Budget France Trip aka Pondicherry Diaries

Pondicherry, or Puducherry, is famously known as the French Riviera of the East, and is one of the most mesmerizing and charming places in South India. A former French colony, this quaint little town has retained its old-world French charm. 8000 kilometers away from France, Pondicherry comes very close to giving you a feel of the French culture and the French influence is very obvious in the city right from the food to the architecture.

As we'd already been to Pondicherry before, sightseeing wasn't our focus for this trip but we did manage to see a few tourist attractions.

Auroville is a peaceful and tranquil area, a few kilometers from the main town of Pondicherry. It is an experimental township with the purpose of realizing human unity. Auroville is kind of a hippie paradise and gives you the feel of Goa.

You can't speak of Auroville without mentioning the Matrimandir (the golden dome), which means "temple of the mother". Standing in the middle of a beautiful garden, Matrimandir witnesses a large number of tourists every year. To go inside the temple, you need to get a pass in person at least 2-4 days in advance. Also, the booking counter is only open till 3PM so make sure to go there in time to get a booking. Nonetheless, we did a 1 km hike to see the temple from outside and it was outstanding.

The Aurobindo Ashram is a spiritual community that is located in the French quarters of Pondicherry. The ashram has a beautiful display of exotic flowers and even ten minutes in this place can really help you quiet your mind and find peace.

When I think of Pondicherry, a picture of the promenade along the Rock beach is what comes to my mind. Rock beach or Promenade beach is located in the heart of the city and is one of the top tourist attractions in Pondicherry. It is about a 1.2 km long stretch that starts from the War Memorial and ends at the Dupleix Park on Goubert Avenue. Right in the middle of the promenade is the magnificent statue of Gandhiji. This four-meter high statue made of black stone is surrounded by 8 granite pillars, which were supposedly brought from a small fort near Pondicherry, Gingee. The space in front of the statue plays host to various cultural and musical activities throughout the year. The promenade is a no-vehicle zone from 5 in the evening to early morning, making it the perfect place to spend your evenings.

White Town is home to some of the cutest looking buildings and the whole place seems like it is stuck in a time. As the name suggests, this area was reserved for the white (French) people back in the day. It is a very well planned area and this is where you can find the bright yellow and white walls, arched gates lined with bougainvillea, and clean European-style streets. It is also home to some of the best restaurants and cafes in Pondi and taking a stroll through White Town is a must for any person visiting Pondicherry.

Finally few pics of Dab travellers and Happy New Year!!