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Pondicherry

Pop: 500,000 Area Code: 0413

This was the capital of the French territories in India from 1816 to 1954. Pondicherry is 160km south of Chennai, on the Bay of Bengal. Pondicherry, along with the other French districts of Karaikal (Tamil Nadu), Yanam (Andhra Pradesh) and Mahé (Kerala) make up the Union Territory of Pondicherry. The city has a definite French feel to it. There are French street names, French restaurants, the police wear red kepis (hats), and some people speak French.

The Frenchman Francois Martin established modern Pondicherry as a trading post in 1673. The French used Pondicherry as the capital of their various colonies in Southeast Asia over the next centuries. They subsequently gave Pondicherry to India in 1954 and it became a semi-autonomous territory. Over the years it has maintained much of its French heritage.

Pondicherry is famous as the location of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, founded in 1920 by Sri Aurobindo. The main building of the Ashram is on Rue de la Marine. After Aurobindo passed away, one of his disciples, Mirra Alfassa, a French woman called “The Mother”, became in charge of the Ashram, until her death in 1973 at the age of 95.

The Varadaraja Temple (12th century) is the most important Vishnu temple in town and is located just west of Gandhi Road, off Thyagaraja Street.

Auroville, founded by the Mother, is about 10km north of Pondicherry. This project has over 1,000 residents, spread over 50km. About two-thirds of them are foreigners.

Orientation
The city is laid out in a grid, divided into two sections by a canal going through the city. The canal, which is now covered, used to divide the French and Indian sections of town. On the left (west) side of the canal is your typical Indian city. On the right (east) side of the canal is what remains of the old French capital. Much of the architecture is typically European, complete with French restaurants, churches, and a statue of Joan of Arc. The Aurobindo Ashram and its guest houses are in the eastern side of town. Along the sea is Goubert Salai (used to be Beach Rd), which is a pleasant place for a stroll.

Most of the hotels are in the western part of the town. The train station is in the south end of town. The bus stations are on Lal Bahabhur St, in the western part of town.

Information
The Pondicherry Tourist Office (39497), Goubert Salai, arranges tours of the city and car rentals. Open Mon to Sat 9 am to 1 pm and 2 to 6 pm. The PTDC morning tour (Rs 25, 8 am to 1 pm) goes to Aurobindo Ashram, Auroville, Botanical Gardens, the Museum, Water Sports Complex and Shruti Textile shop. The afternoon tour (2 to 5.30) goes to Auroville and a few other places.

For information about Auroville contact the Auroville Information Center in the La Boutique d’Auroville (333-855), 12 Nehru St.
The French Consulate is on the corner of Compagnie St and Marine St (8 am to noon).
There is an auto-rickshaw stand on Captain Xavier St.

A good hospital is Jawaharlal Institute of Medical and Educational Research (JIPMER) (72380), which is located outside the city, straight out National Highway 45. Clinic Nallam (35463), 74 ID Koil St, is a good place to see a doctor.
You can hire a bike from shops on MG Rd and Mission St.

During the Masi Magam Festival, on the full moon day of the Tamil month of Masi (Feb/Mar), there is an interesting procession in which deities from about 40 temples in the area are taken to the sea and bathed.

The Alliance Française (38146), 38 Suffren St, is the French cultural center. It has French classes, films, a library (9 am to noon and 3 to 7 pm) and a computer center. Temporary membership, good for 15 days, is Rs 50. They sponsor events and courses.

Chunnamber Boat House, 10km from town, rents out boats to take on the backwaters of the Bay of Bengal.

Money, Post & Internet
You can change money at the Indian Overseas Bank, inside the Hotel de Ville, Goubert Salai; the State Bank of India on Rue Suffren; or the UCO Bank, south of Government Place. Sourvenir, on Mission St, changes most currencies and travelers cheques.

The GPO, Ranga Pillai St, is by the canal in the center of town (10 am to 7.30 pm). Next door is a 24-hour telegraph office where you can make phone calls. Postal Code: 605001.
Navayuga Computers (46382), 2nd fl, 29 St Louis St, on the corner of Nehru St, has e-mail facilities (8 am to 9 pm).

Shopping
The Ashram Cottage Industries, Ranga Pillai St, has semiprecious jewelry, silk scarves and stationary. Boutique D’Auroshri, 18 J Nehru St, has antiques and ceramic pottery. French Park, 83 J Nehru St, sells goods cotton shirts and T-shirts. La Tienda, 28 J N St, and Exotic India, 79 J Nehru St, sell fashionable clothing, art objects, shawls, and scarves. Lahori Boutique, 9 J Nehru St, has cotton dresses, silk scarves and other items. Boutique d’Auroville (connected to Auroville) is a handicraft shop with a good selection of high quality items.

There is a United Colors of Benetton on Mission St, near Nehru St.

Bookshops
The Vak Bookshop (34908), 15 Nehru St, managed by the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, has a good selection of books on philosophy and religion. Higginbothams Bookshop is on Gingy St, on the west side of the canal opposite the rickshaw stand. Focus, 204 Mission St, has a good selection of books.

The French Bookshop, 38 Suffren St, and the Kailash French Bookshop, 87 Lal Bahadur St, are good French bookshops.

Boat Trips
A boat for viewing dolphins in the sea can be booked at the Tourist Office or from Seagulls Restaurant. The boat costs Rs 50 a person (minimum 5 people). For dolphin sighting it is better in the early morning. The boat departs around 10 am and at 2 pm and the ride lasts about one hour. You can also arrange a special boat trip.

Sri Aurobindo Ashram
This place, located on Rue de la Marine, is the most popular attraction in Pondicherry. The Ashram was founded by Sri Aurobindo Ghose in 1926. He was a Bengali whose strong resistance to the British rule got him imprisoned in 1908. While in prison he decided to take to a spiritual life. When he was released from prison in 1910 he gave up politics and headed to the French ruled city of Pondicherry. Sri Aurobindo met the French women named Mira Alfassa in Pondicherry and she became his closest companion until his death in 1950. She led the Ashram until she died in 1973.

The Ashram has a nice garden and contains the Samadhi (tombs) of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. Their old Humber is in the garage near the courtyard. There is also a bookshop. The Ashram is open daily 8 am to noon and 2 to 6 pm. No children under 8 years old are permitted. You need permission to take pictures. For information about the Ashram contact the Ashram Reception Service (24836), Main Building, Rue de la Marine. There is sometimes a guided tour in the morning starting around 8.30 am, which last a few hours. The Mother’s meditation room can be visited at 11.30 am, but you have to get permission first. There is a meditation session Mon to Wed, and Fri from 7.30 to 7.45 pm around the Samadhi.

There is sometimes a lecture, film or a slide show at the educational center, across from the main building. There is a notice board in the Ashram, which list upcoming events.

Other Places To See
Most of the places to see are in the area of Goubert Salai, the road along the beach, which is a pleasant street to walk along. Along the beach are nice old French buildings, a 4m high statue of Mahatma Gandhi, and a memorial to the Indians who died fighting with the French during World War I.

Government Place, just west of Goubert Salai and 1km north of the Alliance Française, is a complex that contains the French built Raj Nivas, which is now the home of the Lieutenant Governor of Pondicherry. It was built in the late 18th century by Joseph Dupleix, who was the governor of the French territories in India. There is a nice park, with flowers and fountains, in front of Raj Niva.
Pondicherry Museum is at the southern side of Government Place. It has 19th century French furniture, including a bed that Dupleix is said to have slept in, weapons, paintings, and good stone sculptures that were found in the area dating from the Pallava, Chola and Vijayanagar periods. Open daily except Mon 10 am to 5 pm; free.

The large, pleasant Botanical Gardens, just off South Boulevard, was established in 1826. It has many species of trees and plants and an interesting petrified tree. Open daily 9 am to 5.30 pm.
There is a small Police Museum at the police station.

The Eglise de Sacre Coeur de Jesus has an altar flanked by three remarkable stained glass panels depicting pastimes of Christ. The Sacred Heart Church on South Boulevard is a nice church built in the 19th century. It has two Gothic towers.

There is a 1½ km rocky beach in town, which is nice to look at, but dangerous to swim in. Serenity Beach, north of town, is a nice beach.

You can take a sea cruise or rent a boat at the boating club, on the road to Auroville.

Where to Stay—Lower
The railway Retiring Rooms are Rs 50/75.
The Youth Hostel, 4km north of town, has dorm beds for Rs 40. You can get a vegetarian thali there cheap. It is inconveniently located.
Aristo Guest House (36728), 50-A Mission St, is a recommended place with clean rooms with bath for Rs 125/200 and Rs 600 with A/C. The front rooms can be noisy.
Amala Lodge (38910), 92 Rangapillai St, has clean rooms with common bath for Rs 75/110 and with bath for Rs 85/130. It is a good valued, popular place and is family-run.
Hotel Ellora has rooms for Rs 90/110 up to Rs 300 for a room with A/C.
Surya Swastika Guest House (43092), 11 ID Koil St, has clean rooms with common bath for Rs 70/100 and with bath for Rs 70/110. They lock the front door at 10 pm.
Victoria Lodge (36366), 79 Nehru St, has poorly maintained, clean rooms with bath for Rs 100/175. It is fairly old.
Hotel Kanchi (35540), Mission St, has clean rooms for Rs 150/180. It is one of the better cheap places. Some of the rooms have balconies.
Ram International (27230), 212 W Blvd, near the Botanical Gardens, has rooms for Rs 200 and rooms with A/C and a TV are Rs 350.
Where to Stay—Ashram-run
The Aurobindo Ashram-run guest houses are the best places to stay in town. You book them at the Ashram reception office on Marine Street, north of Government Square. They have a 10.30 pm curfew. Smoking and alcohol are banned in the Ashram guest houses.
Park Guest House (34412), at the south end of Goubert Salai, is a recommended place that has well-maintained, clean rooms with balconies that face the sea. Rooms with bath are Rs 300/350 and Rs 400/450 for deluxe rooms. It has a vegetarian restaurant.
Your second choice is the International Guest House (36699), Gingy St, near the head post office, which has clean rooms with bath starting at Rs 80/110 and A/C rooms for Rs 400. It is a very popular, good place.
Sea Side Guest House (21825; fax 34447), 14 Goubert Salai, is a small old converted house that has large rooms with bath and hot water for Rs 150 to Rs 500 with A/C. It is often full.

Where to Stay—Middle and High
Ajantha Guest House (38898), 22 Goubert Salai, is a good place with rooms for Rs 300 and Rs 450 with A/C. A room with a seaview is more expensive. It is well-managed and has a good restaurant.
Hotel Mass (37221; fax 33654), Maraimalai Adigal Salai, between the State and TTC bus stands, has comfortable rooms for Rs 600/800 and a deluxe room for Rs 800/1000. All rooms have hot water, A/C and a TV.
Hotel Surguru (39022; fax 34377), SV Patel Salai, has spacious rooms with bath and cable TV for Rs 450/550 and Rs 600/800 with A/C. It is a business-type hotel, with a good vegetarian restaurant, and a garden. It has running hot water in the morning and late afternoon.
Hotel Aditya (605-011), 104 Kamaraj Salai, has good modern rooms for Rs 250/300 and Rs 450/500 with A/C. It has a good vegetarian restaurant.
Anandha Inn (30711; fax 31241), 154 SV Patel Road, is one of the best places in town, with comfortable rooms for Rs 1200/1500. It has two good restaurants: one veg and non-veg. It is the best hotel in town.
Red Carpet Residence (53321) 3rd Cross, Ananda Ranga Pillai Nagar, has comfortable apartments at Rs 750.
Pondicherry Ashok (65160; fax 65140), on the coastal road, 12km north of town, near Auroville, has comfortable A/C rooms for Rs 1600/2500. It has a good restaurant.

Where to Eat
There are really good restaurants in Pondicherry.
The Ashram Dining Room, north of Government Place, has non-oily and non-spicy food. You need to buy three meal tickets at the Park Guest House. There is a vege­tarian restaurant in the Park Guest House, at the south end of Goubert Salai.
Seaside Guest House, Goubert Salai, near the light house, has a very good vegetarian restaurant.
Picnic, Kamaraj Salai, is a vegetarian place.
Ram International, near the Botanical Gardens, has a good, cheap vegetarian restaurant.
Seagulls Restaurant, 19 Dumas St, on the sea-front, has good food. It is a rooftop restaurant serving Indian, Italian and Chinese.
Aristo, Nehru St, is a good rooftop restaurant serving Indian and Western food.
Le Club, 33 Dumas St, is a good French restaurant with excellent service and a good design. A main dish is around Rs 150. Open 7.30 to 9.30 am, noon to 2 pm and 7 to 10 pm. In the garden is a tandoori restaurant.
Blue Dragon Restaurant, 33 Dumas St, has antique furniture and good Chinese food.
Le Rendezvous, 30 Suffren St, has a French design with tablecloths, wicker chairs and shutters and it has a nice terrace area. It has very good French, Chinese and Indian food and pizzas. Main dishes are around Rs 100. Open 8 to 11 am, noon to 3 pm and 6 to 10.30 pm.
Satsanga, next door on Suffren St, has very good French food, pizza, cheese, and Italian salads (closed Thursday). Main dishes are around Rs 75. It has a nice atmosphere and the service is good.
China Town, Suffren St, has good Chinese food.
Bar Qualithé Hotel, Labourdonnais St, next to Government Square, has atmosphere. Main dishes are around Rs 40.
Le Café, Goubert Salai, near the seashore, has good snacks and ice cream.
In the west side of town is the India Coffee House, Nehru St, which has good snacks and breakfasts.
There is a popular rooftop restaurant at the Hotel Aristo. They also have a ground floor restaurant (closed Fri). Everything is made to order, so it takes a while.
Anugraha, in the Hotel Surguru, SV Patel Salai, is a very popular vegetarian restaurant. It has very good North Indian, South Indian, Western and Chinese dishes. Open 9 am to 10 pm. It is not cheap.
Surabhi, in the Anandha Inn, SV Patel Salai, is a veg restaurant serving Indian and Continental dishes. There are candles and flowers on the tables.
Fortune Bakery, 13/9 St Therese, near Nehru St, has good cakes and bread.

Local Travel
Large very crowded three-wheel vehicles go between the bus stations and Gingy St (Rs 3). You can rent a bike from shops on Mission St, MG Rd, and South Blvd for Rs 2 per hour or Rs 20 for a day. You usually have to leave a deposit.
You can rent a moped from Vijay Arya (36179), 9 Aurobindo St, for Rs 100 a day. You have to leave your passport or other ID as a deposit.

Travel
Train  The closest railway junction on the broad-gauge line is in Villupuram (38km west), which is on the main Chennai-Madurai line. From there, many express trains run in both directions. From Pondicherry, there are four local trains on a branch line to Villupuram at 8 and 11 am and 4.30 and 9 pm. They take about two hours. From Villupuram there are many trains going in both directions.

Bus There are two main bus stations. The Thiruvalluvar (TTC/RGTC) bus station is on Maraimalai Adigal Salai, an extension of Lal Bahadur St, at the junction with Anna Salai. It is an easy place to deal with and you can reserve buses in advance. There are many buses to Chennai (5 hr, 30 daily) and Chidambaram (every hr, 6 am to 9 pm, 1½ hr). There are also regular buses to Bangalore (8 hr, 4 daily), Madurai (8 hr, 4 daily), Tiruchirappalli (4 daily, 6 hr), Coimbatore, Tirupati, and Tiruvannamalai.
The hectic New Moffussil State Bus Stand is about half a km west of the Thiruvalluvar station, on the same street. From this station buses depart to Chidambaram (20 daily), Thanjavur (6 hr, 2 daily), Kumbakonam, Mamallapuram (2½ hr, 5 daily), Kanchipuram (3 hr, 5 daily), Tiruchirappalli (6 hr, 5 daily), Vellore, Bangalore, and Chennai. There are regular buses to Villupuram.

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