Pondicherry

This attractive, former French colony, exudes a Mediterranean aura with its sophisticated streets, elegant houses, ornamental gardens and the Hotel de Ville. Being a small and quiet enclave of Tamil Nadu, it has imbibed the Tamilian culture. Apart from the charming atmosphere, excellent restaurants and cheap beer, what attracts most travelers to Pondicherry is the Sri Aurobindo Ashram and its offshoot, Auroville, 10 km outside town. The ashram, founded by Sri Aurobindo in the year 1926, has brought international reputation to this coastal town.
History
A former French colonial cit, located along the Bay of Bengal didn't come under Indian rule until 1954. You can still hear a fair bit of French being spoken as you stroll along its remaining seaside villas and cobblestone streets. The city is really two towns in one: La Ville Blanche, the colonials' former playground, and La Ville Noire, the crowded inland area where the native Indian population was forced to live.

Location
Situated on the Coromandel coast, about 160 kms south of Chennai, lies the Union Territory of Pondicherry. The French ruled this territory for 300 years, and today, it stands as a living monument of the French culture in India. It is bound on the east by the Bay of Bengal and on the other three sides by the South Arcot District of Tamil Nadu.

Festivals & Events
Pondicherry culture has imbibed various kinds of festivals and fair. Some are religious in nature, others cultural and spiritual and still others, purely gourmet! Some of the main fairs and festivals are :

Pongal Festival
This festival of Tamilnadu, is also celebrated with great enthusiasm in Pondicherry. It is celebrated as a thanksgiving after the harvest season.

French Food festival
Gourmet, a food festival to celebrate the great French cuisine is organized by Tourism department every August. Virampattinam Car Festival This is the grand car festival of Pondicherry when the decorated temple car is pulled in a procession, with the Lieutenant governor participating in the ritual.

Birth Anniversary of Sri Aurobindo
August 15, the birth anniversary of Sri Aurobindo, is a holy day in Sir Aurobindo Ashram. On this day, thousands of people from all over the world come to the ashram to pay their homage to the great sage, poet and philosopher of the twentieth century and also visit his personnel quarters.

Fete De Pondicherry
During august 15-17, the department of celebrates a cultural pageant, coinciding with the liberation day and the Independence Day celebrated by the department of Art & Culture and the south zone cultural Center.

Places Of Interest
Beaches In Pondicherry:
Pondicherry has a lovely beach, 1.5 Kms. long, where one can relax, sunbathe, swim or take a stroll along the promenade. The beach has historical connections too. The sands have witnessed some of the fierce Anglo-French battles.

Boat House In Pondicherry
Facilities for boating are available at the Boat House on the River Chunnambar, 8 Kms. from Pondicherry. The backwaters and the lush greenery on both sides of the Chunnambar River provide an ideal setting for boating.

Sri Aurobindo Ashram
Sri Aurobindo Ashram is situated at the eastern part of Pondicherry. It is the samadhi of Shri Aurobindo and Mother. It is not only a quiet place of retreat but a vibrant center of life.

Auroville
Auroville is an international city which was built and started in 1968 by Mother with an idea to experiment in international living. The purpose of Auroville is to realize the human unity. It is an exciting project for understanding the environmental needs for spiritual growth.

Monuments In Pondicherry
There are lot of monuments in Pondicherry which have a history behind them. The various monuments are: Park Monument, Arikamedu, statue of Mahatma Gandhi & Dupleix, French War Memorial, 19th century Light House, Pondicherry Museum, Bharathi & Bharathidasan Memorial Museums, Ananda Ranga Pillai Mansion etc.

Sight Seeing Tour In Pondicherry
Pondicherry Tourism and Transport Development Corporation ( PT & TDC ) conducts daily sightseeing tours in and around Pondicherry.