Pondicherry- you subtle beauty!

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. This quaint little town has retained its old-world charm and comes very close to giving you a feel of the French culture. The French influence is very obvious in the city right from the food to the architecture.

So it was a girls’ trip. Basically shruthi’s bachelorette trip. Our major aim was to explore Pondy, see its famous spots and bite into some French Food!

What We Saw?

Auroville

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. Nonetheless, we did a 1 km hike to see the temple from outside and it was outstanding and tiring.

The Promenade, Rock Beach and the Gandhi Statue

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. 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.

Paradise beach

However, the highlight of our trip to this wonderland on the East Coast was our visit to Paradise Beach. The specialty is the beach can only be accessed by boat. When you reach the island, you actually realize why it is called Paradise – Blue waters and Golden sand. I never thought an Indian beach had blue waters. I felt that pollution had killed our seas and grey was the only color that our waters showed. But the view at Paradise was refreshing. It was breath taking. It’s a virgin island. And it was the best time we spent here in 2 days of Pondicherry.

Auro beach

Located about a kilometer away from the Serenity beach, the Auro beach is great place to enjoy the cool waters and calming breeze. As with the Serenity beach, this is comparatively less crowded than the other beaches of Pondicherry. Even the ride towards the beach is amazingly peaceful with trees providing a cool shade.

Although is beach is not very clean, it is still flocked by many locals, especially youngsters. Numerous people can be seen taking evening walks and enjoying the mesmerizing view of the sunset. The beach is framed by hard rocks, which add to the beauty of the place. If you want to relish a peaceful location, away from the hustle of the city life, the Auro beach is a perfect spot to spend your time.

Walk around the French quarters

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.

When in Pondicherry, Beware of:

The Sun! The Sun beats down heavily. Before going to the beach, do NOT forgot to put on some sun block if you do not wish to come back to the hotel, stand in front of the mirror and get a shock of your life!

To sum it up, Pondicherry is a fantastic experience. If you are planning a holiday there, you can explore the beaches, the churches, the ashram, the cafés, the food and the Auroville City. It’s the perfect weekend getaway.

Here’s some random shots-

♥️

Divya