Exploring the Sights and Sounds of Pondicherry

Howdy, friends This webpage is new to me. In light of other articles I've read, I'd like to share my viewpoint. All reader experienced a true voyage while reading the items on this page. Also, I'll take you to Puducherry, formerly known as Pondicherry.

Do you know the location of this Puducherry? It belongs to the Indian Union Territory group. It is located in southern India, along the shore of the Bay of Bengal Sea. The offer letter for the seminar was given to my colleague and me. When we first thought, so dull. But then we saw the location of the seminar. We joyfully leaped. Seminar in Pondicherry for two days. Have you all finally figured out why we are jumping? Well, I see, you're right.

That's the exact reason you were thinking! The liquor rates are low in Pondicherry, which was the first thing that came to our mind. Additionally, two of my college friends have settled there - one is a native of Pondicherry and the other works at HCL. I informed them about our arrival and they were thrilled to hear the news. It's been 7 years since we last met, so we were all excited to catch up. We took the ECR bus from Chennai on Thursday evening at 6.00 PM and reached Pondicherry at 9.30 PM. Ramvarma, my friend who is a native of Pondicherry, was waiting for us at the bus stop and took us to Athithi Hotel where our company had arranged a room for us. The seminar was also going to be held there. As Ramvarma knew me well, he had already brought along some MC. Since I had a seminar the next morning, I took it easy and had a light dinner before retiring to my room. The next morning, my colleague Bala and I got ready for the seminar. We were informed to gather in the Seminar Hall at 9.00 AM after breakfast."

We gathered for the seminar, where they discussed production and improvement as usual, but what stood out was the delicious food they offered. The hotel atmosphere was also pleasant. The seminar concluded at 5.00 PM, and I had already informed my friends, Ramvarman and Senthil, who were waiting outside on their bikes. The four of us set off to explore some places, and Senthil suggested that we stay within Pondicherry due to the night time restrictions on long-distance travel.

Our first stop was the Arulmigu Manakula Vinayagar Temple, which is renowned in the state. As it was a Friday, there was a significant crowd inside the temple. After Darshanam, we strolled around the temple. It was not very spacious but tidy and hygienic, with mosaic flooring and central air conditioning. I observed many foreigners wandering around. Pondicherry was formerly ruled by France before independence, and the French influence is still evident. We saw two chariots in the temple, one of which was made of silver and the other of gold.

On special days, Lord Ganaesan rides around in the golden and silver chariots. As we were leaving the temple, a baby elephant named Lakshmi blessed us at the entrance. It was heartwarming to watch her movements and see her wear anklets. There were also several shops selling puja items and handmade crafts opposite the temple.

The Pondicherry beach was close to the temple, so we decided to spend some time there. We reached the beach entrance and parked our bikes there. Two constables placed blockers across the road as they typically do not allow vehicles on the beach road in the evening. Pondicherry is a Union Territory, and the traffic police uniform is distinct from other states. The constables wore long red-colored caps like the old French people, which looked unique and impressive. However, I must mention that their uniform gave them a slightly menacing appearance.

We began to talk as we walked by. The sea can be seen to the left, but you can't stand in the sand. It is covered in rocks. Yet there is seating along a lower wall and numerous stone benches. People are already sitting on every bench. The Chief Secretariat Government of Puducherry office is on the right side and has a fountain in front of it. Then we continue by conversing. We made it to the beach's center after a brief stroll. The Mahatma Gandhi statue is indeed extremely large. Because of this statue, this beach is known as Gandhi ji Beach. This location has appeared in numerous films. In that low light, it still looks great. Four slides encircle the statue, where many kids are playing.

Some open ground opposite the statue is known as Gandhi Thedal. There is also a program going on at that time. We walked a short distance and sat on the rocks facing the sea. Today's oceans are a little rough. The rocks are already being battered by extremely high waves. We need two more eyes to appreciate the beauty of the white smoke hitting the black rock.

One little boy was selling peas. He also approached us. We had four packets. I inquired of Senthil, who appeared to be in school but was selling peas. "It's part time work, he is studying in govt. school. These boys are only selling peas in the evening. "What will the poor people do?" he replied. After a while, we resumed our walk at the next end, which also had a small park. We can also see the harbour from there. We walked back to the entrance. We rode our bicycles. Another large park is located opposite the beach, but it is only open until 7 p.m. It was 8 p.m. when we arrived. Nearby that Roman Library is one of the world's most famous large and old libraries in Southern India.

I've noticed that the streets in that area are all very steep, and all roads lead to the beach. If we get lost somewhere, it can be difficult to find our way back. Because all of the roads and buildings in that area look the same. The majority of the buildings still adhere to the French architectural model. Then we noticed Governor Mahal. From the outside, in the direction of Park. It is densely packed with white structures. Two constables, each armed with a long revolver, stood on either side of the gate. The market is located on the straight road. We purchased some items to preserve as souvenirs. Then we returned to the hotel to finish our dinner.

Then we intended to see the second show movie. We all watched a movie together in a large cinema. The movie isn't important, but watching it with close friends after 7 years is incredible. We don't want to blow this opportunity. So, after the movie, they dropped us off at the hotel and went to their homes.

Seminar again in the morning, but this time it ended at 12 p.m. So, we decided to travel a little further this time. So, our two friends get their bikes ready.

"Where are we going now?" I inquired of Ramvarman.

"To Ariyankuppam," he said. "

What's so special about it?" I inquired.

"Boat house," he said.

We arrived at Nonanekuppam Boat House in about 30 minutes. There are numerous types of boats. Pedal boats, streamers, row boats, and so on...

We chose a row boat for the best experience.

There are two rows. We sat with our legs straight, two on one side and two on the other. We rowed it very quickly and half the distance by signing and laughing. We are the only center of attraction that day due to our sound. We had so much fun after such a long time. Suddenly, a streamer boat passed very close to our boat. Streamer's waves caused our row boat to flip upside down. We were all drowning. Everyone started laughing. However, it is not very deep, so we exited. But it's a lot of fun.

After that we got hungry. I suggested we go out for lunch.

"We can have lunch just on island," Senthil said.

"Which Pondicherry Island?" I inquired, surprised.

"First come, I'll show you the real fun," he said.

Then they both came to a halt near a hotel. They delivered lunch in a parcel. Then he went to the next shop and bought a paper plate, a water bottle, and some cool drinks.

We arrived at Paradise Beach after a 15-minute drive. We secured our bicycle in the stand. There is a park setup with a swing and some children's items. It appears to be the same boat house. We're not sure what's special about this place. They accepted the tickets. We boarded the large boat with the parcel bag.

A big boat seems to be two boats linked together with a roof setup and benches to sit on. It can transport 10 to 15 people at once. We all pile into that boat. We got to the next end within 10 minutes. Get off the boat. The boatman informed us that we could only stay until 6 p.m. You can come after 5 p.m. if the boat is available.

It's like a small island. Short coconut trees surround a small sand area full of sea water. There's also a cottage setup. First, we need to finish our lunch. We finish our meal in the cottage. Following a few conversations. We just walked around the area, standing in the sea water.

Then, Senthil then brought the ball. We spent a long time throwing balls. We jump into the sea when we're all tired. We're all soaked. So, no problem, we chased each other and threw sand at each other as a schoolboy.

The security guard then arrived and asked us to return at 6 p.m. We returned to the boat once more. I'm also exhausted. We start our bike once more. We had arrived at the Ariyankuppam Church. We are not prepared to enter because we are all wet. It is a large church that was built by the French people prior to their independence. Actually, the British ruled over all of India. However, Pondicherry was ruled by the French. Pondicherry gained independence on August 16th.

We returned to our room after visiting the Church. We took a bath and changed our clothes. Then we went out to dinner again.

The following day is Sunday, and we have one more day to stay here. Both arrived early this morning, forcing us to hurry up. We prepared. They wouldn't let us eat breakfast. We went to the beach in the morning. Then we go to the Arabindhoa Ashram, which is right on the beach. Anyone visiting Pondicherry will first inquire about this Ashram. We can only enter it at 7 a.m. in the morning. So my friends drove us in early this morning. We move inside in line with the flowers. Very quiet and serene. . There is only entombment. All while the flowers were still on it. It is the funeral of Nanai Arabindhoa. It is a meditation space. Then we quickly emerged. I'm not feeling anything. However, a colleague is an Annai devotee. He became ecstatic.

Our journey towards Tindivanam road was full of excitement and adventure. As we crossed Oulgaret, we came across the magnificent Panjavadi Anjaneyar Temple, which boasts a towering statue of Anjaneyar with five different faces. The temple, which is privately owned, welcomed us with open arms and even offered us free food that day. We relished the scrumptious breakfast and continued our journey.

As we made our way back, our guide took us on a detour towards the Pratyangira Devi Temple in Moratandi, which is known for its underground shrine and the goddess with a fierce lion face. The Fullmoon Pooja held here is world-famous and it's a tradition for men to remove their shirts before entering the temple.

Further down the road, we stopped at the Saneeswaran Temple, which had a massive statue of all nine planets. Despite being privately owned, these temples were maintained in excellent condition.

Our next destination was Auroville on the ECR road. We drove at lightning speed and even passed through Bomiyar Palayam, which was filled with beautiful red hills. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to enter the area anymore. But Auroville welcomed us with open arms. The golden globe structure of Auroville was breathtaking, and we couldn't wait to explore its depths.

After purchasing our tickets, we entered the large globe, where we were greeted with long circular steps leading to the center of the structure. A blue stone, receiving direct sunlight and reflecting a beautiful bluish shade throughout the entire globe, caught our eyes. The silence inside the globe was deafening, and we could feel the sole energy of the place. Our minds were filled with peace and tranquility, and we felt light as a feather after visiting.

The outer auditorium of the globe was equally captivating. Built in collaboration with France and Portugal, the museum showcased many handicrafts made from waste materials. These items were a bit expensive, and we noticed many foreigners purchasing them. We then had lunch at the Auroville hotel, which offered delicious food at reasonable prices.

Our next stop was the Auroville Beach, which was not crowded and had no buildings or rocks, only sand. The beach had a few small shops, and it was the perfect place to play in the sand and sea safely. We saw many tourists and families enjoying themselves, and a security guard patrolled the beach, warning people not to venture too deep into the sea. We spent some time there before heading back.

As we bid adieu to our friends, we realized that we had created beautiful memories that we would cherish forever. We had a grand party at a restaurant and relished the delicious food at reasonable prices. We concluded that two days and a bike with a good companion were enough to explore Pondicherry. The city was full of surprises, and every weekend could be a perfect time to visit this beautiful place.

We invite you to come and visit Pondicherry and experience its beauty first-hand. You won't regret it. Goodbye for now!