Aug 06, 2015 04:30 PM
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While driving back from Pondicherry, my eyes stuck at a delightful tourism department hoarding, which, I could relate to absolutely. Adjust back your watches, you are leaving Pondicherry, it said. That, I feel, sums up the enduring memory of Pondicherry, in the best possible way.
A 3 hour drive on the picturesque ECR highway, away from Chennai, and well connected to other major southern cities by rail and road, Pondicherry or Puducherry, as it has been officially renamed, is a Union Territory, which merged into India after being a French colony for nearly three centuries.
The fusion of Tamil and French heritage is what makes Pondicherry, a charming destination for a laidback holiday. Being on the shore, humidity is a given, yet the evenings are quite pleasant and enjoyable here.
At first glance, although it looks much the same as any other town, it doesn’t take long to realize the uniqueness of the place. As the suffix of the names of the streets change from Roads to Rues, one is greeted with the sight of rows of brightly colored buildings, immensely easy on the eye.
The pastel shades, coupled with the French style architecture and the near empty roads with aesthetic graffiti on the walls offer a much needed departure from the eyesores that we are used to, in our daily transits everywhere else. All roads quite literally lead to a wide promenade around a couple of kilometers long, overlooking the magnificent Bay of Bengal. The sea front, is closed for traffic after dusk, and that’s when one can just laze around there in the company of sound of rustling waves and the cool caressing sea breeze .
Pondicherry is also home to the Sri Aurobindo Ashram and the spectacular Matrimandir, around 12 kms away from the city center in a place named Auroville . Shaped as a giant golden egg safely perched in a concrete nest, Matrimandir is a place for spiritual awakening. The interior is a sea of pristine white, which encourages one to breathe in the serenity and spend some time in meditation. Auroville, is also home to many communities, who lead a self sustained life inside the huge estate full of nature at it’s greenest best. A must visit is the mart inside, where one can get a wide variety of organically produced or locally manufactured items as souvenirs.
When you come to a sea side town, a dip in the waters is imperative, isn’t it? The best way to do that here, is to head to the Paradise beach. Accessible after a small ride in the Chunambar lake, this beach provides a clean and vast place to soak in the sea in all it’s glory. Lack of any water sports facilities and practically no dining options was a major disappointment though.Back in the town, one can visit the French world war memorial which is a memorable sight, especially in the evenings. Another notable sight of Pondicherry is the Immaculate conception cathedral, which, built, two centuries ago, looks mesmerizing in it’s pearly white serenity.
The true highlight of Pondicherry, though, is the delectable food one can relish. Starting from the fresh, tender coconuts available everywhere to the small round the corner tiffin outlets serving delicious South Indian fare and finally to the scores of restaurants and bars dotting the streets of the French Quarter. Breads, cheese, wine, seafood, salads, you name it and you can find the best of it in some or the other eatery. The whole place does come alive after sundown with the sound of happy chatter and the smell of mouthwatering food.
A stay in Pondicherry leaves one with a sense of palpable calm and rejuvenation. “Eat, Pray, Relax” seems to be the unmistakable motto here and so it should be.
