Being born and brought up in the hills, I always had a hankering for other forms of geographical possibilities. The plain lands, beaches and the waters have always fascinated me to the core. I love to travel and this time I decided to make my journey to Puducherry known as the “French Rivera of The East”.
Pondicherry is one of the seven Union Territories of India. Located down towards the South in the country’s map, it has been named as Puducherry since 2006. It is often fondly referred to as Pondy.
Puducherry is a hub of tourists from all over the world. It is a land of admiration. Travelling to Pondy is always a joyful ride, especially if one chooses the ECR Road, from Chennai. Other states and nearby cities are well connected by rail and state highways. The only problem one is likely to face here is the language as people mostly speak Tamil or French. And, I was clueless.
With a map in my hand, I started to wander around the streets. There are many places one can visit in Pondy. One can start with the beaches, a favorite among the locals and a treat for the tourists. Rock beach tops among all. One can also visit the famous Boat House located at Nonankuppam, Auro Beach and Paradise Beach.
I reached the Rock Beach at White Town and to watch the blues of the water, the sunrise and sunset was a treat to the eyes. They are soothing. The mist in the air never failed to captivate my mind.
I noticed a lot of activities taking place. Early morning, fishermen would sail across to catch the prey. People would meditate and do the exercise. Small kids would be accompanied by their parents to play near the beach to beat the scorching heat wave. The smiles and happiness hovering around would be intoxicating. One can't resist the excitement and not jump into the momentary chaos. And, I left my camera away for a little time and jumped into the water.
Just opposite to the Rock Beach one can see the Dumous Church. Based on the French grid-pattern, the architectural structures are striking. The interiors have been beautifully sculpted. The aura inside the church gave me the feeling of unanimity. I sat there for a while realizing that I was feeling hungry now and since I was close to the beach I decided to hop into Le Café.
Providing a front view of the beach, Le Café offers exclusive enjoyment of a perfect meal along the breeze, the subtle flow of the water and the reflection of the dim lights falling on it.
Just a few lanes ahead as you walk for about two minutes you will reach the Mission street. I first planned to visit the Immaculate Conception Church. It was peaceful. This is not all that one can find. One can enjoy street shopping at Pondy and for all you shopaholics; it’s definitely not a bad bargain. You can find smart, trendy and stylish clothes.
I then took a tour to Boat House, distanced at 5 km from Mission Street. The Boat House is a part of the Ariyankuppam village in the Ariyankuppam Commune Panchayat of this union territory.
By this time I was dead tired but not bored. I travelled anther 7km and reached Anna Malai, a multi cuisine restaurant to have my dinner. I thoroughly enjoyed my meal.
There are also other restaurants that one can find around the city like Anandha Bhavan, Le Royal park and Chettinad Restaurant just to name a few . If you are looking for some Tibetian or Chinese food like momos, pizza and noodles do not miss travelling to Auroville. Except the food what I like about this area is certainly the roads. The narrow lanes with trees on both sides provide a perfect pathway. You are surely to enjoy your walk or more profoundly a bike ride.
So, if you are planning to visit Pondicherry then I would definitely advice you not to delay!