Ever since we first went to Pondycherry in 2010, we’ve been hooked and now we treat it like our second home. We try to visit every couple of years, and our latest adventure there was in 2021. Can’t wait to keep exploring this awesome place!
It was once a French colonial settlement in India until 1954, and it’s now a cool mix of Indian culture and French architecture. The White Town, aka French Quarter, is all about cute colonial buildings painted mustard-yellow and decorated with bougainvilleas. around this area can also find some fancy cafes that serve yummy French food.
Some of these structures are believed to be over a hundred years old and have since been transformed into hotels and cafes for the public’s viewing pleasure.
We spent most of our mornings at Promenade Beach (Rock Beach). It’s a really nice, clean road that runs along the ocean for about 1.5 km. Lots of locals and tourists like to jog or walk there in the morning. It can get pretty crowded in the evening, so we preferred to go in the morning when it was peaceful and quiet.
On our subsequent visits, we began to interact more with the local community in Pondy and Auroville. We even had the pleasure of meeting Rajkumar Sthabathy, a phenomenal watercolor artist known for his life-sized portraits that are simply breathtaking, we spent half a day discussing watercolor, art, and culture, and now on every visit, we meet and continue our discussion.
We had the pleasure of meeting Giorgio Molinari, an Italian photographer who was living in Auroville, during one of our trips. By chance in 2012, we crossed paths and I showed him some of my Malenadu photography work. He was impressed with my film-processing style and extended an invitation for us to hang out at his place. Over time, we developed a close bond and shared many deep conversations. During the Covid pandemic, in 2020 we received the heart-wrenching news that Giorgio had passed away. We were deeply saddened by his loss and can only hope that he rests in peace.
The Auroville! We couldn’t get out of our eyes the enormous, lustrous ball in the distance. Its unique architecture was not the only thing that intrigued us; it was also the concept of Auroville, the community it represented, that had captured our imagination.
Township located north of Pondicherry that desires to be a universal town where individuals from diverse backgrounds can coexist peacefully and make progress in harmony.
This is the most popular and well-known spot in Auroville. When we first got there, we got a pass to see the Matrimandir which was only a 15-20 minute walk away. We were totally amazed by the giant shiny ball in the middle of the town, and before you can explore more, one has to watch a 10-minute video about the place and The Mother’s plan to make a peaceful and perfect community at the visitors center.
Auroville is the perfect spot for people who want to broaden their horizons and experience something different, always find something going on, and there’s never a dull moment. We visited different communities and chatted with folks who shared our interests in things like art, pottery, and photography.
One should never miss the visitors’ centre cafeteria’s lunch its perfect South Indian meal, in our every visit we ensure atleast go for 2-3 times.
Most of communities has one its own delicious café, they mostly serve vegetarian and vegan food that’s organic and healthy. In our last 2021 visit we hopped to this one spot called Naturellement Garden Cafe, we had a sandwich it was really awesome and not only was the food delicious, vegetarian and vegan dishes in a relaxed peaceful atmosphere, even their bakery produces small batches of artisan baked recipes.
There are lots of awesome places to stay in Auroville. You won’t find any fancy five-star hotels, but there are plenty of guest houses and homestays to choose from that are just as good.
On our trip in 2021, we stayed at Abundance Guest House, which is located in a stunning old mango grove. It’s a lovely and comfy spot with cozy rooms that overlook a garden courtyard. Perfect tranquil retreat surrounded by nature, this is the place. But the best part was the hospitality of the hosts, Manju and Selvan. They were so friendly and welcoming, we could have chatted with them for hours about their incidents and experiences.
We have many beautiful memories in Pondy as well in Auroville. where we felt the most relaxed and in charge of our emotions. It’s also a really beautiful spot with tons of panoramic views. If you need a break and want to switch things up, Auroville is the place to be. Plus, you can always take a quick trip to Pondicherry, which is super close by and a really cool city to check out for a night or two.
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