There are many places to visit in Pondicherry Climate. However, some of the most popular nearby attractions in Pondicherry Climate include;

Sri Aurobindo ashrama:

Sri Aurobindo was a greatly respected freedom fighter and philosopher who settled in Puducherry and established this Ashrama in 1920. His philosophy and teachings found many followers here, and this Ashrama became one of the centers of vedic and philosophical studies.

The place is a peaceful community developed over the years by the active participation of members that include people from all countries, casts, and communities. The ashrama is a great example of unity in diversity and promotes world peace in a very subtle way, emphasizing on the learning of world religions. The ashrama is also known for the samadhi (memorial) of Sri Aurobindo and Sri Ma (mother). Besides, there are farms, gardens, cottage industries, library, and various other manufacturing units that cater to the day to day requirements of the ashrama.

Park Monument or Aayi Mandapam in Pondicherry

Pondicherry holds within itself rich and interesting stories about the arrival of the European maritime powers of the 16th century ,the Portuguese, the Dutch, the Danes, the English ,the French, setting foot first in 1670 and most importantly about how a tiny fishing village was transformed into a grand port city by the 18th century. This union territory of India has for long become a hot tourist spot for travelers all around the world. Sightseeing in Pondicherry is a wonderful experience and one of the most significant places you must see is Park monument or Aayi Mandapam in Pondicherry. Other places include the Botanical Gardens in Pondicherry, The Statue of Dupleix in Pondicherry and many more.

The most beautiful public space in Pondicherry is the green and shaded Government Park located in the heart of Pondicherry and standing proudly in its centre is Park Monument or Aayi Mandapam in Pondicherry. Built in Greco-Roman architecture during the reign of Napoleon III, Emperor of France, this milky white structure is a pride of Pondicherry .The Park Monument or Aayi Mandapam in Pondicherry is a well-planned structure with beautiful lawns, flowerbeds and fountains situated in front of the Raj Niwas, the residence of the Lieutenant Governor.

Going back to the history of Pondicherry, we come to know that this monument has an interesting story of Aayi attached to it who was a 16th century courtesan. Once a king was passing by her residence and on seeing her candle lit home he mistook it to be a holy place and wandered to it. When he came to know that he had done a mistake, the King felt very guilty. His anger and frustration at his gross judgment so touched the heart of the lady that she razed down her home and replaced it with a reservoir. Some 300 years after this incident, this place served to quench the thirst of Napoleon's men. When Napoleon heard of the story, he decided to build a monument as a tribute to Aayi and the monument came to be known as Park Monument of Pondicherry.

When ever you come to Pondicherry, do visit this this magnificent monument still standing tall and narrating the story of the courtesan.

Puducherry museum:

This museum exhibits interesting artifacts related to the history of Puducherry that goes back to the 1st century AD. The most interesting exhibits are the Roman articles discovered at Arikamedu. The French section showcases the history of French colonization in Puducherry. The museum also has a nice collection of sculptures, paintings and sea shells. The colonial structure is one of the important places to visit in Puducherry.

Chunnambar Resort:

This place is known for its fantastic beach and the water sports opportunities. This is one of the most popular tourist spots in Puducherry.

Chunnambar is unique in nature as on one end there is a calm backwater and on the other end, a long sea shore called plage paradiso!.

Chunnambar, the perfect picnic spot-Chunnambar is the right mixture of fun, sports, calm, romance and beauty. You can swim, row a boat, stay on a tree house and watch the sunrise, have a picnic at the beach and play beach volleyball, go trekking, or even fishing!

A swimming pool in the midst of the backwater, floats and a swimming coach are all the there to help you learn swimming. You can also learn kayaking at the same time. Then there are motor boats that take you to the mouth of the backwater and the nearby beach. For those wh o want to skim over water there are the hydro planes. Boats are available for hire on all days of the week. Garden umbrellas, chairs and teapoys can also be hired on nominal rent at the Boat House. You can also go to the place where the river branches out in a row boat or peddal about and enjoy the scenic beauty, leisurely!.

The beach at Chunnambar is located near the mouth of the backwater. The sand is pristine and the water, clean. It's an ideal place for sun bathing and beach sports. You can borrow valley balls and net from the water sports centre for an exciting session of beach valleyball. If it gets too bot you can always borrow beach umbrellas or fishing rods and relax. The idea is to let you have unlimited, uninhibited fun.

Anglo - French Textile mills:

This is a historic place and must be visited as part of the historical tour of the city. The fabrics manufactured at this mill are still known for their quality and tourists are given rebates on purchases here.

Barathi Memorial Museum

Subramaniya Bharathi, Bharathiyar to all, was a Tamil poet-patriot who arrived in Pondicherry in 1908 a fugitive from British India. The Free French air brought out the best in Bharathi and some of his finest patriotic and romantic compositions were born here. Bharathi's home No.20, Easwaran Dharmaraja Koil Street, is almost a place of pilgrimage today for the Tamil people.

The museum is housed in the home where Bharathi lived in Pondicherry. It is very small, consisting of only three rooms. We went about the three rooms, and nothing was intelligible to us, as neither of us read Tamil. We mentioned this to museum staff, and they showed a well-produced video in English about the museum.

In one room, photographs of people who had influential roles in Bharathi’s life are hung on the walls. In the display cases are journals and other publications for which Bharathi wrote and served as editor. In the largest room, there is a large oil painting of Bharathi, surrounded by pictures of his family. In another room are letters he wrote to other notables.

Barathidasan Memorial Museum

Kanakasubburatnam, another great Tamil poet, was born in Pondicherry and assumed the name
Bharathidasan, meaning `disciple of Bharathi'. He lived in No.95, Perumal Koil Street, another place of cultural pilgrimage. Bharathidasan's poems compare with Bharathi's in literary achievement and patriotic fervour.

The Botanical Garden

The Botanical Garden in Pondicherry was created in 1826. When the garden came under the control of the eminent botanist Perottet "rare and interesting plants" were procured from Calcutta, Madras, Ceylon and Reumian and introduced. Now it is having a proud collection of 1,500 species.

Location: In the heart of the city at the southern entrance of city bus stand

Entry: Free
Area: 22 acres

The Botanical Garden in Pondicherry is the lung of the city and was thrown open to the public in 1826. Visiting the 182 year old garden is both an entertaining as well as educational experience. You can actually take a nap, stroll leisurely, listen to the birds and savor the cool breeze along with learning a few things about the trees and plants.

History:- The Botanical garden came into existence in Pondicherry in the year 1826. Initially the idea was to develop an experimental plot for determining the crops ideal for cultivation in this region. The trees were planted gradually. Largely the onus for transforming this place into a botanical garden in 1831 goes to a French Gentleman called Perrottet. His memorial can be found inside the garden premises. In 1960, the garden was made the centre of horticultural development in Pondicherry.
What to see
The Botanical Garden is divided into 28 plots each having a distinct theme. Out of the 28 plots, 16 are forest plots, and the rest are developed into different parks. You can learn a lot about the different species of plants and trees by studying the signboards put up by the department. It has botanical names, Tamil names as well as the common names of the trees, plants and shrubs. Visitors can also learn about the medicinal value of each plant, various uses and the amount of oxygen given out by the plants. Some of the attractions of the Botanical Garden are the following.
-Children`s train
- Aquarium with ornamental fish
- Six fountains
-Dancing fountain
-Japanese rock

Manakula Vinayagar Temple

History Of Temple : The temple is 300 years old and its early history is marked by trouble, with the French ruling that the annual festival around the streets of Pondicherry should not take place. This caused unrest among the people, and 15,000 of them gathered to set off towards Chennai. As they were all workers at a textile factory, the authorities revoked their decision, fearing that work would be affected. This type of incident kept happening again and again till, strangely, Dupleix, the great French leader, himself developed an affection for the idol. Such are the winning ways of Lord Vinayaka!

Diviness Of The Temple : The temple is now commonly called Manakkula Vinayaka, which is a corruption of the original Manarkula Vinayakar. The latter transcribes to the "Vinayaka who lives in a region bounded by sand". To the Eastern side of the temple lie the sea and the sands. Inside the temple, there is a small pond, which the priest will show to the devotee with the help of lit camphor. Though the pond is close to the sea, the water is clear. It is believed that anything put into the pond will turn black in colour. Many poets have sung in praise of this temple and its deity. For many years, the temple did not have an Utsavar idol. This was installed and a grand kumbabhishekam took place in 1966 with the Kanchi Sankaracharya present.

Auspicious Days: The pujas are conducted in accordance with the Rig Veda. On Karthigai Deepam day, the Lord is taken in procession in a golden chariot. The temple itself is lovely, with the area around the main shrine having pictorial depictions of the different forms of Vinayaka.

Pooja Types & Tariff: Poojas listed here are applicable for this temple only.The tariff shown are not actual cost payable to the temple. It includes our service charge, cost of pooja items and Delivery charges.

Website : http://manakulavinayagartemple.com

Pooja Name :
Archana - Sri ManakulaVinayagar Temple $10.00 / 450.00 Rupees
Sagasranama Archana - Sri ManakulaVinayagar Temple $20.00 / 900.00 Rupees
Ashtothra Archana - Sri ManakulaVinayagar Temple $15.00 / 675.00 Rupees
Abishekam - Sri ManakulaVinayagar Temple $50.00 / 225.00 Rupees

Panchavadi Anjaneya Temple

Panchavadi temple lies in between Tindivanam and Pondicherry main road, Exactly near Thiruchitrambalam Cross Road, one of the tallest anjaneyar statue in the world is erected here only.If you move from Tindivanam to pondicherry you may find the temple Panchavatee at 29th kilometer. From pondicherry towards Tindivanam road its only 9 km ahead.Panchamuga Sri Jayamaruthi seva trust , Consisting of people with high spritual beliefs, wished for this temple.

Sri Panchamukha Jaya Aanjeneyar Temple, Panchavadi is run by Sri Jaya Maruthi Seva Trust. Sri Aanjaneyar ia depicted here as "Viswaroopam" with five faces viz., Anjaneyar, Narasimhar, Varahar, Hayagreevar and Garudar. The Garudar face is on the back side of the Viswaroopam.The Anjaneya idol is carved out of a single boulder, weighing 150 tonnes, obtained from the hills of Pazhaiyaseevaram, seat of the beautiful Narasimha Temple and which is visited by Lord Varadaraja of Kanchipuram on the day following "Thai Pongal" as it was from here that the stone was obtained for carving out the centuries-old Varadaraja Moolavar idol in the Kanchipuram temple.The actual height of the Anjaneya idol is 30 feet while the Peedam is six feet high and the Upapeedam has a height of three and a half feet. It has a girth of 15 feet and after installation the actual height of the idol touches 40 feet.

A 64-feet high Vimanam is built over the sanctum sanctorum.The Anjaneya idol has 10 hands with sword, shield, Suvadi or manuscript, Ankusam, Amrita Kalasam, mountain, plough, snake, tree and Kadvangam (the leg of a cot).A three-foot long "Panchamukha Hanumath Yantram" is installed on the Peedam. The Yantram, incidentally was taken to many holy places, including Tirupati and Ahobilam. Angatha and Sugreeva are the Dwarapalakas.Besides the main door there is a door at the rear to enable devotees to worship Garuda. Five Pradakshinams and five Namaskarams is the norm.

Timings :

Abishekam : 5.30 AM to 6.30 AM

Archanai : Morning : 08.30 AM - 11.00 AM
Evening : 04.00 PM - 08.00 PM

Dharisanam : Morning : 08.30 AM - 12.00 PM
Evening : 04.00 PM - 09.00 PM

Raj Nivas

This grand palace-typically French - was once Dupleix's home. Today, the exquisite building, with its beautiful lawns in front decorated with sculptures, is the official residence of the Lieutenant-Governor of Pondicherry (not open to Public).

The Notre Dame des Anges

Another of the religious building the French left in Pondicherry is the Church of Notre Dame des Anges (Our lady of Angles), built in 1855. The church is a replica of the one in Lourdes. Its interior is pretty basic, but the church is worth visiting, especially when llocal people come to attend a mass.

Gandhi statue

Gandhi statue stands immaculately in the beach road of Puducherry (previously Pondicherry). The place is considered as one of the hottest places of Puducherry.You can see how people hang around Gandhi Statue and to say, personally I have felt that place has been a landmark and junction to meet my friends. At least I would meet a friend when I normally cross this place at my evening walks.Side angle view of the statue...looks pretty good. Incredible destination to visit.

A statue of Mahatma Gandhi Pondicherry, 13 ft height stands on the Beach Road, surrounded by eight magnificent granite carved monolithic pillars, built by the famous sculptor Roy Choudhary from Madras School of Art and Crafts.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and spiritual leader of India during the Indian independence movement. He was the pioneer of satyagraha—resistance to tyranny through mass civil disobedience, firmly founded upon ahimsa or total non - violence — which led India to independence and has
inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. Gandhi is commonly known around the world as Mahatma Gandhi. He is officially honoured in India as the Father of the Nation; his birthday, 2 October, is commemorated there as Gandhi Jayanti, a national holiday, and worldwide as the International Day of Non-Violence.

"Quai de Gingy” and “Quai de Ambour”

Another notable feature of Pondicherry is the “Quai” which is found in many french towns. Most of the french “Quais” are bulit along the rivers flowing through the town. In Pondicherrry, this has been achieved through the town. In Pondicherry, this has been achieved through the formation of two promenades called “Quai de Gingy” and “Quai de Ambour” on the either side of the grand canal both of which were once lined with shady trees.

Alliance Francaise

Alliance Francaise is an organization located on Rue Suffren Street in Pondicherry. It aims to maintain the French tradition alive in Pondicherry. Library and computer center function under the Alliance Francaise. French classes are conducted and cultural programmes and occasional art exhibitions are organized. Alliance Francaise functions from Monday to Saturday from 8 30 to 12 30 hrs and 14 30 to 18 00 hrs. Le Petit Journal is the monthly journal that highlights the forthcoming events of Alliance. Alliance Francaise has branches throughout India.

The Alliance Française de Pondichéry was created in 1897 and is among the first Alliances in the world after the one in Paris. The members of the governing board presided by Dr Nallam were elected in November 2005 for a period of three years. The new statutes were accepted by the Alliance Française de Paris in November 2006 and are registered under the local law.

Location:38 Rue Suffren Street, Pondicherry
Phone: +91-413-2338146
Fax: +91-413-2334351
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Lycée Français

The Lycée Français de Pondichéry in India is the most important French high school (lycée français) of Asia. It was created in 26 October 1826 by Eugène Panon, Comte Desbassayns de Richemont, then Governor General of Pondicherry. It's old name is Collège Royal. It welcomes today about 1400 students of the maternal one to the final one

Lycée Français - 12 rue Victor Simonel - 605001 Puducherry (India)
Tel : 00 91 413 2334096
www.lyceefrancais.in , This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research[JIPMER]

JIPMER traces its origin to 1823 when a medical school called "Ecole de Medicine de Pondichery" was established by French government. In November 1956 the Government
of India took over the medical college in the wake of the 'de facto' transfer of Pondicherry. The college was upgraded as a Regional Centre and named as Jawaharlal Institute of Post-graduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) on 13th July 1964.
JIPMER which includes a tertiary care referral hospital is under the direct administrative control of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. Three main functions of this institute are, to impart quality education in Under-graduate and Post-graduate medical and paramedical courses; to set trends in medical research and to offer patient care of high order.

Statue of Dupleix

Joseph Francois Dupleix, a great statesman was the Governor of Pondicherry between 1742 and 1754. His life was greatly associated with the people of the Pondicherry. He had tried his best to prevent British Supremacy from Indian Territory by making alliances with local princess.
In the struggle for power between British and French, finally French was defeated in the Second Carnatic War. Hence Dupleix relinquished his Governorship and returned to Paris in disgrace. His memorial statue is located at Goubert Avenue.

French War Memorial

The War Memorial erected by the French to honour the Pondicherry soldiers who died in the First World War, is also located in the beachfront. The Memorial is beautifully illuminated during the annual commemoration held on Bastille Day, the 14th of July.

The elegant French War Memorial on the famous Goubert Avenue was erected in honour of the soldiers who lost their lives during the First World War. The war memorial is beautifully illuminated during the annual commemoration held on Bastille Day, the 14th of July. Its sounds really great when a tourist hear that people are remembered for their services. The soldiers have fought for the safety of their place and people. We must respect and honour those who really strove hard for the safety of the place and the people.

Romain Rolland Library

Romain Rolland Library, formerly known as Bibliotheque Publique, is one of the oldest Libraries in the country. It is named after Romain Rolland, a French scholar and a close companion of Mahatma Gandhi.

The library houses a collection of over 315,000 volumes in different languages. A separate section functions here to foster the reading habit of children. Another prominent feature is mobile library facility, which stocks over 8000 books. It is generally utilized by the rural folk.

Separate section for competitive exam books, open access system and microfilm unit are among the facilities. Apart from this, ready reference and current awareness services are available. Library is open from 7:30 hrs to 16:30 hrs except for Mondays and public holidays.

Located on the Romain Rolland Street, the library is in close proximity to major sites such as Aurobindo Ashram, Legislative Assembly and Head Post office in Pondicherry.

Government Park

Location: In the centre of Pondicherry opposite Raj Nivas
Area: 35,000 Square meters
Government Park of Pondicherry is also known by the name of Bharathi Park. It is one of those places which best captures the old world charm of Pondicherry. A dash of green against the back drop of white, this describes the park. The park is surrounded on all sides by some important buildings. These include Raj Nivas, Legislative assembly, Government Hospital, UCO Bank building, Cercle de Pondichery etc.

History
The area that is now called as the Government Park has a very long History. The French build a stellate-shaped fort here in 1706. It was called as Fort St Louis. The fort was fed by the petit canal. In 1778, British forces pulled down the fort. In 1787 the French decided not to construct any more forts here and this place was used as a parade ground.
Till 1938 the place was used to be a barren and sandy parade ground. Until the French planted trees especially the Gold Mohors.
Prime attraction
Perhaps the prime attraction of the park lies in its centre. There is a monument that is known as Aayi Mandapam. This beautiful monument was erected some 150 years ago during the reign of Napoleon III.

What Else to see
The park has 4 gateways and the boundaries are made up of cast-iron fence. The pathways are made of granite slabs. Carefully pruned tress let in adequate air and sun light. There are two dedicated play areas with swings, slides, nets etc for children and a musical fountain. The musical fountain is essentially a dual fountain. During daytime it is a typical dome fountain. At night, the water, is lit with colourful lights and is made to rhyme with music. As the evening descends the park is softly lit by the diffused lights thrown by the cast iron lampposts. The park is strewn with some lovely statues. You can find here statues of prominent leaders of Indian national movement, Gods and yalis( animal with the head of the lion). Another attraction of the park is the chiseled pillars brought from the Gingee fort to Pondicherry after its capture in 1751 AD.

Sacred Heart of Jesus Church

Location: The Sacred Heart of Jesus Church is located in Subbayah Salai on South Boulevard, a short distance from the Pondi Railway station.

Timings: Any time between sunrise and sunsetEglise de Sacre Coeur de Jesus or The Sacred Heart of Jesus Church is one of the finest churches of Puducherry. This hundred year old church has immense historical significance. It is known for its Neo- Gothic Architecture, an exquisite entrance and stained glass
panels that depict the entire life of Christ. The church is a compulsory visit on the travel agenda of every tourist.

About the Church

* The Sacred Heart of Jesus Church is the work of French missionaries.
* Archbishop Mgr.Gandhi ordinates the Archdiocese of Pondicherry to the Sacred Heart of

Jesus in 1895
* Reverend Fr. Telesphore Welter, the parish priest of Nellithope prepares the building plan
* In 1902, Reverend Fr.Fourcaud the parish priest of Cathedral commences the

construction of the new Church.
* The first mass and the blessing of the church is held on 17th december 1907.
* The new parish surrounding the Church established in 1908.


Architecture
The church is 50 meters in length, 48 meters in width and is 18 meters high. 24 columns are used to hold this structure. The church is marked by rose windows, twin spires and a huge exterior. The Inside work of the Church is a magnificent combination of Indo European architecture. Walls adorned with Terracotta motifs a typical south Indian style occupies space with stunning stained glass paintings. Glass pictures can be found of 28 devout saints related to the sacred heart of Jesus including that of Joan of Arc. A striking figure of art is the statue of Madonna placed at the right side of the high altar. The
statue is draped with a blue sari.Another notable feature of the Church is the special use of color. The colors stand out with a brilliant mix of deep red, dark green and white.

Mass Timing
The weekly schedule of Masses is given below.
Monday to Thursday
Morning: 6 am; Evening 6 pm
Friday & Saturday:
Morning: 6 am; Evening 5.30 pm
Sunday:
Morning: 5.30 am - 7.30 am; Evening: 5.15 pm (English) - 6.00 pm (Tamil)

Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception

Pondicherry has several decorative churches and this one has a certain Mediterranean feel about it. It was built in 1791 in the style of many Portuguese constructions of that time.It is believed that The Our Lady Of The Immaculate Conception Church was initially built in 1541 and later it was re-built in 1619. The interior architecture of the church is pretty impressive. The backdrop of the altar is elaborately designed . There are two altars flanking the main altars. One is dedicated to Jesus crucified and the other is dedicated to Our Lady of Rosary.

However, both the altars are marvelously gilded and embellished with carvings, yet defined and uncomplicated, a well instance of that era. At the side of each altar, is a marble sculpture, one of St Paul and one of St Peter. Towards the south of the right of the main altar, is a Chapel of St. Francis Xavier, whose glass-encased statue occupies the focal point of that area.The size of Our Lady Of The Immaculate Conception Church speaks volumes about the religious climate of the time and the wealth available to the churches. The huge bell , that is the second largest in the world was actually the bell of the Church of Our Lady Of Grace. The Golden Bell was known as the “Bell of the Inquisition “ was moved to Our Lady Of The Immaculate Conception Church in 1841.