Wanderlust Tales :Road Trip to Puducherry, Pondicherry
Pondicherry is a must visit and make it a top priority on your travel bucket list. 😇
GLIMPSE INTO THE HISTORY:
Puducherry is one of the seven Union Territories of the Country - a town surrounded by the state of Tamil Nadu. Pondicherry is its capital and also the largest city in the Indian Union Territory of Puducherry.
It was predominantly under French rule until 1954 and is the only place where the French Legacy has still been greatly preserved.This can be greatly witnessed in the French Colony - especially the distinct yellow colored villas in major parts of the town.
One can witness an adverse influence of the French culture, architecture, cuisine in the quaint town.
It is rightly known as the French Riveria of the East - where you get to experience a colonial heritage.
The locals address the place fondly as Pondy and it is one of the most sought-after tourist locations in Southern India.
Graced with a long coastline, bright sunshine it lures tourist majorly for its diversity ranging from spirituality, food, culture, and of course the sea.
It is definitely a place where one can wallow in the spiritual heritage in the form visits to the Sri Aurobindo Ashram and the Auroville International City to the numerous breathtaking endless serene beaches to the varied cuisines that Puducherry has to offer.
PLACES TO SEE:
Had few spots in mind which we intended to cover on our 2-day tour:
Started off from Kanakpura Road, Bangalore around 6:30-ish in the morning, due to heavy fogs in the wee hours of the morning - did not want to risk anything. And we were in Puducherry by 12:30-ish in the afternoon.
The route that we took was Hosur -> Krishnagiri -> Tiruvannamalai -> Gingee -> Tindivannam -> Puducherry.
The route we opted was majorly via NH 77 once we crossed Krishnagiri.
I must warn you, the road condition is not very suitable - although it is the shortest route in terms of km, yet the time taken to cross the badly managed NH roads with potholes and narrow and patchy lanes make one take the same amount of time to reach.
The roads till Krishnagiri is a pleasure to drive through, long 6 lanes driveways.
Soon as we were driving, approached the toll booths - a toll of Rs.25/- was shelled out.
FOOD STOP:
Once near Shoolagiri, we made a quick pitfall at the A2B Anand Bhavan for breakfast, as we had been advised repeatedly there wouldn't be any eateries, restaurants after a while of driving.
Here we had freshly prepared soft idlis and piping hot idlis and vadas with the tangy sambhar with 2 types of chutney. Anand Bhavan needs no introduction - and with the crowd pouring in, it was well seen. 💟
With the petrol pump next to it and washrooms - it is a good stopover.
There was a toll paid at the Krishnagiri toll booth of Rs.45.
Do make sure to keep a lookout at the Google maps - at one point where you must not take the flyover but keep slight left to keep going to Puducherry or to catch the Chennai road. The flyover would take you to Salem and the slight left would take you to the Chennai roads.
Since Diwali was near, there were a lot of shops set up selling phatakas. The shops were lined up innumerable-ly.
Next toll was for Rs.65/-.
Once at the NH77 - surprisingly, the road conditions deteriorate further. NH I must say?! 😒
You might face the flak for about 21 km or so.
Once the road directs you to drive through the small galis in the village roads, you cannot rely on the Google Maps and it is here, that people come to your aid. At many points, there are police checkpoints and they redirect you - alas Google maps unable to reroute keeps taking you back to the same road.
So be on a lookout - keep a check - don't trust the Google maps post the Bypass Road.
We had to cross a heavily crowded bylane - but people were quick to come to your aid.
The views were breathtaking - just look at the greenery and the way clouds are ornamenting the mountains - ain't it beautiful?! 💕
Next toll of Rs.40/-.
Cheers to life!!
GLIMPSE INTO THE HISTORY:
Puducherry is one of the seven Union Territories of the Country - a town surrounded by the state of Tamil Nadu. Pondicherry is its capital and also the largest city in the Indian Union Territory of Puducherry.
It was predominantly under French rule until 1954 and is the only place where the French Legacy has still been greatly preserved.This can be greatly witnessed in the French Colony - especially the distinct yellow colored villas in major parts of the town.
One can witness an adverse influence of the French culture, architecture, cuisine in the quaint town.
It is rightly known as the French Riveria of the East - where you get to experience a colonial heritage.
The locals address the place fondly as Pondy and it is one of the most sought-after tourist locations in Southern India.
Graced with a long coastline, bright sunshine it lures tourist majorly for its diversity ranging from spirituality, food, culture, and of course the sea.
It is definitely a place where one can wallow in the spiritual heritage in the form visits to the Sri Aurobindo Ashram and the Auroville International City to the numerous breathtaking endless serene beaches to the varied cuisines that Puducherry has to offer.
PLACES TO SEE:
Had few spots in mind which we intended to cover on our 2-day tour:
- Paradise Beach
- Serenity Beach
- Gandhi Memorial
- Rock Beach
- French Colony
- Auroville
- Sacred Heart Basilica Church
- Sri Aurobindo Ashram
- Manakula Vinayagar Ganapathi Temple
PONDICHERRY DIARIES:
- In and around Puducherry: http://xylo742.blogspot.com/2017/11/wanderlust-tales-in-and-around.html
- Sri Aurobindo Ashram: https://xylo742.blogspot.in/2017/11/wanderlust-tales-in-and-around_13.html
- Our stay at Windflower Resort and Spa: http://xylo742.blogspot.com/2018/02/hotel-anatomization-with-magic-of-wind.html
ROUTE:
Started off from Kanakpura Road, Bangalore around 6:30-ish in the morning, due to heavy fogs in the wee hours of the morning - did not want to risk anything. And we were in Puducherry by 12:30-ish in the afternoon.
The route that we took was Hosur -> Krishnagiri -> Tiruvannamalai -> Gingee -> Tindivannam -> Puducherry.
The route we opted was majorly via NH 77 once we crossed Krishnagiri.
I must warn you, the road condition is not very suitable - although it is the shortest route in terms of km, yet the time taken to cross the badly managed NH roads with potholes and narrow and patchy lanes make one take the same amount of time to reach.
Soon as we were driving, approached the toll booths - a toll of Rs.25/- was shelled out.
FOOD STOP:
Once near Shoolagiri, we made a quick pitfall at the A2B Anand Bhavan for breakfast, as we had been advised repeatedly there wouldn't be any eateries, restaurants after a while of driving.
Here we had freshly prepared soft idlis and piping hot idlis and vadas with the tangy sambhar with 2 types of chutney. Anand Bhavan needs no introduction - and with the crowd pouring in, it was well seen. 💟
With the petrol pump next to it and washrooms - it is a good stopover.
Do make sure to keep a lookout at the Google maps - at one point where you must not take the flyover but keep slight left to keep going to Puducherry or to catch the Chennai road. The flyover would take you to Salem and the slight left would take you to the Chennai roads.
You might face the flak for about 21 km or so.
Once the road directs you to drive through the small galis in the village roads, you cannot rely on the Google Maps and it is here, that people come to your aid. At many points, there are police checkpoints and they redirect you - alas Google maps unable to reroute keeps taking you back to the same road.
So be on a lookout - keep a check - don't trust the Google maps post the Bypass Road.
We had to cross a heavily crowded bylane - but people were quick to come to your aid.
This one seemed to the Gingee fort or as per Wikipedia was also known as the Chenji Fort - and I guess it would make for a perfect trekking spot. Looking at the height at which it was located - it looked gigantic.
It is located on three hillocks and the walls reach up to 800 feet.
Gorgeous view it would make.
A quick stop for some tender coconut - I must say the water content was high in the tender coconut plus look at the light orange-ish color of the skin.
We spotted this beautifully architectured temple - the Annamalaiyar Temple in the town of Thiruvannamalai. Just have a glance at the work done. History has it, that the temple has been dedicated to the deity Shiva and was made by Chola Kings who ruled at that time.
Due to timings, constraints we could not visit the temple. It is closed in the afternoons and opens only at 16:00-ish.
This was a confusing junction just about 1 hour before touching Pondicherry. It is a roundabout but a confusing one.
After the Mampathi Road, there is a straight stretch of about 40 km till you reach Puducherry which would actually qualify for an NH. 😒
And finally, we found some signboards stating which way for Puducherry, Chennai.
Drove straight ahead, and this is how Puducherry welcomed us! 😍
Cheers to life!!
~Journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step! 😊
Very nice and wonderful clicks. seems you have taken some different route apart from the regular ones. The chennai to pondicherry ECR road is a must Drive. Chennai to Pondicherry-cabs
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