Pondicherry
(Union Territory of India) 

The places to see
With a coast line of 32 kms, well-planned French Boulevard town, palm-fringed beaches, resorts, backwaters, water sports centre, fishing villages, harbour, the pier, the famous Aurobindo Ashram, the international city of Auroville, world-renowned Yoga centres and other attractions, Pondicherry is the ideal place to spend your holidays with your family. There's something for every one.

Although there are many places of interest, the following are the most notable :

Shri Aurobindo Ashram
Shri Aurobindo, the great seer, poet and prophet of the twentieth century, made Pondicherry his home from 1910 till his death in 1950. His vision and ideals continue to draw people from all over the world.

Auroville
Located 10 kms north of Pondicherry town, Auroville is envisioned as a Universal Town, where people from different nationalities, faiths and beliefs, can live in peace and harmony. The construction of this 'universal town' was started in 1968 under the guidance of The Mother, a Paris-born painter musician who became Sri Aurobindo's disciple and close companion from 1924 till his death in 1950. The development of this utopia is still in progress. Several countries have offered to set up permanent pavilions, reflecting the culture and ethos of their countries.

Pondicherry Museum
On display are the findings of Arikamedu, the Chola bronzes and sculptures, glimpses of French heritage, specimens of modern and traditional handicraft, paintings, armouries, carvings and many other things of historical interest.

Chunnambar Resort - Water Sports Centre
Known for its virgin beaches and backwaters, Chunnambar has a Water Sports Centre which offers exciting boating experiences. It is also a great tourist spot.

Botanical Garden
Established by C.S. Perrotet in 1826, it preserves a large variety of exotic species of plants from all over India and abroad.

Villiayanur
Sri Gokilambal Thirukameswarar Temple, architecturally the finest in Pondicherry, is located 9.5 kms away. During May-June, a ten-day annual festival (Brahmothsavam) is held here which attracts hundreds of devotees. The temple car rising to a height of 15.25 metres is profusely decorated, pulled out from its usual position and taken on a procession around the town. It is an awe-inspiring sight.

Mansion of Ananda Rangapillai
Built in 1773, this mansion is a fine specimen of Indo-French architecture. Ananda Rangapillai was the courtier of Joseph Francois Dupleix, the Governor. The diary which Rangapillai maintained between 1736-60 is a book of great value as a source of information on the history of Pondicherry and the French in India.

Eglise De Sacre Coeur De Jesus
Dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, this church is noted for its gothic architecture and stained glass panels which depict the entire life of Jesus Christ.

Anglo-French Textile Mills
Established over a century ago, a visit to the Anglo-French Textile Mills is an education in itself. The mill gives a ten percent rebate on purchases made by tourists who go on guided tours. The acclaimed fabrics and products of this mill make ideal mementoes and gifts.

The Pondicherry Tourism & Transport Development Corporation conducts a daily sight-seeing tour in and around Pondicherry. There are both half-day and a full-day trip programmes. For more information and bookings, please contact :

Tourist Information Bureau
40, Goubert Avenue (Beach Road),
Pondicherry - 605 001.
Phone : 0091-413-339497

Festivals 
Almost every month, there is an important fair or a festival in Pondicherry. Some are religious in nature, others cultural and spiritual and still others, purely gourmet !

Some of the main fairs and festivals are :

International Yoga Festival 
January 
Organised by the Department of Tourism, Pondicherry, every year during January 4th-7th, this festival attracts Yoga enthusiasts, both novices and experts, from all over the world.

Pongal Festival
This festival of Tamilnadu, is also celebrated with great enthusiasm in Pondicherry. It is celebrated as a thanks giving after the harvest season.

Masimagam Festival
March 
Celebrated during the full moon around mid-March, deities of sixty-four temples from in and around Pondicherry are brought to the beach for a sanctimonious sea bath. Thousands come to witness and participate in this festival.

Villianur Temple Car Festival
May 
Around the middle of May, the exact date depending on the appearance of the full moon, the decorated car of the Thirukameswarar Kokilambal Temple is taken out in a procession, pulled by hundreds of devotees.

Bastille Day
July 
On July 14, the Bastille Day, Pondicherry witnesses an Indo-French pageantry. Donning their uniforms, war veterans march through the streets singing 'Marsellaise'. More interestingly, the French flag can be seen flying alongside the Indian flag on many housetops.

French Food Festival
August 
'Gourmet', a Food Festival to celebrate the great French cuisine, is organised by the Tourism Department every August.

Virampattinam Car Festival
This is the grand car festival of Pondicherry when the decorated temple car is pulled in a procession, with the Lieutenant Governor participating in the ritual.

Birth Anniversary of Sri Aurobindo
August 15, the birth anniversary of Sri Aurobindo, is a holy day in Sri Aurobindo Ashram. On this day, thousands of people from all over the world come to the Ashram to pay their homage to the great sage, poet and philosopher of the twentieth century and also visit his personal quarters.

Fete De Pondicherry
During August 15-17, a cultural pageant, coinciding with the Liberation Day and the Independence Day, is celebrated by the Department of Art & Culture and the South Zone Cultural Centre. Leading artists in classical and folk arts from all over India, participate in this event.

With the status of industry accorded to tourism, the Government of Pondicherry has prepared a master plan to promote tourism in the Union Territory of Pondicherry. This offers a grest investment opportunity to entrepreneurs.

It is estimated that about 3000 additional hotel rooms are required in the next five years. The identified areas of investment include resorts, hotels, theme parks, golf courses, water sports, ferry service between Pondicherry and Chennai, operation of regular chartered flights , and so on.

As an uncentive to investors, many concessions and benefits are being provided. Among them are :
Grant of interest subsidy on loan by the financial institutions. 
Exemption of luxury tax for hotel accomodation. 
Exemption of sales tax. 
No entry tax for tourist vehicles. 
Majority participation by foreign investors in case of joint venture projects. 
Income tax holiday for 5 years. 
The Government also encourages Non-Resident Indians and foreign nationals of Indian origin to invest in tourism projects. All the incentives offered by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, are available in the Union Territory of Pondicherry as well.

Come and invest in Pondicherry. It is an attractive new investment destination.