Puducherry Tourist Information

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Puducherry is a Union Territory in India, which was a French colony during the British Rule. Pondicherry was rechristened to Puducherry in the year 2006. The word Puducherry literally means "A new village" in Tamil. Most of the tourists visiting the state call it Pondy.

About Puducherry
Puducherry is home to a large population of Tamil speaking people and a variety of people from other states. The French influence has made a great impact on the daily mannerisms of the people; the policemen in this place still wear red caps.

Hindus form a majority of the population in Puducherry. Christians follow second and Muslims are minorities in the city. Christianity in the city is a large legacy, which was left behind by the French colonies. Puducherry is famous for its food as its cuisine is a blend of the French and the local cuisine. Tourists can buy bona fide French baguettes, French pastries and brioches.

Where is Puducherry

The Union Territory is located ...
... on the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal. It is comprised of three districts: Puducherry, Yamam and Karaikal. The Union Territory covers an entire area of 293 sq. km and has 900,000 residents according to the 2001 census reports. The Portuguese invaded Puducherry first and were later followed by the French and the Danes.

Major industrial sectors in Puducherry are agriculture, textiles and food processing. Important crops grown in the state are bajra, pulses and ragi. When the French ruled Puducherry, it was divided into the Indian quarter and the French quarter.

Exploring the State

Sri Aurobindo Ashram at Auroville can be found in the Union Territory. This was set up in the year 1926 and many disciples of Sri Aurobindo stay at the Ashram and live in austerity. Many tourists come to this place and stay to experience a new life.

The major destinations for worship are the Panchavatee, Kamakshi Amman Temple, Navagraha temple, Jumma Masjid, Sengazhuneer Amman Temple at Irumbai Maahaleswarar Temple, Singagiri temple, Sacred Heart church, Immaculate Conception cathedral, Our Lady of Lourdes Church at Villianur and Veerampattinam.

Some of the major festivals celebrated in the city are Dusshera, Easter, Christmas, Diwali and Pongal. The International Yoga Festival is celebrated in the month of January each year by hordes of tourists both from India and abroad.

Things to Know

The nearest international airport is in the Chennai International Airport located 3 or 4 hours away via road; it has flights to major destinations in India such as Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata. The airport also connects India to international countries in Europe, Middle East, South East Asia and North America. Chennai is well connected to all the major cities in the world.

Women can move around safely in the French sections of Puducherry, and it is preferred that they dress appropriately.