| Places to see |
| Auroville Ashram |
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It is the biggest of all tourist attractions in Puducherry. Just because of it, the destination of Puducherry exudes a spiritual aura. For the weary soul, this is an ideal retreat. Any evening head for the Ashram, meditate, soothe the battered psyche.Auroville is also called the city of dawn. This city is still being built.Work on it started in 1968 under |
the guidance of Sri Ma, the companion of Sri Aurobindo, the great spiritual leader and freedom fighter.
The Matrimandir took 37 years to build, from the laying of the foundation stone at sunrise on 21st February 1971 - the Mother’s 93rd birthday - to completion in May 2008. It is in the form of a huge sphere surrounded by twelve pedestals. The central dome is covered by golden discs and reflects sunlight, which gives the structure its characteristic radiance. Inside this central dome is a meditation hall known as the inner chamber - this contains the largest optically-perfect glass globe in the world. The Matrimandir, and its surrounding gardens in the central Peace Area, is fully open to the public by appointment.
The four main pillars that support the structure of Matrimandir, and carry the Inner Chamber, have been set at the four main directions of the compass. These four pillars are symbolic of the four aspects of the mother as described by Sri Aurobindo, and are named after these four aspects.
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Name |
Symbolism |
Maheshwari
(south pillar) |
"...her personality of calm wideness and comprehending wisdom and tranquil benignity and inexhaustible compassion and sovereign and surpassing majesty and all-ruling greatness". |
Mahakali
(north pillar) |
"...her power of splendid strength and irresistible passion, her warrior mood, her overwhelming will, her impetuous swiftness and world-shaking force". |
Mahalakshmi
(east pillar) |
"...vivid and sweet and wonderful with her deep secret of beauty and harmony and fine rhythm, her intricate and subtle opulence, her compelling attraction and captivating grace" |
Mahasaraswati
(west pillar) |
"...equipped with her close and profound capacity of intimate knowledge and careful flawless work and quiet and exact perfection in all things" |
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| Tiruvakkarai |
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It is about 30 km from Puducherry town. Large fossil bearing areas fenced in to create the country's first National Fossil-Wood Park here. These petrified trees lying scattered on low mounds and stream sections, date from the Cretaceous Age (100 million years ago). |
| The Botanical Garden |
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The Botanical Garden in Pondicherry was created in 1826. The garden has rare and interesting plants procured from Calcutta, Madras and Sri Lanka. Currently it possesses a proud collection of 1,500 species of different plants and herbs. |
Promenade (Beach Road) |
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The Promenade Beach and the monuments around speak of the rich heritage of Puducherry. Some of the important monuments of the city are on the shores of this beautiful beach. They include the statues of Mahatma Gandhi, Joan of Arc and Dupleix, the War Memorial etc.
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A lot of information pertaining to Puducherry can be acquired through the information centre which faces the beach. The 1.5km long promenade running along the beach is the pride of Puducherry. There one can relax or take a stroll at any time of the day. Unfortunately, it is impossible to swim in this beach because of the seawalls. |
