The name Pondicherry has been derived from
the Tamil word Puducheri signifying 'the new
settlement'. It was a French settlement that
comprised Pondy, Yanam, Karaikal, and Mahe.
Amazing is the fact that different districts
of Pondicherry fall under different states.
The capital Pondicherry is situated in the
state of Tamil Nadu at a distance of around
200 km from Chennai. While Karaikal is also
a part of Tamil Nadu, Mahe is located in Kerala,
and Yanam is in Andhra Pradesh. There is a
strong influence of French culture on Pondicherry
town, especially on it's architecture, a result
of the centuries-old relations this place
maintained with France. Today, Pondicherry
is more famous because of its relation with
Sri Aurobindo. Sri Aurobindo selected this
peaceful and harmonious place to make his
abode in the second decade of this century
and remained there till his death. A political
revolutionary before coming to Pondicherry,
he became one of the most famous sages of
modern times produced by India.
Sri Aurobindo Ashram :
Founded in 1926, the Sri Aurobindo Ashram
has grown, under the Mother's guidance, from
a small group of two dozen disciples into
a large diversified community with almost
1200 members. Counting the 400 students of
the Centre of Education and the hundreds of
devotees who live nearby, the larger ashram
community consists of more than 2000 people.
Situated in a busy city of over 700,000 people,
the Ashram is not a quiet place of retreat
but a vibrant centre of life in a modern urban
setting. The dynamic character of the community
reflects the life-affirming aim of Sri Aurobindo's
Yoga. Work as an offering to the Divine is
an essential aspect of the Yoga, and all Ashramites
do a certain amount of productive work each
day in one or another of the Ashram's departments.
In the sadhana or spiritual discipline at
the Ashram, there are no obligatory practices,
no rituals, no compulsory meditations or systematic
instructions in Yoga. Sadhaks are left free
to determine the course and pace of their
sadhana in accordance with their own natures.
But the general principle of the sadhana is
the same for all: there must be a surrender
to the Divine and an opening to the Divine
Force so that it may work to transform one's
being.
The Ashram is located in the eastern part
of Pondicherry. Ashramites live and work in
a large number of buildings spread throughout
the area. The focus of community life is the
Ashram main building, usually called simply
"the Ashram", which consists of
an interconnected block of houses, including
those in which Sri Aurobindo and the Mother
lived for most of their lives. At its centre,
in a tree-shaded courtyard, lies the Samadhi,
a white-marble shrine where their bodies are
laid to rest.
The Ashram provides its members with all
they need for a decent and healthy life. Various
departments have been organised to look after
the basic requirements of food, clothing and
shelter, as well as medical care. The Ashram
has farms and gardens, a printing press and
a number of small-scale industries. There
are also libraries for study and facilities
for a variety of cultural pursuits.
The History of Pondicherry :
Not much is known about Pondicherry before
the foreign settlement started. There are
evidences of the Pallava, Chola and the Vijayanagar
empires around the city. What is interesting
are the relics of Arekmedu, the famous archaeological
city with a port through which major trade
was conducted with the Roman Empire. It is
through this port that India used to export
silk, spices, even birds, lions, elephants
to the Roman Empire in exchange for gold."
In the 16th century, the Portuguese first
arrived here and then the following century
the Danes made an appearance. In 1673, the
French arrived. Till then, Pondicherry was
a weaving and fishing village. The French
quarters started along the sea and extended
to the south, all along the sea. The city
slowly emerged with the fort at its center.
The town planners tried to implement this
grid system methodically. It required the
reconstruction of many houses, mostly those
of the Tamilians. It also required the strict
implementation of regulations. In all, it
took the French almost a century to implement
the plan-that of the present concentric pattern
with the fort at the center and boulevards
surrounding it. It has, however, expanded
beyond the boulevard in recent years.
Today, some adjacent areas, which were previously
villages, have been included within the city
limits. Around the 1760's, the British destroyed
the city including the fort. When the French
reoccupied it, most of the buildings were
reconstructed but not the fort.
In the latter part of the 18th and early
19th century, Pondicherry again fell into
British hands and all construction activity
came to a standstill. Most of the present
day buildings came up in the 19th century,
which also marked the advent of water supply
in the city and the railway link with British
India. By the 20th century, the city had expanded
to include many neighboring villages, although
few changes were made in the inner city.
This French colony became a part of the Indian
Union in the early 1950's, with the French
voluntarily relinquishing control.
Today, the Union Territory of Pondicherry
includes the other three French enclaves of
Karaikal (in Tamil Nadu), Mahe (in Kerala)
and Yanam (in Andhra Pradesh).
Area : 492 Sq Km
Population : 973,829 (2001)
Religion : Hinduism , Christianity and Islam
Annual Rainfall : 993.4
Temprature : Max(31.90 Degree Centigerade)
Min ( 24.50 Degree Centigerade)
Capital: Pondicherry
Languages : Tamil , Malayalam and Telgu.
Literacy Rate : 81.49 %
Per Capita Income : 11,677 (1997-98)
Best Time to Visit : March to October
How to Reach Pondicherry :
By Air: Nearest airport from Pondicherry
is Chennai 162 km. One can take flights for
most of the important Indian cities many places
abroad Chennai International Airport.
By Rail: Pondicherry is connected through
a meter gauge railway line with Villupuram.
There is only one railway station between
Pondicherry and Villupuram i.e. Villianur.
Most people generally do not prefer trains
and take buses instead.
By Road: Pondicherry is well connected to
most of the major towns of southern India
by road. Buses ply between Pondicherry and
Chennai regularly as well as for other important
cities of this region.
