The Union Territory of Pondicherry with a 32 km long
coastline on the Coromandel Coast is a well-planned French Boulevard
town. A perfect family holiday destination, it has everything that helps
one to relax and enjoy. The numerous palm-fringed beaches, splendid
seafront resorts, beautiful backwaters, wondrous opportunities and
facilities for water sports centre, fabulous tiny fishing villages and
hamlets and handy harbor make it a much-beloved tourist spot. Its
highlights are the pier, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, the world-class Auroville
city and the internationally acclaimed Yoga centers. Besides the city of
Pondicherry as its capital lying 162 km South of Chennai, the other
regions included in this Union Territory are Karaikal, 132 km South of
Pondicherry, Yanam in the East Godavari district in Andhra Pradhesh and
Mahe in the Cannanore District of Kerala.There are no records to indicate the exact origin of Pondicherry. According to the legends, in the ancient times, the town was once called Vedapuri because of its renowned Vedic culture. It was also the abode of the great saint known as Sage Agastya. His Ashram is said to stand on the same site as that of Sri Aurobindo Ashram today by Prof. Jonvean Dubrouil, the French archeologist. 6 km from here, the excavations at Arikamedu have brought forth the ruins of the ancient port town with trade connections with Rome and Greece dating back to the period between 100 BC and 100 AD. Chola coins dating back to 11th and 12th centuries have also been found here. The above artefacts are displayed from the excavations at Arikamedu can be viewed in the Pondicherry Museum. Whatever is the past the modern Pondicherry was born with the arrival of the French in 1673 who ruled for about 281 years in the area and a profound influence of Southern France can still be seen in the region.
