Pondicherry trip Itinerary : Bangalore - Thiruvanamalai - Gingee - Puducherry/Auroville (Matri Mandir ; Auroville Bakery ; Aurbindo ashram -> Ganesha
temple -> sunset at Rocky Beach -> Sunrise at Auroville beach)
We started on 15th August morning from Bangalore at
8 in the morning though the plan was to start at 5 a.m. This was a road trip in
car so we set out to Hosur and against our pleasure we faced neck to neck traffic
till Hosur. After reaching Krishnagiri we took a left for Thirvanamalai. If you
plan to ride or drive, I would suggest the other route via vellore or Chittoor as
the road after Krishnagiri till Gingee is ‘Pathetic’.
We reached Thiruvanamalai around 2 o’clock but the temple
opens only at 3 if you want to go completely inside. And against my
understanding, if you want to get inside the temple, pay for special darshnam
and you can get inside. After the darshan, we had lunch in a hotel right
opposite to west gate named “Ganesha veg restaurant”. In this place most of the
restaurants are vegetarian. The timings of the temple are Morning: 5 a.m. to
12:30 p.m. and in evening: 3:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
 |
| Thiruvanamalai temple |
http://tiruvannamalai.nic.in
Next we continued on the same road and reached Gingee where
we took our next halt to see the Gingee fort. The fort is located on a hill.
The timings are 9:00 a.m. to 7 p.m. on all days except on holidays and as we
went on 15th August, the fort was closed.
From here we continued for Auroville which is located around
15km from Pondicherry as we had booked our guest house in Auroville. After
Gingee the road is very smooth as it’s a national highway. If you like being in
the midst of Jungle, Auroville is the place to be. We booked our guest house at
Isai Ambalam guest house for 800 rs per night with common toilet and Kitchen.
You can find premium to basic options for stay in Auroville. On a long weekend
you might have to book in advance as there are not many options available. Find
your guest house at http://www.aurovilleguesthouses.org/
Next day morning, we enquired about Matri Mandir. If Matri
mandir mesmerizes you also then you must register yourself a day in advance at
the visitors center on individual basis and in person for the first time. From
second time onwards you can either call visitor center or mail them and your
booking would be confirmed. If you only
want to see the Matri mandir from outside from View point then you must see a
video at the visitor center. After watching the video, you will get a free pass
to see the Matri mandir from outside. Any information related to Matri mandir
or Auroville in general can be obtained from visitor information center from
9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
And if you are in Auroville and you don’t spoil your taste
buds to yummy French delicacies at Auroville bakery. The patisserie and the
croissant here are definitely not to be missed. Keep the timings in mind as the
bakery is open from Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Next, we left for Pondicherry and first visited the
Aurobindo Ashram. The place is beautiful and serene. You must remove your
footwear outside and keep your mobile in silent. The place is definitely a
respite from hustle bustle of life. You can sit here, close your eyes and quiet
your mind chatter. The place is open from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
to 5:00 p.m.
Next we went to Ganesha temple which is just 5 minutes walk
away from Aurobindo Ashram. The temple is interesting as it displays multiple
forms. There is an elephant outside
which blesses for which you have to pay money. I am not sure how much of the
elephant’s blessings work but it’s an interesting experience to be touched by
an elephant. The temple timings are morning 5.45 am to 12.30 pm evening 4.00 pm
to 09.30 pm Timings are subject to change during Festival days and Holidays.
Pondicherry has many places to do shopping and to eat. It
gives you options from many French like Cafés to typical South Indian food
places. Based on your interests and liking you can explore these options in
main market road. On the rocky beach road Le Café would be one of my
recommendations.
By the evening, we set out for a walk on Rocky beach. It’s a
long stretch of around 2-3 Km. It’s a perfect place for walking, jogging with
the sun setting down, nice breeze and music from the waves hitting the rocks on
the beach.
Next day morning, as early as we could, we left for the
Auroville beach. This is a sandy beach and you can get in the water. First
20-30 meters into the water are rocky and then suddenly it becomes sandy. You
can run on this beach. If you are comfortable with swimming then this is also
the beach for swimming. There is a restaurant which has a changing place also
but without shower for free.
After enjoying at the beach we left back for Bangalore but
this time via Chittor , Palamaner road which is definitely nicer even though
the complete route is much longer.
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