Pondicherry,
the largest French bastion on the sub-continent before independence, is
located 162 km south of Chennai abutting the Bay of Bengal. The history of
modern Pondicherry started with the arrival of the French in 1673, whose
influence can still be seen in certain sections of the city. The town in
itself is sleepy and very slow. The culture is very diverse with churches,
temples, and mosques all standing with their distinct identities in peace
and harmony. Music and dances of
Pondicherry are mainly extension of southern styles of classical music. Major dance forms are Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi while Carnatic style of music is the prevalent musical tradition
Today Pondicherry offers, among other things, a lovely beach, stately buildings, ornate temples, churches, and , of course, the very famous Aurobindo Ashram. Aurobindo popularized ‘Integral Yoga’, a synthesis of yoga and modern science into a beautiful spiritual exercise and experience. The lovely beach of Pondicherry -- which has witnessed some important Anglo-French battles and has a War Memorial on it, offers perfect relaxation of body, mind and spirit. It also holds a statue of Mahatma Gandhi.