This is a place which I would like to visit time and again and still be willing to come back for more .... The best way to get to Pondi is to travel by bus from Chennai .. It’s about 3 hours journey from Chennai if you take the east cost road. Roads are good so no hassles there.
As far as lodging is concerned ... I would suggest that you book yourself in advance with the Aurobindo Guest house... The advantage of staying in the guesthouses is that its very cheap compared to hotels and it has all the facilities... and the food is also very nutritous.. they have an arrangement of serving food in a big dining facility where the food organizers are the volunteers from the auro ashram. One has to collect coupons and go there at the given time !! What amazed me was the amount of work which they were willing to go thru in order to organize the meals and then takingcare of cleaning it up...
The other restuarants are pretty expensive .... Then the Indo-french architecture of this place is out of this world. White is the basic colour and this place transports you back to the time when the French were here !!! The traditions and customs are still prevalent ... I was also impressed by the beaches .. very clean .. as compared to other beaches.. The shoreline is somewhat rocky...the water is very clear ..
But the best thing about this place is ’’AUROVILLE’’ ’’Aurobindo’s Ashram’’.... its a community in its own... Its situated some distance away from the mail town and well transport facilities are available on enquiring in the guest houses. They will take you thru a proper tour of this place and drop you back. This place is out of this world.. You will be amazed at the way people live here !!!
Here is the only place where I have seen a varied combination of the different cultures of the world.. Everyone here is busy doing something or the other .. The infractructure of this place is very interesting. This place is built on environmental friendly architecture. The concept of using solar energy in every way possible is very interesting. Then there are products which the people living there make with their own hands... candles , handmade papers, etc which is famous all over india. Almost everything is build by the people living there.
Interestingly the financing is also done by the people themselves. There is a huge amphitheatre which was also suppposed to be financed and built by the people.. but the most outstanding structure is the ’’Matri Mandir’’. Its a circular structure and as soon as one is in one feels so much at peace ... This is the place where the people of Auroville come to meditate... there is pin drop silence here.
The mode of transport for the people living here around this small place is by bicycle .. Thats done to conserve energy and to prevent pollution. I must say there is zero degree pollution here . It’s a totally different kind of life altogether.. It’s hard to believe that when today people are busy building the latest devices to make life comfortable .. here the community is falling back on the concept of the very basic way of living life and well its working !!! .... Simple living and high thinking .. thats the philosophy this community follows !!!!
Check this place out if you want to have a relaxing holiday !! These are the things which make Pondi a very charming place for me.