I had a vacation in Pondicherry recently, and I’m the type of traveler who wants to know the facts about a place, but also the weird uncommon things very few people know. I spent some hours doing some research and exploring, so I thought this might be helpful for you…
Here are some essential facts about Pondicherry:
- It has the third-largest Gandhi Statue
- You can meet an elephant
- Nicknamed Paris of the South
- It’s the only place to go scuba diving on India’s East Coast
- The main beach is rock, not sand
- It’s near an experimental town
- Created it’s own folk dance
- Director M. Night Shymalan was born here
- Pi from Life of Pi was from here
- Mentioned in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
- Has a late monsoon season
- Low alcohol taxes
The rest of the facts about Pondicherry are below, and I’ve included some lame facts that you might want to be aware of before planning a trip to Pondicherry… 😬
1) Pondicherry has the Third Largest Gandhi Statue in the World
More than 70 countries have statues erected in honor of Mahatma Gandhi. The largest statue is in Patna, it’s made of bronze and stands 24 meters tall.
But Pondicherry has a big statue of this iconic man as well.
It is 13 feet tall (4 meters) and sits right in the middle of Promenade Beach. It was created by the well-known artist Roy Choudhary. It also has 8 hand-carved monolithic granite pillars with stone taken from Gingee Fort (which some call the Troy of the East).
Each morning you can see other tourists taking selfies with it and it’s impressive as the sun rises behind it.
2) Meet an Elephant
There aren’t a lot of elephants in this region of India, however, there is an elephant that visits a local temple in Pondicherry.
The Manakula Vinayagar Temple is devoted to the elephant-headed god Ganesha. You can see murals in his honor on the ceiling and many sculptures of him.
You can also visit with the elephant, Lakshmi (the name of another Hindu god) that comes some evenings. She accepts gifts in the form of money and food. So bring your peanuts 🙂
$$$ TIP: Prepare to pay an offering for getting a photo with her.
3) 70 Temples are Devoted to Lord Ganesha
Pondicherry has as many temples as an American city has McDonald’s or the UK has fish and chip shops.
There are 350 Hindu temples in Pondy, as the locals call the city.
70 of the temples are dedicated to Lord Ganesha, so if you like elephants, sculptures of elephants, elephant murals, and carvings of elephants you will have plenty to see.
4) The Basilica Sacred Heart of Jesus Church Holds 2000 People
There are a few beautiful churches in Pondicherry, and the Basilica Sacred Heart of Jesus is the most beautiful in my humble opinion.
It has this foreboding spooky Gothic architecture. It has huge circular stained-glass windows that depict the life of Jesus and cast colorful light on the worshipers. It is huge too, it holds 2000 people.
Christianity has a significant presence in Pondicherry, even though only 3% of the population follow this religion. You can find thousands of pilgrims visit throughout the year though.
5) Pondicherry is Officially Called Puducherry
The name was changed to Puducherry in 2006.
The first name was Putucceri. Putu means “new” in the local language of Tamil. Ceri means “village.” The French changed it to Pondicherry, and now it’s back.
Like many places in India though, it is still spelled in a number of ways. You will still see Pondicherry or Pondy, as much as Puducherry.
6) Nicknamed the Paris of the South
It has a few nicknames, one of the most popular is the “Paris of the South.” Or “India’s Little France.” Or the “Europe of India.”
I would call it the New Orleans of India, as it has the French Quarter and with the beautiful French-inspired homes and balconies… and the chill vibe of the city, it reminds me of that fun American city.
7) Pondicherry Is the Only Place to Scuba Dive on India’s East Coast
You can get certified in scuba diving in Pondicherry, as you can see some coral reefs and beautiful color fish. There are +20 sites to visit with depths from as shallow as 15 feet (~5 m) to as deep as 120 feet (~40 m).
There are angelfish, parrotfish, kingfish, lionfish, grouper, eagle rays, manta rays, sea snakes, triggerfish, bannerfish, and much more.
NATURE FACT: The Pondicherry Shark is an almost extinct shark found in the region. Apparently there are less than 20 left in the world.
If you’re interested in going scuba diving with a company like Temple Adventures:
- Discover Scuba Diving: 7900 RS per person. 2 days. You will dive in the ocean. Breakfast, snacks and photos included.
- Open Water Certificate Course: 26500 RS per person. 4 days. 5 pool sessions. 4 open water dives. Equipment rental included.
- One Day Dive with Certification: 5000 RS per person (+18% tax). 2 Dives. Breakfast and snacks included
- Equipment Rental: 1000 RS per day
8) The Beach is Quiet
Honking is a part of the driving etiquette in India. If you don’t honk, you might get flattened by a bus, haha.
But near the Promenade Beach in Pondicherry… there are many signs urging people, NO HONKING.
Also, the road is closed off for walkers and bikers only before 9 am, so each morning as the sun comes up, you can find locals and tourists getting some exercise with only the lull of the waves and the sound of the breeze.
9) Promenade Beach is also called Rock Beach
Pondicherry’s beach used to be a serene sand strip that would rival Goa’s world-renowned beaches.
However, erosion was naturally taking the sand away for many years. Some think that by building the harbor made the erosion worse.
Then in 2004 there was a tsunami. Then in 2011 there was Cyclone Thane. Today, the beautiful sand beach is mostly gone.
To protect the coast the city took a few measures:
- Build a reef near the shore
- Build an offshore reef
- Building seawalls
- Building artificial rock lines
- Pumping out seawater
They’re still working on the project and hopefully can store it.
10) Pondicherry has it’s Own Independence Day
On August 15, India celebrates its independence.
Yet one day later on August 16, Pondicherry has its own special day. In 1962, Pondicherry was merged with the Indian Union.
Pondicherry was liberated from France on November 1, 1954. It then took nine years for the territory to merge with India.
They also celebrate their Liberation Day on November 1.
11) Pondicherry is Known for Great Coffee
South Indian citizens as a whole are big coffee-drinks. Many will pick their own beans, roast the beans themselves, grind the beans themselves, and make their cup in their own individualized way.
Filter coffee is popular here and you can get strong, sweet and milky coffee that even Starbucks fans will enjoy.
With the French influence, you can also find espresso bars. Cappuccino, Americano, cafe au lait, and more are sold in many restaurants.
I had a cafe au lait at a beachside restaurant as the sun came up, and it was 👌
12) Pondicherry is 7 Miles Away from an Experimental Town
A bunch of Westerners and local spiritual followers built their own town in the desert called Auroville, and it’s not far from Pondicherry.
Today, it is a common destination for many tourists.
- They reforested the desert and it’s now a thick jungle that is markedly cooler than the surrounding area.
- They built a gold dome called Matrimandir. It took them 37 years but they went all-out. Inside is a meditation chamber than holds 100 people. It’s painted and carpeted in all white and has the largest optically perfect glass globe in the world.
- They host many workshops year-round. From building treehouses to bamboo furniture to permaculture to earth homes, there are many things you could learn here.
- They officially don’t use money, and if you want to buy something within the community you would need an Aurocard. Basically a debit card you fill up with cash.
Auroville has been recognized by UNESCO, the Indian government, and the Dalai Lama has visited a couple of times.
13) Pondicherry Created its Own Folk Dance: Podikazhi Attam
In the fishing villages near Pondicherry, you may see ceremonies with 8 to 16 men in colorful traditional costumes. They will have choreographed movements and strike sticks in rhythm with the music.
Women will sing and play the drums, dolak, cymbals, maddalam, shruti and more.
It is a ceremony dedicated to Lord Murugan, the Hindu God of War and Victory.
14) Hollywood Director M. Night Shyamalan was Born in Pondicherry
He’s made films like The Sixth Sense (1999), Signs (2002), The Village (2004), and many more.
He’s known for mind-bending plot twists at the end of films. Most of his work has a supernatural theme as well.
He was born on August 6, 1970, in Puducherry. He grew up in Pensylvania though.
15) Pi is from Pondicherry from the Novel, Life of Pi
You know the story, the kid who’s ship sinks so he’s stuck on a life raft with a Bengal Tiger. It’s a modern classic.
You probably don’t remember that Piscine Molitor “Pi” Patel, was from Pondicherry.
Guess who directed the film? …None other than M. Night Shymalan 🤓
16) Pondicherry is Mentioned in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Prince Pondicherry was the Indian royalty, who commissioned Willy Wonka to build him a palace out of chocolate. When asked if he would eat it, he was not too happy…
‘Nonsense!’ shouted the Prince. ‘I’m not going to eat my palace! I’m not even going to nibble the staircase or lick the walls! I’m going to live in it!’
Prince Pondicherry, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
If you’re familiar with the story, you can imagine what happened after the Prince woke up from a nap one summer day…
17) Pondicherry has a Late Monsoon Season
Most of India has a monsoon season in June through September. So if you’re traveling to India, you would want to avoid these months.
There can be heavy rainfall that can last for days with flooding in many places.
But Pondicherry only has intermittent rain from June through September. I was there in August and it rained a few times, but it didn’t seem common.
Pondicherry’s monsoon season gets heavy in October and November.
18) I Ate Bacon Here
Yes, that’s right. Ben J ate bacon for the first time in India here, haha. Normally, this would not be notable since I used to eat bacon often in Texas, but since it’s my blog and my facts and bacon is rare where I’ve been in India, we’re adding this in. 😎
The bacon was delicious and found in a crepe.
Crepe in Touch is one of the many crepe places in Pondicherry, but one I would recommend. I had the Monts D’Arree (Bacon, potatoes with special “matire d’hotel’ butter, fresh cream, and cheese) all for 250 RS.
19) Pondicherry has some of the Lowest Alcohol Taxes in India
Fact: Pondicherry is a Union Territory, NOT a state.
Therefore they don’t have a state government that has to enforce a large area and many cities, Pondicherry is pretty small and it’s legislature and elected chief minister can make decisions that truly benefit the territories industries.
Since Pondicherry is a beach city with lots of tourists, the tax on alcohol is very low. In some states, the taxes on imported liquor can be between 100% and 500%.
If you want a cocktail overlooking the water from a nice hotel, you will find a place here in Pondicherry.
***4 Lame Facts about Pondicherry***
Okay here’s the straight truth about some not-so-cool facts about this Indian beach town…
1) Bars and Restaurants Close by 11 PM
You will find good prices on alcohol, but you won’t find an all-night party scene like you would in Goa or other big cities in India.
You can find some cool places though, and I prefer these types of places since I’m not a huge party animal.
If you want to know about the alcohol laws and places to have a great night, check out my related post: Is Alcohol Allowed in Pondicherry?
2) Busy Restaurants
There are a lot of tourists for such a small city, so make reservations for tables before heading out to be sure you can get a table.
There are some amazing places to have a rooftop dinner such as like the Bay of Buddha, Sky Garden, New Banana Cafe and more.
3) No Swimming at Rock Beach
There are some powerful riptides, so swimming is prohibited at the beaches in the city.
Paradise Beach is the best beach to swim and is the cleanest. Also, Serenity has surfing and Bodhi Beach are popular with swimmers as well.
4) No String Bikinis
At the beaches in Pondicherry, it’s encouraged to dress modestly even when swimming.
Women could wear a one-piece bathing suit or a shirt over their suit.
Related Questions:
Pondicherry is also known as…?
Puducherry is the official name. Pondy is the nickname. It’s also called “The French Riviera of the East,” “Paris of the South,” and the “Europe of India.”
What is Pondicherry’s History?
The Romans visited the beaches where Pondicherry is in the First Century AD. You can see evidence of fishing and the people traded pottery, stones, and cloth.
The sage Agastya may have founded a popular ashram here, although the records are scant.
In the Fourth Century, Pondy was in the Pallava Kingdom. In the Tenth Century, the Cholas conquered the area. Then the Pandyas invaded and won in the 13th Century.
In the 16th Century, the Portuguese had a colony here. Denmark and the Netherlands did as well. But it was the French who built the settlement from villages to a city (although the Dutch briefly controlled the area from 1693 to 1699).
The English and French fought over the area for many years. In 1761, the city was burned to the ground by the English and stayed that way for 4 years. This continued until the French took over for good in 1816.
