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PUDUCHERRY TOURISM SPIRITUAL TOURISM
A tranquil haven Puducherry is a place of diverse faiths where followers of different religions find peace and solace in the many places of worship - temples, churches and mosques parts of India. It is now dominated by a Samadhi that is kept in a state of pristine freshness not just by the intricate floral decorations that are placed over the marble surface, but by the air of serene contemplation that so many of the followers of Shri Aurobindo and the Mother bring to their understanding of the message of ‘integral consciousness’. Put simply, it is a state of being that each person can and should aspire to so that human beings can evolve to a higher state of self realisation. Today it has become a
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Mandagupattu It is about 50 km from Puducherry town. This is the location of the first Pallava cave temple for the Hindu trinity- Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva. Called Lakshitayatana, it was built during the reign of Pallava King Mahendra Varman-I.
Thiruvakkarai
n and around Puducherry there are a as many as 350 temples – big and small. Neighbouring Karaikal has another 99. Some were built by the Chola kings between the 10th and 12th centuries. You can locate the architecturally fine sight of the Sri Gokilambar Thirukameswara Temple, 10 km from Puducherry.
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A temple devoted to Lord Siva is situated at Thiruvakkarai, 32 km from Puducherry. This temple was constructed by the Chola queen Sembiyan Madheviyar. Aurlmigu Chandramoulisvaran and Thenambikai are the presiding deities. Every full moon day and night special rituals are conducted and devotees throng the temple throughout the night. Excellent sculptural works and a chariot–like mandapam are other attractions of the temple. A huge statue of the Nandhi and that of Lord Ganesha are noteworthy. Apart form the temple, the place has a National Geological park with a large number of ancient petrified tree trunks that had turned into fossils today.
Thirunallar Temple
Lord Pataleeswarar
The world famous Thirunallar Temple (Shani Temple) is situated in Karaikal. Thirunallar is 5 km west of Karaikal. The sanctum sanctorum of Lord Dharbaraneswarar Temple holds Siva as the main deity. However, its shrine dedicated to Saneeswaran (Saturn) which figures in the story of Nala-Damayanthi; makes this the most famous Saturn Temple in India. The blessings of Saturn are said to be overwhelming, while its wrath causes great misery. The temple hosts a mammoth festival (Shani Peyarchi), each time Saturn moves from one sign of the zodiac to another. This town is also an ideal base for pilgrims wanting to visit the other eight Navagraha temples situated in Tamil Nadu. The temple experiences at least 30,000 pilgrims/tourists on every Saturday and at the Sani peyarchi, a festival held every two and a half years, at least five lakh people gather. The Varadaraja Temple (12th century) in Puducherry is the most important Vishnu temple in town. Vedapureeswarar Temple built in 18th century houses a Siva shrine, stone inscriptions and a swayambhulinga. Manakkula Vinayakar Temple located right behind the Raj Nivas in Puducherry town, is an important land mark in the town. Puducherry has grown considerably since its colonial past, and its present day glory lies with the saint philosopher Aurobindo Ghosh, who founded his ashram here. Sri Aurobindo was a freedom fighter and in 1907 was considered the ‘most dangerous man’ by the British. The only result of the wrath of the British Government was, as he wrote later, “I found God.” The British tried to stop Sri Aurobindo from settling in Puducherry, but he was determined and started the ashram with a mere fifty paise. Situated in the heart of the White Town the Ashram has its own appeal. This was where Shri Aurobindo, the Mother and their immediate followers actually lived surrounded in time by a dedicated community of people from different
Thirupathiripuliyur in Cuddalore district is one of the ancient Saivite shrines in Tamil Nadu sanctified by the visit of two of the four chief Nayanmars, that is Thirunavukkarsar and Thirugnana Sambandhar. The former part of the name of this sacred place indicates the Sthalaviruksha Pathiri Tree and the latter Puliyur indicates the tiger legged saint who made penance in this place. It is 100 metres from Thirupathiripuliyur Railway Station.
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Manakula Vinayagar Temple The shrine dedicated to ‘Manakula Vinayakar’ existed even at the time of the arrival of the French in Puducherry in 1673. This Ganesh temple is situated on MV Street. Every Friday, people gather here to seek divine blessings for their new ventures. There are about 32 temples in Puducherry. Of these Manakula Vinayagar temple, Sir Vedapureeswarar temple, Kamatchiamman temple and Varadarajaperumal temple are famous.
Sri Gokilambal Thirukameshwara Temple Located in a small town called Villianur, 11 km from Puducherry. The main shrine housing the Shivlinga and the shrines dedicated to the Devi and Murugan date back to the 12th century Chola period. This temple has a little bit of French heritage attached to it, though not in its architecture, but in some of its traditions. The annual Temple Car Festival which is held in the months of May and June, involves the pulling of a 15 metres tall chariot through the streets by a large crowd of devotees. During French colonial rule, the governor of Puducherry used to join this very procession and actively participate in the drawing of the chariot through the streets. This tradition lives even today.
Mailam Murugan Temple It is about 50 km from Puducherry town. There is a Murugan temple atop a hillock. The Panguni Uthhiram festival held in March-April attracts devotees in large numbers. www.expresstravelworld.com
Cathedral and Churches
French missionary zeal in the XVII and XVIII centuries saw a number of grandly embellished churches built in Puducherry. The Church of Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Cathedral, the Eglish de Notre Dame Des Anges are particularly noteworthy.
Eglise De Sacre Coeur De Jesus This church on the South Boulevard is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is noted for its Gothic artchitecture, stained glass corridors and panels depicting incidents from the life of Jesus Christ.
Our Lady of Lourdes Villianur shares its importance, that it is the first shrine constructed for Our Lady of Lourdes in India. And this church is the first in the world to be named after Our Lady of Lourdes outside Lourdes, France. The Statue of Our Lady of Lourdes came from Lourdes under the direct supervision of Bernadette. It was on the April 4, 1877 that the statue arrived at Puducherry and was taken to the cathedral after the three dangerous falls of the box containing the Holy Mother’s statue. To everybody’s amazement, there was no damage to ● the statue. December 2012