Chennai (Madras) Trip Overview
On this full-day tour explore the cultural heritage of Pondicherry, which is a unique blend of French and Tamil cultures. Get a glimpse of the spiritual legacy of this former French colony at Sri Aurobindo Ashram, which is dedicated to Sri Aurobindo Ghosh – a philosopher and freedom fighter. Visit Auroville, a unique global village that is home to people from over 50 countries.
Highlights
• Sri Aurobindo Ashram
• Aurobindo paper factory
• Pondicherry Museum
• Auroville, global village
Additional Info
Duration: 13 to 14 hours
Starts: Chennai (Madras), India
Trip Category: Day Trips & Excursions >> Day Trips
Explore Chennai (Madras) Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Chennai (Madras), Tamil Nadu, India
On this full-day tour explore the cultural heritage of Pondicherry, which is a unique blend of French and Tamil cultures. Get a glimpse of the spiritual legacy of this former French colony at Sri Aurobindo Ashram, which is dedicated to Sri Aurobindo Ghosh – a philosopher and freedom fighter. Visit Auroville, a unique global village that is home to people from over 50 countries.
Highlights
• Sri Aurobindo Ashram
• Aurobindo paper factory
• Pondicherry Museum
• Auroville, global village
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Rue de la Marine, Pondicherry India
You will be picked up from your hotel in Chennai early in the morning from where you will be taken to Pondicherry, a 3-hour drive away. En route, stop for breakfast at a local restaurant.
As you drive into the city, you will notice the strong French influence in the facades of the mediterranean style houses, the local bakeries and the roads and avenues. On your arrival in Pondicherry, visit Sri Aurobindo Ashram. Soak in the ambience of the ashram, which reflects a synthesis of yoga and modern science. Founded in 1926, the Ashram has a community of around 2,000 people who are engaged in voluntary community service. Visit the paper factory there and see how paper is produced from cotton rags and then processed with techniques like silk screen printing and marbling.
Duration: 4 hours
Stop At: Pondicherry Museum, Rue Romain Rolland, Pondicherry 605001 India
Next visit the Pondicherry Museum. The museum has a collection of rare bronze and stone sculptures dating back to the Pallava and Chola dynasties. It also has several artefacts excavated from Arikamedu, an ancient port that had trade links with the Romans.
Enjoy lunch (own expense) at a French – Indian fusion restaurant and savor the flavors unique to this region.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Auroville, Auroville, Viluppuram District, Tamil Nadu
After lunch you will be driven to Auroville. Located at a distance of 7 miles from Pondicherry, Auroville is an experimental township that was founded in 1968 and is today home to people of several nationalities. Auroville, literally translates to the ‘City of Dawn’. People from over 50 nations of the world reside here and the architecture of the township reflects this universality. Follow your guide to Matrimandir, known by locals as ‘Temple of the Mother’, where you will get a close look at its gold-plated dome and lotus-shaped urn that stretches nearly 100 feet. Your guide will give you a deeper understanding of this temple’s significance for practitioners and teachers of Integral Yoga.
At the end of your trip, you will be driven back to Chennai and dropped off at your hotel.
Duration: 2 hours
