Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Shopping

Pondicherry is famous for its creative and beautiful souvenirs. Terra cotton, handmade papers, wooden handicrafts, aromatics, leather products, linen and garments are unique here. Sunday market is ideal for economic shopping.


Pondicherry offers wide varieties of shopping. Most shops are open from 10.00 a.m. to 8.30 a.m. and some of them are closed for lunch, Sundays & Public holidays. pondicherry is popular for products like Clothing, leather products, jewellery, antiques, crafts, handmades, aromatics and silk. Most of the shopping areas are within the boulevard.

Grand bazaar

Grand Bazaar is a market located between Mahatma Gandhi street & Bharathi street. It is the main market of Pondicherry for flowers, fruits, vegetables, fish, spices, groceries & Utensils. It is very interesting to browse this daily market.

Sunday market

Mahatma Gandhi street & Jawaharlal Nehru street cross roads has street markets on every Sunday. This market is quite famous and perfect for cheaper products. Garments, second-hand books, toys, house holds, CD’s, DVD, audio tapes and used products are generally sold here.
[Source: Repos Travel Guide]

Tour pondicherry

Full Day Tour - Rs.110/- per person
[Aurobindo Ashram, Handmade Paper Factory, Manakula Vinayagar Temple, Museum, Sacred Heart Church, Botanical Garden, Chunnambar Water Sports Complex, Auroville & Panchavadi Hanuman Temple]
Departure: 9:30 a.m.

Half Day Tour - Rs.90/- per person
[Aurobindo Ashram, Chunnambar Water Sports Complex, Auroville & Panchavadi Hanuman Temple]

Eco Friendly Tour - Rs .150/- per Adult/ Rs.100 per Child [Includes Veg. Lunch]
[Villianur Temple, St. Lourdes Madha Church, Kezhur Banyan Tree, Referendum Monument, Ousteri Lake, Thiruvakkari Fossils, Prithiyankaradevi Temple, Kalapet Beach]

For further details please contact:
PONDICHERRY TOURISM DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION LIMITED
40, Goubert avenue, Pondicherry - 605001.
Phone: 0413 2339497 / 2330532 / 2220371
Email: tourismpondy@sify.com

Ousteri lake

Ousteri lake is one of the biggest lake and major supplier of drinking water in those days. Now it is opened for the tourists for boat ride and to watch the birds. During the season this lake acts as dwelling place for many migration birds.
[Source: Repos Travel Guide]

History of Pondicherry

It dates back to pre-history time, it is believed that sage Agasthiya established his ashram here. This place was known as “Vedapuri, a seat for knowledge”. The inscription found near the Vedhapuriswara temple hints at the credibility of this legend.

The excavations at arikamedu proves that Pondicherry had trade relations with Greco-Romans during 1st century A.D. Potteries, wines, spices and semi precious jewelries were the major products traded. The proofs exhibits that “Puduke or Poduca” should have been the name of this town during the contemporary period.

From 4th A.D Pondicherry was ruled by the pallavas, Cholas, Pandyas, Vijayanagar kingdom and by sulthanas till the Portuguese established their settlement in 16th century.

The European connections started with Portuguese followed by the Danes, the Dutch, the French and the English. For nearly 50 years Pondicherry had a power struggle between French and English. Finally in 1816, the French took total control over Pondicherry under the treaty signed in Europe between the French & English. The fishing village turned to be a beautifully planned town during the 138 years of the French governance.

On November 1, 1954, the French possessions in India were de facto transferred to the Indian union and Pondicherry became a union territory. But only in 1963 Pondicherry became officially an integral part of India after the French parliament in Paris ratified the treaty with India. It is almost 16 years after the Indian independence.

Still Pondicherry carries the souvenirs & heritage of the French connections. You could see it with the street name in white town, kepis of the policemen, petange, French institutions, local slang connected with French words and many. You could definitely feel it when you are in Pondicherry.
[Source: Repos Travel Guide]

Arikamedu

Arikamedu has a long history dating back to 2nd century B.C. It was used as a port for trade with the Romans and Greco-Romans. Wine, Garum sauce and olive oil were imported and the exports must have included textile, beads, semiprecious gems, glass and shell bangles.

But now we could see only the perpendicular walls and a mission house, as the excavated trenches have been filled up. To know more about Arikamedu and its ancient culture you could visit the Pondicherry museum where pottery, beads, shell bangles, ear studs etc are persevered.
[Source: Repos Travel Guide]

Handicrafts

Pondicherry is famous for its craftsmanly artistic handicrafts. Pondicherry has a wealth of handicrafts ranging from bronze images to basketry. The wealth of knowledge these craftsmen have has resulted in Pondicherry commanding a distinct position in handicrafts map of India.

Bronze images of Hindudeties with varying sizes is a standing testimony to the excellent craftsmanship of Pondicherry.

The woodcarvings are unique, with a rich blend of French and traditional craftsmanship. The sofas, the carved legs of corner stands, make this art unique all over India.

Carpets occupy an important place in the Pondicherry’s handicrafts. The Tibetan and German carpentry flourished hand in the hand with the tradition of knowledge of cotton and core carpets of south India, in Pondicherry.

Printed and painted wall hangings, were introduced by the migrant Telugu people into Pondicherry and are subsequently improved with the synthesis of European design and art.

Pondicherry is also famous for its Teracotta toys and toys are made out of paper machine. The terracatta toys were also found in the excavations made at Arikamedu, which reflects the state of affairs of Pondicherry during the ancient period.

Clay and ceramic pottery reflects the traditional East and modern West is contacts in Pondicherry. Artistic vases, plates, bowls, jars exhibit the fitness of these crafts.

Pondicherry is famous for its Hand made paper. The ordinary papers, by the introducing into the method of marbling, acquires unique designs of various colors and shapes. No two articles bear the same color combination or design in unique only to these Handmade papers.

Basketry, a rural crafts, occupies a prominent place in Pondicherry handcrafts, due to its intricate weaving and exquisite designs. These articles are made out of bamboo and canes. The cane work through a recent origin, has surpasses the other products of basketry for its elegance and long lasting nature.

Leather goods

Pondicherry’s leather works have a distinct character a blend of Eastern skill and Western design. Traditionally Pondicherry has lot of skilful persons in the area of leather goods and crafts. An important feature of Pondicherry leather industry is that much thrust is given for Eco-friendly leather. These vegetable tanned soft leather have acquired brass fitting, thus adding beauty to utility.

Silk Textiles

Pondicherry, through not having its own silk weaving unit or a flourishing silk industry the neighboring places like Thirubuvanam, Siruvandhadu are traditionally the nodal areas of its Silk industry. Pondicherry is a well established market especially for the above mentioned silk centers.

Pondicherry houses, a lot of exclusive silk textiles showrooms. Beautiful traditional and modern designs and made on the silk sarees and shawls that are exhibited in the various showrooms.

Garments & Textiles

Traditionally Pondicherry has contributed much to textiles especially handloom textiles have won the reputation of people including foreigners as it is evident from the artifacts excavated in Arikamedu. Which stands as a testimony of Pondicherry’s involvement in international trade. During the French rule, a textile mill, Sawana Mill (now Swadeshi Cotton Mill) was started to tap the resource of the trained manpower. Pondicherry now houses three major mills in the heart of the city.

Sri Aurobindo Ashram, has also contributed lot in the sphere of Garment industry. Exotic North Indian styled Garments synthenised with the South Indian Styles. Sri Aurobindo Ashram has its own exclusive, marbling division, which produces beautiful silk verils, scarf’s and other silk garments.

The Christian (monasteries) are also involved in making of certain exotic garments especially the marriage gown for the bride made of linen. This legacy of exquisite garments and textiles is carried on by the various textiles and garment showrooms, which exhibit their products ranging from mattresses to Sarees, in the main Bazaar road of Pondicherry.

Statue of Joseph Francois Dupleix

The statue of Joseph Francois Dupleix is a 2.88 meter tall, who was the Governor of Pondicherry from 1742 to 1754. The statue was made in France by Theodore Grruere and erected in the year 1870 at the Place de Republique.

Later is was shifted to French consulate General in 1964 now given to Pondicherry Administration by an agreement between India and France. The statue was placed in the children’s park in 1983, southern end of the beach road or Goubert Avenue.

The marble statue of the heroic and mercurial French damsel Jeanne D’Arc in the posture holding aloft the flag stands on a pedestal in the garden opposite to Eglise de Notre Dame de Anges. The statue of Goddess of travel in front of the Railway Station Stands majestically.

Mosques

There are seven Mosques in Pondicherry. The Kuthpa Mosque situated in Mulla street is one of the oldest and famous mosque. This Mosque is two hundred years old and been re-constructed in 1922-24. During the French rule, Mayor Gabilo has praised about its modest feature. Besides the mosque, lies the symmetry of Mowls Sahib.

Churches

The churches, l’Eglise de Notre dame de l’Immaculee Conception in rue des Missions Etrangeres, l’Eglise de Notre Dame des Anges in rue Dumas and l’Eglise de Sacre Coeur de Jesus in South Boulevards are famous for its magnificent architecture build by the French missionaries during the seventeenth and eighteenth century. Each church exhibits a different style of architecture viz. medieval Christian, Roman and Gothic respectively. L’Eglise de Notre Dame de l’Immaculee Conception was first built in 1692. This church took its present shape in 1791 after its destruction in 1761. The church of Notre Dame des Anges built was between 1851 and 1855. The cross shaped church of St. Francois d’Assie in Kurusukuppam was built in the year 1843. The Eglise de Notre Dame des Anges in Villianur is also very famous.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Azimuth conducted Intercollegiate English Essay competition on women’s day

Azimuth celebrated international women’s day in their campus with an essay competition for the arts college students. 18 students from different colleges were participated in the competition, Achariya college student won the First prize of Rs. 2000 and got a certificate of appreciation. Bharathidasan college student got second prize.
For more details visit: www.azisoft.blogspot.com