The old French town of Puducherry has always fascinated tourists with its colourful houses and colonial architecture. In December 2022, the Central government announced its decision to promote Puducherry as a spiritual destination under its Swadesh Darshan 2.0 initiative, which focuses on developing important spiritual places. Reiterating the government's stance, President Droupadi Murmu recently said that Puducherry is a great place for spiritual tourism and could help its socio-economic growth.
As the Centre amps up its Swadesh Darshan 2.0 drive, take a look at these places ideal for spiritual tourism in Puducherry:
Named after Sri Aurobindo, the philosopher and nationalist, the ashram serves as a spiritual getaway for tourists. Aurobindo spent four decades in Puducherry developing Integral Yoga, a distinctive spiritual approach guiding individuals towards spiritual insight and personal transformation.
In 1926, Aurobindo and his collaborator, the Mother, established the Sri Aurobindo Ashram to steer people towards spiritual freedom. The ashram, which now attracts tourists from around the globe, offers practices like meditation, Yoga alongside access to amenities such as a library, meals, and exhibitions.
Located in Puducherry's Bharathi Park, Aayi Mandapam resembles a European-style arched gateway. This historical monument was built during the time of French emperor Napoleon III as a tribute to Aayi, a courtesan who demolished her house to ensure a constant drinking water supply for this former French outpost.
A plaque in the park elaborates on the folklore of Aayi. As the story goes, the mighty monarch Krishnadevaraya of the Vijaynagar Empire in the 16th century visited the region when he chanced upon a beautiful structure lit with oil lamps and embellished with fine carvings. Mistaking it for a grand temple, the King fell to his knees in reverence. The onlookers were stunned at the King's gesture. It was then that the King came to know that what he thought as the temple was instead home to a temple dancer or "Devdasi" Aayi.
Auroville, also known as "The City of Dawn," was designed to house 50,000 people from around the world. In the centre of the settlement is the Matrimandir, the oval Peace Area, considered the soul of Auroville. Around it are 12 "petals" and 12 gardens. The petals represent meditation rooms named after the Mother's 12 qualities: sincerity, humility, gratitude, perseverance, aspiration, receptivity, progress, courage, kindness, generosity, equality and peace. Close by stands a huge banyan tree that marks Auroville's central point and an amphitheatre with the "Urn of Human Unity." This urn holds soil from 121 nations and 23 Indian states. These elements are encircled by a lake. Around the city, there is also a green belt comprising forests and farms for visitors to explore.