Visit Pondicherry by Arun Mittal

From the Jacket

Travelling, for the author of this book, is a passion, not a profession. Till date, he has visited places in the states of Kerala, T.N., A.P., Karnataka, Assam, Meghalaya, Andaman & Nicobar, J & K, H.P., Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Rajasthan, M.P., Maharashtra, Orissa, Bihar, W. Bengal, Goa and Pondicherry. He has crossed over or touched the borders of Bhutan, Nepal, China and Bangladesh. He has trekked in the Himalayas, camped in wildlife sanctuaries and trekked along the coastline. Among his unique experiences are celebrating Holi at Rabindranath Tagore’s Shanti Niketan, experimenting with Yoga at Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry, getting lost with an elephant in the jungles of Manas in Assam and diving among the coral reefs of Andamans.

The author completed his engineering from Birla Institute of Technology, India and management studies from New York University, USA and has held executive positions in Tata Consultancy Services and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation.

The author has special interest in ancient Indian philosophy of the Vedic era. He plays squash and the guitar. He has even flown a glider.

Preface

How to best use this book

This book is written with the view of making one‘s trip to Pondicherry a living experience, an unforgettable, memorable episode in life. After reading this book and visiting Pondicherry, one will feel like a ‘native’ and will be able to narrate vivid experiences to friends and acquaintances for years to come.

While reading this book for the first time, please read it like a novel, sitting in an easy chair, preferably with a cup of tea or coffee at the elbow. Read it from cover to cover without pausing to memorize names of places or new terms. You would then have a general picture of Pondicherry in the mind and also an awareness of what information exists in which part of the book. Later, detailed information may be sought when required. For example, one may enjoy re-reading the kaleidoscopic history of Pondicherry, while travelling in the train towards Pondicherry. While in Pondicherry, one may want to consult the detailed route—description to Chunnambar boating complex on the morning of the day of making that trip. One may like to preview the sections on the Museum or the Botanical Gardens or Auroville before visiting them, to be sure of what to see and later to add any new discoveries of one‘s own, in the margin. One may even sit sometime in contemplative mood and reflect upon the aspects of life in Pondicherry, which have captivated the author and is sure to captivate you.