| Reflexively, Pondicherry always strives to be the erstwhile French colony that it is. Otherwise, this locale might end up a poor copy of France. Pondicherry refers to both the city and the union territory of India.
But it does not take too much to transfigure France here. Now called Puducherry, Pondicherry, or Pondy to many, has a telltale French connection. Colonial heritage buildings take up much of this place. If anything, the road map of Pondicherry reveals clean boulevards lined by trees. In between them are decadent mansions and bougainvillea spilling over the courtyards.
By and large, the institution among the most interesting places in Pondicherry is the Sri Aurobindo Ashram. Unmistakably located on rue de la Marine, this ashram is regarded as one of the wealthiest in India, with a cachet resonant with devotees around the world.
Examples of the French legacy are palpable with structures as the Mairie, which now houses the offices of the Puducherry Municipality.
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