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The following captivating short travel story about India ranges from the crazy to the inspiring, leaving you at times with sweaty palms and others with a warm heart. But no matter what feelings each powerful story instills in you, one thing is for sure; you’ll be transported to incredible India! And you may even pick up some travel tips and discover some new experiences along the way! Keep reading India Chalk to take a trip to India through storytelling.

While talking about India many people directly wander off to the Taj Mahal and Qutub Minar, but this story is something different and unique. This story is about Pondicherry. 
A quaint and cozy town by the sea, Pondicherry has something in store for everyone. Unlike major Indian cities, life in Pondy is not fast-paced; and for someone who loves French colonial architecture, it is heaven!

Arushi and Prakhar are a beautifully married couple who love traveling and adventures and are giving out some couple goals along with bang on travel goals. Their trip started from Pune to Chennai by flight and then rented a can from Chennai to Pondicherry which took them about 3-4 hours to reach. In Pondicherry they rented a scooter for local travel. It was their humble abode for the next few days. 

Day 1

For their first day, they booked the Gurukulam Hostel. And the first place to visit on their list was the famous White town. As a matter of fact, it is popular for its French colonial-era villas lining its leafy streets. Eateries from quirky cafes to upscale courtyard restaurants serve French, Indian, and Franco-Tamil cuisine, while small crafts shops dot cobbled lanes. And their choice of cafes is Gilli Chai, Hope cafe, Rendezvous cafe restaurant. After devouring lunch, they went to Promenade beach for its serene view and ended the day with dinner in Cafe Xtacy.

Day 2 

Starting the wonderful day by enjoying chai at Gilli Chai, Arushi says it was her favorite one of all. So we urge our readers to give it a visit if you happen to visit Pondicherry. They stayed at the Coromandel Heritage Hotel for their second day. However, Sri Aurobindo Ashram was next on their checklist, and later in the day, they went to Paradise beach. However, it is only accessible from the Chunnambar Resorts by boat, the beach is well-maintained and clean. One of the best experiences is getting to the beach itself; the ferry ride across the backwaters offers scenic views of dense mangrove forests.

Day 3

Day 3 was a special trip to India’s second-largest Mangrove first, Pichavaram Mangrove Forest. Moreover, it comes under the state of Tamil Nadu; and can be explored through boats. It is about 70 km from Pondicherry and can be easily accessible through any road transportation. Arushi and Prakhar went by scooty. The prominent note to our readers is to carry a legible permit if you have rented an automobile because there is a change of state, and you’ll be asked to show it when you enter the state. 

Day 4, 5 and 6

On the fourth day of their trip, they landed in Auroville, the city of dawn. This magical place is a must-visit if you’re in Pondicherry. This beautiful couple however went there especially to stay at the Keeth House. It is an organically built eco-stay situated in the beautiful international town of Auroville. 

If you enjoy an indoor-outdoor space, this property is the one for you. They stayed here for 2 days and explored several delightful cafes and restaurants. Matri Mandir, which is a unique structural piece on its own, was one of the must-visit places on their list. Anyhow, they couldn’t visit it from inside since it was closed at the time due to Covid. We highly recommend this place to our readers. 

Day 7

On their last day, they came back to Pondicherry and ended their trip by visiting Mahabalipuram. Best known for the UNESCO World Heritage Site of 7th- and 8th-century Hindu Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram. It is one of the famous tourist sites in India. They also went to the Mahabalipuram beach, which is famous for its beautiful sunsets and sunrise and the romantic walks along the beach are to die for! This excursion was on their way to Chennai Airport.

So this was the beautiful journey of Arushi and Prakhar to Pondicherry and Auroville. For more photos and videos check out their Instagram handle: @hungrycruisers

For more such unique and authentic stories stay tuned and follow us on our Instagram handle: @indiachalk