To the east coast of India ... (Bangalore to Pondicherry)

I was itching for a roadtrip and a vacation was long due. I had heard that the Bangalore Pondicherry route was a great drive. However the plans firmed up only at the eleventh hour and none of the recommended hotels had any vacancy. I managed to get a room at the Calve Heritage Hotel thanks to http://www.travelmasti.com/ and we were all set !

Kind folks at the IndiaHighways forum on yahoogroups suggested two different routes. The wife wanted to see Mahabalipuram as well so we decided we will return via the longer ECR+GQ route. What follows is a detailed trip report and some suggestions to tourists planning a visit to Pondicherry ...

We started early on a Saturday morning tanking up at the HSR layout petrol pump. We headed onto NH-7 via the Silk Board junction. The drive till Hosur is not very smooth. The elevated expressway construction is under progress. Even after E City the road surface was not really smooth but you can still do 80-100. We had breakfast at the Reliance A1 plaza which is a real neat concept.

We continued on NH-7 till Krishnagiri. There we took a left under the flyover (towards Chennai). The GQ continues till Chennai but a shorter route to Pondy is via NH-66 so we took the first right immediately after the flyover. [Distance covered ~ 90 K.M]

NH-66 is potholed from Krishnagiri till Chengum. You will find some really nasty craters and the short distance of 80 K.M. takes nearly 2 hours. Once you manage to negotiate this section the rest of the drive is very smooth. You continue on the same road but much faster. You can easily maintain speeds of 90-100 although the road is a 2-lane highway w/o a divider.

Just about 50 K.M. from pondy we reached an ASI site called Gingee fort. I really liked this place. It is an old fort that is very well maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). It was 1 in the afternoon and there were hardly anybody in sight. It was actually quite eerie and that added to the charm. We did not actually venture into the structures because there were just the 2 of us and we were tired and wanted to complete the drive to Pondy. If you plan well you can have a nice 2-3 hour halt over here and climb up to the fort to enjoy the vista. Highly recommended. The fort is right on the highway so no detour is required.

We continued onto Pondy and entered the city on NH-66 by about 1:30 in the afternoon. If you keep driving on NH-66 you will reach the end of the country quite literally. You end up at the "beach road" beyond which is the Bay of Bengal. We struggled a bit to locate the hotel but the hotel staff was quite helpful and actually send out a person to guide us to the Hotel.

Calve Hertiage Hotel is a large bungalow converted into a heritage hotel. They have a nice little restaurant that serves pretty decent seafood. It is right on the edge of the French Quarter.





There is really not much to do in Pondicherry. The French Quarter is really the size of a cricket stadium and most of the action lies in this zone. There are some good restaurants and if you like Seafood Pondy can turn out to be quite a delight.

The Beach road and the rest of the coastline is quite a disappointment. We went to the Serenity beach but beat a hasty retreat because the quality of the crowd leaves a lot to be desired. If you want to enjoy the beaches in India do head to GOA instead !!

So coming back to the topic of Seafood (which along with the drive from Bangalore completes the list of things I liked) don't miss this place called Rendezvous on the Rue Suffron. This place is always brimming over with foodies and the seafood is fresh and the ambiance cheerful. We also went to this small place called "Sea Gulls" which has only an excellent view to boast about. The buffet at the Promenade is a good assortment but they should really include more seafood in the menu coz that's why you go to the coast in the first place (No ?) ...

Auroville and Aurobindo ashram are a must for the spiritual kinds (which I clearly am not). Matri Mandir in Auroville is quite a sight but I wouldn't know. The two times I tried I could not get the passes !! Make sure you enquire about the timings otherwise you would be left twiddling your thumb !

After spending 3 days in Pondy we headed up the scenic east coast road (ECR) all the way to Mahaballipuram. The ECR itself starts about 15 K.m. after the city. It is essentially a undivided 2 lane toll road and is quite scenic. You can maintain speeds of 100 if you leave early in the morning.

Mahabalipuram was quite an experience. The heritage sites are astonishingly well maintained by ASI (after this trip I have become a huge fan of ASI). The sea kisses the town and the Shore temple is right on the coast. We reached Mahabs by 9 in the morning and were delighted by the sparseness of the crowd. The beach is right next to the Shore temple and a nice place to sit and play with the waves. You can't venture too much though because the coastline is quite steep (as in the rest of eastern India).

We got on the road and actually headed back a little distance towards pondy. You need to take a right onto SH-58 towards Kanchipuram thereafter. The state roads in TN are well maintained and the journey to Kanchipuram on this state highway is fast but you need to keep asking around for directions especially when you exit Chengalpattu and Kanchipuram.

After Kanchipuram you hit the GQ (heaps of praises to ex PM Vajpayee for gifting the nation these fantastic set of highways) and then you are only limited by how fast your car can travel. There is the occasional wrong-sider but since the visibility stretches to a few k.m. you can always take corrective measures. In general you can coast at 120 and I could do the 250 km-odd journey in less than 3 hours !!!

One final halt at the Reliance A1 plaza near Hosur (there is one A1 plaza on either side of the road spaced about 5 k.m apart so you needn't take u-turns) and we hit the Silkboard junction by 6 in the evening.

So let me conclude with a few tips ...

1. The 2 good things about a trip to Pondy is the drive from Bangalore and the seafood (and thats where the list ends !!)

2. If you must visit this part of the country I would suggest spending the majority of your time at Mahabalipuram. Stay at some resort near Mahabs and venture out for a day trip to Pondy and not the other way around. This is a serious recommendation.

3. If you must stay at Pondy select a beach resort. If your hotel does not have a private beach there is no place else in Pondy to enjoy the coastline.

4. If your destination is only Pondy stick to the NH-66 route. Otherwise try the GQ (Kanchipuram route) especially if there are multiple drivers.

Happy Motoring !!