Pondicherry decoded

I’m someone who likes to explore places in India — those in my neighborhood. Recently, I got to travel to Pondicherry and this is one place that I absolutely love. Everyone knows that the beaches and sunsets there are gorgeous. But what I liked about the place is there are people from all across the world visiting or living there. It is so peaceful that it actually brings you close to yourself.

On the way to Auroville, there’s this restaurant called Tanto Pizzeria, where they make authentic wood fire pizza. This has to be the best pizza I’ve ever tasted. It's absolutely delectable and a must-try!

Another thing I enjoyed doing was shopping for cotton materials at the flea markets on the way to Auroville. There was this variety of cotton called bamboo cotton which I discovered and started to wear. It kind of gives you a hippy look and makes for great summer wear. I bought a lot of stuff for myself and my friends.

One thing you shouldn’t miss in Pondicherry is hiring a bike and exploring the place. Parts of the city actually resemble Malaysia. The French colonies there make you feel like you're in another country.

I experimented by staying at local places. I prefer staying at these small places rather than opting for big places. There are these mud huts which are cozy and earthy. They also have a fantastic beach side view - I loved staying here.

The French colony had a dosa shop, which served all kinds of dosas. There’s a brewery right next to it. Downing a few beers and relishing the dosas is so much fun. It was exciting to see Indian food being dished up in a restaurant that looked French.

— As told to Ikyatha Yerasala