 Pondicherry
has a mixed population with
people belonging to various
religions. The religions include
Hinduism, Christianity and Islam.
And hence understandably so,
the place has a whole lot of
places of worship for each faith.
The number of Churches out numbers
the other places of worship
due to its French Heritage.
Nevertheless the town has a
fair number of temples here.
Some of the noteworthy temples
here include the three century
old Manakula Vinayagar Koil
dedicated to Ganesha, The Varadaraja
Perumal temple which dates back
to 600 AD and is dedicated to
Lord Vishnu, in the form of
Varadaraja, TheVedhapureeswara
Temple dedicated to Lord Siva,
Kanniga Parameswari temple dedicated
to Goddess Sakthi and famous
for its blend of French and
Tamil architecture and Kamatchiamman
Temple dedicated to Durga and
unique due to its stark features.
All these temples are located
within the town itself and hence
can be easily accessed.
Another famous temple of Sri
Gokilambal Thirukameshwara Temple
is located away from the town
in a small town called Villianur.
This temple has a Sivalingam
and also has shrines of Murugan
and Devi. The temple dates back
to the Chola rule of the town.
These temples are interesting
in that it has the architectural
features of the French and the
Tamil style. Some of the rituals
followed also have a French
influence. The beauty of Pondicherry
is that one can catch a glimpse
of people and practices of various
faiths. Pondicherry is said
to have been the abode of the
revered Sage Agasthya according
to mythology and hence Hindus
revere this place. The ceremonies
in the temples are conducted
with a lot of reverence, devotion
and passion.
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