Those who are eager to find inner peace and love away from the crowds are welcome here at the Aurobindo Ashram. Popular among Indians and westerners alike, the Ashram is the last word in the educational and cultural activities of Pondicherry. 

When the Bengal based revolutionary freedom fighter, Aurobindo Ghose realized that it was unwise to live under the British, took shelter at the then French headquarters at Pondicherry. Here he founded the Ashram and under the guidance of ‘The Mother’, his close companion. The Mother was born as Mirra Alfassa in Paris on February 21^st 1878. The Ashram developed, as it is today, a community playing a dominant role in keeping Pondicherry an oasis of serenity. Aurobindo’s teaching revolves around the doctrine that man is only a transitional being living in a mental consciousness, but with the possibility of acquiring a new consciousness-The Truth-Consciousness and capable of living a harmonious life, Aurobindo elaborated a system of ‘integral yoga’, synthesizing yoga and modern science. This unusual spiritual exercise is intended to make life more beautiful, not by renouncing the world but by living as a part of it.

The seventy year old Ashram is situated at Rule de la Marine with the flower-festooned Samadhi (tomb) of Aurobindo and ‘The Mother' in it. Frequent cultural programs are presented here, but casual tourism is not encouraged. Visitors with a genuine interest in the place and its philosophy are welcome. The Ashram guesthouses are a blessing to the travelers as far as accommodation is concerned. They are located in the most attractive part of the town and less expensive than any other place. Smoking and drinking are banned on the guesthouse premises.

How to get there:
There are regular buses from Chennai, Banglore, Madurai etc. The closest railway station is Villupuram, 38 kilometers away. You can get one of the two local trains or a bus from here.