Pondicherry is where the blue waters meet golden sand and where the whiff of France lingers in the air. It is the palace where French colonial architecture and Indian traditions meet together.There are many places to visit in Pondicherry, among these, Aayi Mandapam strikes dapper as a representative of its rich tapestry of history and culture.
This monument, right in the center of Bharathi Park, radiates some unique charm that spells magic both for tourists and history buffs alike.
We will delve deep, into this blog, the historical stories of Aayi Mandapam, the legend of Aayi Mandapam, practical travel information on how to reach Aayi Mandapam, and the best time to visit Aayi Mandapam.
Aayi Mandapam runs back to the 16th century, during the reign of the Vijayanagara Empire. It was built in memory of Aayi, a courtesan who made an extraordinary act of altruism notable in the annals of Pondicherry’s history. Later, it was acknowledged by the French colonial rulers through the construction of this monument.
There lived a courtesan named Aayi in a well-built house, the Vijayanagara king, Krishnadevaraya mistakenly thought it was, a temple. On realizing that it was Aayi’s devadasi residence, he ordered the demolition of her house.
Being a substance of great sacrifice, she razed her home herself on that land and constructed a reservoir that supplied water to the whole town. This did not only reflected their philanthropy but also made them realize how appropriately water management was done at that time.
Suggested read – water sports in Pondicherry.
