Sri Manakula Vinayagar Temple

History

The temple predates the French settlement. During the tenure of Governor Dupleix there were attempts to destroy it; it was spared after strong protests from the town’s Hindu residents, at a time when the French also feared British and Maratha invasion.

The streets around it keep the old plan: the temple was bordered by Orléans Street (now Manakula Vinayagar Koil Street) on the east, today’s Jawaharlal Nehru Street on the south, Law de Lauriston Street on the north and, on the west, a canal running north to south. A golden chariot, made from devotees’ donations and first drawn in October 2003, is taken out around the temple streets once a year on Vijayadasami. The temple was renovated in 2015.

What to see

• The temple tower (gopuram) over the entrance
• The shrine of Manakula Vinayagar, facing east
• The golden chariot, inside the temple

Why visit

It is one of Pondicherry’s most visited temples and a short walk from the Ashram and the seafront.