What to shop for...and where

We have a small selection of products which are MADE IN PONDICHERRY. Although we do have national brands like ANOKHI and FABINDIA, they are quite well known hence have not been included here, but they are listed in this shopping map.

Anokhi (cotton clothing)
Fabindia (Clothes, Home)
Casablanca (Multi-product, mostly from Pondicherry)
Kalki (Multi-product-from Auroville)
JANAKI (Multi-product, handmade, Pondy & Auroville)
LAL-Living Art Lifestyles (Clothes, Lifestyle products)
Hidesign Flagship Store (Leather)
Cluny Embroidery (Hand Embroidery)
Sri Aurobindo Handmade Paper
Laboratoires Senteurs (Essential oils, Ashram products)
Auroshikha (Incense, Oils, Candles)
Cottage Industries (Incense, Oils, Candles)
Art colony (Home-vintage items)

Farm Fresh (Organic Food/Cheese)
Auroville Visitors Centre (All hand made uroville products)

Speacial handmade products, produced/made locally and some interesting shopping experiences that we recommend, are listed below:

Cluny Embroidery Centre

Not only can you buy exquisite hand embroidered pieces here, you also get to see one of the most beutiful heritage buildings of Pondicherry.
Open from 9am-12noon and 2-5pm, Tuesday to Saturday.

read about CLUNY EMBROIDERY CENTRE

Although this used to be a major textile centre not much of it remains today, other than a few abandoned mills. The ANGLO-FRENCH textile mill still exists but it is just a shadow of what it used to be

Cotton Lungi

The humble Lungi has made it to the catwalk and is being sold from high street stores. But the real yarn-dyed, handloom cotton lungis are made in Pondicherry at the producer's co-operative called PONTEX.
To make it convenient, we keep a few pieces at Kariappa House if you want any.
There are many different ways of wearing them and one can just buy them as yardage and get an outfit stitched.
You can buy textiles from other outlets like POTHYS or ROYAL EMPORIUM and get anything stitched as per your own design. We can help you with that.

Lightweight cotton towels

They are almost always white with a thin colored border.
Very absorbant and soft.
They are used almost all over South India and in Kerala they are called
the Thorthu.

Colorful cotton thread hammocks

Over the years, villages around Auroville have learned quite a few skills and making hammocks is one of them.
You can visit a hammock making unit if you wish or just take back a piece which will help sustain these projects.

Pottery

If you would like have something handmade and beautiful to use and display, then it has to be a piece of ceramic pottery.
There are many brilliant potters here and therefore you can buy them in many places...we can help you choose.

Bronze sculpture

No...they are not MADE in Pondicherry, but in the nearby town of Kumbakonam. You can make a day trip to Kumbakonam to see the lost wax method of making a bronze sculpture, or you can buy one here locally.

You may find them at various shops which cater to tourists. If you need to buy from an authentic source, we can introduce you to someone who we know and trust.

Designer clothing for the season

We have our own Designers in Pondicherry and Auroville who make the most exquisite hand stitched high fashion clothing best suited for our climate.
Do not expect to buy them cheap...you pay for the quality.
Apart from these three labels featured in this photo, there are several other brands who sell from La Maison Rose.

Sound instruments

SVARAM in Auroville is where you will find innovative sound instruments and you can also experience a sound healing session.
They also make outdoor landscape sound instrument installations.

SVARAM

Some shopping experiences...which are more adventurous

Art & Craft Village

This is a Government project and you will find local craftsmen making and selling their products.
Its a short drive out of the town, located on the backwaters.

How to get here

Where to eat

Where/What to shop

Things to do

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