He wanted to buy gold at a cheaper rate, therefore he travelled to Pondicherry. On his way, he stopped at Seerkazhi, and found a branch of Dharmapuram Mutt.
The passage describes a man's motivation to purchase gold at a lower price, which led him to travel to Pondicherry.  He made a stop in Seerkazhi, where he found a branch of the Dharmapuram Mutt.