Pondicherry
the peaceful green city...
05.04.2006
These entries are totally out of order, but what to do? I am here in Pondi now and it seems fit to write about it although my beautiful Munnar experience is as of yet unwritten.
Pondicherry is a right pretty city. Once I escape from the hustle bustle business boutiques and the tooting traffic, there are wide, tree lined streets to explore, where old French buildings sag and sit peacefully in the 1.30 - 3.30 p.m siesta slump... My two favourite ragamuffin children know me well after only two days - the sister blows me a kiss after I buy them juice and share my water with them (The Indian style of drinking is so practical - the lips never touch the bottle or cup - takes a bit of practise but its worth getting used to).
Yesterday I rode to Auroville on the back of a motorbike and marvelled at the beauty of its red earth, forests-a-plenty and peaced out names for stuff - communities called 'Existence' and 'Bliss', a Spirulina farm called 'Simplicity'... Auroville is a community 16 kms out of Pondicherry which came into existence in 1968 as one of the wishes of 'The Mother' (French disciple that followed Sri Aurobindo and became his successor, they both believed in peaceful ways of raising consciousness and the whole city is influenced by their ways). She envisioned a place where people from all over the world could come and live peacefully together - it sounded, looked and smelt amazing to me when I briefly visited although like most other communities around the world it has its share of politics and problems... I had planned to stay there tonight and maybe for another few days but my plans changed, as they do - and I am here enjoying this beautiful city for another night before heding to Mamallapuram...
Gonna sign off as I am sweating like a sponge in this tiny email cafe... xxoo
