Spending a year of my life in this beautiful place had been a great pleasure for me. Right from the amazing beaches, temples, to the mouth-watering dishes, I liked almost everything about it. To chill in the cool beaches of Auroville, Chunnambar and in our all time favorite Rock beach where we had spend most of our evenings sitting on those lovely rocks, watching how the waves dances in its own rhythm was like heaven. And I bet if you are a nature lover like me you will love the boat ride to Chunnambar beach which reminds me of Kerala’s back water ride. You will be overwhelmed to see how elegantly those trees stood on the bank spreading their branches like a garland. Some quite moments meditating in Sri Aurobindo Ashram which is a unique spiritual concept, where you can find immense peace in the fragrance and silence of its divinity is a treat to the soul. It is a quaint, enchanting and fascinating place that greets you with a flavor, which you can’t find anywhere else.
You won’t find big shopping malls or sky creepers but it is a place where nature does its wonder. Often referred to as a little piece of old France in India, Pondicherry has managed to retain its French aura from its delightful restaurants offering French cuisine to streets still bearing French names. You will be amazed to see the French colony in the Mission street where every road is parallel to the beach, crossing each other exactly at right angles and that is its specialty.
Shopping here for me has always been of great satisfaction. I liked to shop in Casablanca, a hub of extensive collection of the best local brands, designers and crafts spread over its three floors. You can find the finest leather goods, pottery and incense here in India. And how can I forget to say about the romantic ambience and delicious sea food of Ajanta and Promenade which is located on the Pondicherry beach road facing the beautiful rock beach. Those were my most wonderful moments.
I can’t help speaking about the rickshaw pullers here whom I loved for their hospitality. They never forget to say a thank you once you pay them their dues. They care little about fashion, yet the people here are so beautiful within. I was once sitting on a beach when two Tamil women came and set next to me. Though I was enjoying the aroma of their gazras , yet I pretended to dig myself more on the pages of my novel. They said something like ‘seri seri nalla book’ and one of them putting me absolutely off guard asked very humbly about the novel and the author. I was ashamed how little I knew about the author compared to those two ladies and I realized, simplicity and honesty is their identity.
I still remember how badly I struggled everyday to communicate with my maid who was a Tamil and who didn’t know any other language other than Tamil. Sometimes when I got tired of using my body language to explain each and everything to her, out of frustration I ended up telling in my own mother tongue adding little Tamil and English in it like ‘nee vanga ellai, naa clothes washa, naa now feeling sick.’ and she very obediently shakes her head with a polite ‘seri’ which means okay. I wonder if she ever understood me.
I remember how I have to mix my English with Tamil to make the layman understand. Whenever I travelled by bus, I remembered the conductor playing Tamil music at the highest volume and in spite of the crammed bus and scorching heat, you will find every passenger tapping their feet or their hands, even the kids looked so happy moving their heads up and down rhythmically. You couldn’t help smiling and enjoying the journey.
I adore how artistically women make rangolis in front of their house every morning. Need not say about the yummy South Indian food specially dosas which is my all time favorite and I felt proud to see foreigners adoring our culture and attire. They look ravishing in gazras and saris.
Before I forget let me tell you about Auroville, a planned village which stands after the name of father Aurobindo. That’s a wonderland created as an experiment in celebrating unity in diversity. You will be mesmerized to see the Matri Mandir, which looks like a big golden globe in the midst of Auroville. It is a place of quite concentration, with 80 settlements and 1500 people engaged in various activities like reforestration, organic agriculture, health care and village development. The shops in Auroville resembles to that of Goa with all colorful foreign garments. It is green and beautiful.
I was enthralled by the purity and serenity one can find in this place. I basked in its spirituality.In this one year I felt blessed. The mysterious blend of culture at Pondicherry, now called Puducherry can never be expressed in words, can only be experienced in body and soul. It is such a harmonious land. Yes it’s truly said to be God’s own land.
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