From Pondicherry
Pondy/Puducherry/Pondicherry is on the Bay of Bengal south of Chennai/Madras. It's where I was the past four days. And honestly, I sometimes wondered why I was there. My doubt may have been triggered by a case of "traveller's diarrhoea," something I was feeling lucky not to have suffered from already. I'm happy to say I'm now recovering. I've been refusing the fresh fruit juice that comes with some breakfasts. I know, I know....sometimes it's watered down.


From my better moments I'd say people go to Pondy for the sea air and for the great promenade. I was on the promenade most every day at least once. It was a great evening stroll. And there were places you could sit to rest and watch.




I ended up at this park several times. It was near the promenade. It was shaded by great trees and had benches. Many others
ended up here too. There were two play areas...and all those good benches. Some people were family or friends to women at the Govt Maternity Hospital which was across the street and was very busy. The park was a nice "lobby."

Pondy is known for its French flavor. There were some restaurants. The street signs were in French. There was a French school. And some French architectural details. I swear I heard from behind these doors in this building an old upright piano accompanying sweet children's voices singing a French song...it almost sounded like "Sur le Pont d'Avignon." Swear.

Many people come to Pondy to see the Sri Aurobindo Ashram. The ashram's presence is widely felt in the town. Along with the ashram and its educational centre, I noticed an Aurobookstore, Auroboutique, Sri Aurobindo Handmade Paper Factory, a shelter and 4 Guest Houses for the ashramites.

Auroville is just outside Pondy. It's an international community begun in "68 by the ashram. Their vision was to have a place for people of all nations to live in peace. To that end, people who live there give up nationality, religion, and politics. The Matrimandir, the new spiritual center and in the picture, is still under construction.


I suppose the center of Auroville, this banyan tree, is also still under construction.

Not much else of Auroville is open to the curious tourist....guess the people just want to get on with their lives.

Tonight I'm at The White House Residency, a seedy hotel with a doorman, near the Chennai Central Railroad Station. Tomorrow I'll be on the train to Kolkata.