Fast driving in a taxi. We have a 3 hr ride north to Chennai, from Auroville. We are heading back to Delhi tomorrow, which happens to be Allynn’s birthday and he will be doing a show on the 6th. In Delhi. A few days in Delhi and we will be off on a tour to Rajashtan.
The way they drive here makes me Crazy! So fast and they are passing other vehicles all the time – it is best not to look- My life is in this driver’s hands!
Sunday was our day to explore Pondicherry. After a 15 minute cab ride we were dropped off on the promenade walk way overlooking the ocean. It was bustling with activity and we saw an impressive Ghandi Monument.
There he was , larger than life, standing on a massive stone and concrete structure . From the 4 directions there are sloping ramps which allow you to walk up to greet him, if you so desire. It seemed all so fitting- he was a man of the people. It was a warm, sunny day and I had my eyes open for a French cafe, as described in the guide book. Came upon a fancy hotel that had coffee, Internet, and air conditioning! Yippee ! We’ve been out of touch for a few days, so we had a Luxurious hour catching up on Face Book , sitting in a swanky restaurant, and having a pleasant breather. Then off we went to find the Sri Aurobindo ashram. The town is a refreshing change from the usually neglected looking India. The wide streets are tree lined and shady and this was the French part of town.
5 minutes later after asking directions, we were standing in front of the ashram. There was an impressive
system in place for visitors. First, out on the street, you remove your shoes and place them on the protected shoe rack. I was not keen on leaving my shoes there but the woman sitting there as the shoe protector assured me my shoes would be there when I
came out. Next, we followed the crowd into the court yard entrance where we found ourselves snaking around the palm trees and potted rose bushes towards a large table decorated and entirely covered with fresh flower blossoms in a design of a mandala. As we paraded by the table I did like the others- I bowed down, touching my forehead to the cool marble ledge. Then, I looked for a place among the nicely dressed crowd that was all seated on walkways and ledges and steps, and we settled down like the others, to
meditate. The whole place was filled with flowers , lots of roses and flowering shrubs. No cameras were allowed, and a reverent hush filled the garden. Every spot to sit was taken.
After a little while we got up and followed a line into the library- like gift shop. I was completely dumbstruck by the amount of literature that was written by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. Their books lined the shelves, floor to ceiling, and they are available in several languages. I bought a few small items and then hit the street to find my shoes! Luckily they were where I’d left them. We strolled thru the streets, checking out the scene and wound up at a cafe back on the promenade by the ocean – The Bay of Bengal. We met a French couple who run a B&B in the Bourgandy area of France- in a castle! Then back to our Quiet Hotel for some hammock therapy and a beach walk before dinner.
The next day we had an apt. to go inside the Matrimander ! (named for the Mother). It really did feel like we were entering a flying saucer.
The scale of it- the way the entrance was designed- right out of ET. And inside the door, you are parading up a sloping walkway covered in white carpet. We are wearing white socks over our feet and we were told not to touch anything- even the railing.
Once you enter the chamber, which is all white, circular and with 12 white columns situated around the room, you look for an available white cushion to sit on. Then you notice a shaft of light streaming down from the hole in the ceiling , shining right onto a large glass ball . It is quite a scene to take in and it feels like something is going to be happening- a concert or something- but we sat with the others and meditated – or Contemplated- or concentrated and then a light flashed twice, which was our signal to depart the Mother Ship.
Out into the sunlight, we found our shoes and were escorted around a garden and after a final talk by a Frenchman guide, we were on a bus back to the visitors area for tea and shopping. It is a bit like Disney Land on a small scale – where they take you on a ride to a movie set. My favorite part was the technique for creating a dome out of gold. They came up with a clever way of layering gold leaf between two pieces of glass – one inch square which are glued down like tiles on the round concave discs. Mind boggling- took me back to my Egyptian – alien past life.
It is a lot to figure out!
Today we were saying good bye to the Quiet Hotel and to the beach so Allynn and I took an early morning beach walk. We were noticing large piles of reddish colored shit at the waters edge and we commented that there must be large dogs around there. Then I noticed in the distance several men in yoga squat poses- I thought- how nice, they are praying for the new day. Then we saw a man taking a shit right there, on the beach at the waters edge and we realized we had chosen the wrong time to take a beach walk!!! It was a total shitting fest at the beach and as we turned in disgust to walk back to our hotel, we saw more of this going on and I was feeling kind of sick to my stomach,and I was feeling thankful I hadn’t gone swimming! I’d been warned by a nurse at the Rockland
County Health clinic about fecal matter in the ocean- and don’t go in- Yikes! What a turn off to the lovely Beach scene! Onward! To Delhi tomorrow.
Happy Birthday Allynn!
LOL Annie