10 Days in Pondicherry

I didn't intend to stay that long. Honest.

But I don't regret it one iota :)

So. How was life in loveable Pondy? Fantastic. Eventually I started feeling like a local and like a host myself. I saw through a few batches of couchsurfers and became a "second in command" of sorts. My host and now good friend Shyam is quite active as a host and, dare I say it, famous in Pondy :P. Now, when you've got an in with the alpha male, doors open for you; you get to ride on the motorcycle while the others take the rickshaw, get in to places otherwise not accessible to you, not be treated as a tourist, get invited to a wedding reception, eat with the family, and much more. I'm so incredibly thankful for all those wonderful experiences.

Pondicherry itself is a former French colony, with a super laid-back atmosphere. The French quarter has French street names as well as bakeries and restaurants where you can get croissants and other French goodies :). Although I actually didn't eat any French pastries while I was there, I did have ratatouille on one occasion. I much preferred the home-made dosais and other aspects of Tamil cuisine, yummm.

There isn't much to see per se in Pondy, but it's great to be there to experience the lifestyle. A few fun things happened while I was there. One of the most exciting was getting to drive a rickshaw! While coming back to Shyam's place one evening, myself and three other French girls bargained with the driver but he wouldn't budge. He did however jokingly offer to let us drive. We didn't let it pass, even as a joke :P The driver had a good laugh but he indulged us, and I'm proud to be able to say that I drove one of the quintessential modes of transportation around here.

Other fun shenanigans included an enthralling African dance course (not the best when it's 35 degrees though), a super cool Tamil film without subtitles (Nanban - and the best is that we understood the story for the most part), riding motorcycles in triplets (2 bikes, 2 guys, 4 girls, all that was missing was the Beach Boys), and last but not least, Auroville.

I had initially intended to stay at Auroville for about a week, and Pondy only a couple of days a starting base. Unfortunately, it was high season and the guest houses were full and reserved in advance. They only had openings later in February. I actually had no clue how Auroville "worked" so it took me some time to just figure out the accommodation business. Had I been informed in advance, I would have joined a farm through WWOOF and volunteered there for a couple of weeks. Because most communities there had a minimum of 2-4 weeks stay. I was so close to joining Sadhana Forest, on a few recommendations. I didn't feel ready to spend a month there though (minimum stay), but I was torn between going to visit other places and doing something spontaneous and different. 

Before I started travelling, I told myself I have to remember to do some "homework" along the way as well. I'm trying to keep in mind that I'm not travelling only for fun, I also want to actively partake in different lifestyles and learn new skills (in the sustainable living domain mostly) that could eventually help me to carve out the life I want for myself.

I did get to go to Auroville a few times with Shyam though, and even got to see a music festival there. When you're there, you don't feel like you're in India; it's another world. Very interesting people and communities. I told myself that if I come back, then I'll commit to a longer stay, and maybe even raise my children there :P. It really feels like the best possible place to have an enriching upbringing.

Photos: Pondicherry & Auroville