Mercie Pondy. Review on Pondicherry

Human nature is such a complex maze of mutating sensations that It's hard to isolate any singular trait which ultimately leads us towards the much coveted chemical phenomenon called SATISFACTION. What is the meaning of satisfaction ? Is it some kind of a parameterized action that makes one happy ? Does it have an inherent connection with one being in a world of his/her own ? Do happiness and satisfaction get along with each other amidst perfect harmony ? These timeless queries have been explained by many in diverse ways since ages. I,being a radical inquisitor, have tried many an instances to chance upon a logical answer, but alas, failed to elicit an appropriate solution.

Quite contrary to this insoluble buildup, I was inexplicably closer to discovering an entirely new dimension of human existence when I had set my feet on the divinely gracious premises of the Union Territory of Pondicherry, which is widely known for the Sacrophagus (A structure beneath another) Auroville, more than anything else. Never had I been subject to the cosmic interpolations as much as I was bestowed with the last weekend when I was literally transported to another world which had more to offer than the human brain could ever comprehend.

Working in a software giant like TCS, adding to which are the numerous travails courtesy my client Hewlett-Packard, I was too mechanised to think about the sunny side of life. Hence, to break out of the monotony of the IT life, our project team agreed upon paying an informal visit to Pondicherry, lying about 160 kms southwards of Madras. We started off pretty early in the morning at about 7:30 AM last saturday, as a cosy group of 22 in a luxury bus. Soon, we were zooming past sleepy buildings, uncrowded pavements and empty bylanes as the soporific city bade us adieu. The Bus took the coastal route to Pondy and we enjoyed the matutinal frolic of the icy blue waves all along. The highway is a visual delight with neatly laid pitch layers adorned with uninterrupted yellow stripes serving as perfect separators and unlike those in Madras, devoid of any form of trenches and pits. Numerous Motels, Driveway Inns and Roadside resorts are a clear indication of considerable Tourist inflow in this part of the country. I was pleased to catch sight of greenery in occasional patches as was evident in the presence of rich plantations along the coast. Coconut Trees, Acacia, Eucalyptus Trees infest the entire region and diverse sylvan camouflage of unnamed species stand testimony to the fact that the local people are equally generous to them. Finally, at around 10:30 AM our bus came to a screeching halt along a road-side avenue overlooking the indulgent waves, aptly titled 'The French Corridor'. Bonjour Pondicherry... (Good Morning Pondicherry)

The French corridor extends into a broad pavement intimately cuddling the rocky boulders reminding one of the much acclaimed Marine-Drive Pavement in Bombay. Facing the sea, stand the majestic Secretariat and the French Consulate heralding the rich Tuscan Architecture symbolic of the French Buildings on the other side of the road that separates the corridor from the Buildings. The singular feature of the Town of Pondy is the liberal interspersion of Indian and French culture. All the buildings flaunt a french inscription along with a English and Tamil transliteration. People from all walks of life take a leisurely stroll savouring the scenic captivation of the white spumes smashing against the boulders, with not even a minute trace of animosity towards one another as to their skin colour, nationality, religions, languages among other things. The strollway reaches it's celestial zenith by paying obeisance to the Father of The Nation as a Grand Statue of Bapu stands upright at the end of it. The road runs down farther with many a grand mansions bathed in shades of white welcoming countless visitors like us to the serene grandeur of Pondy. One such notable landmark that couldn't escape my attention was a memorial built to commemorate the Indo-French treaty ceding Pondicherry to The Republic of India.

One remarkable facet of this marvellously poised town is the absence of any form of pollution, industrial or vehicular all alike. One could not stop admiring the localites and the french presence who took to the ingenious charm of Bicycles with utmost ease. The town is a architect's delight with a grid like appearance, lanes and bylanes criss-crossing each other. In one of these bylanes, one comes across the calm and composed enclave housing what Pondy is famous for, the Samadhi of Aurobindo Ghosh, legendary freedom fighter and renowned philosopher. The Aurobindo Ashram is a tribute to the teachings of this great saint along with her French Disciple Shri Maa popularly known as Mother in this part. People sit around the samadhi, Silence Personified in perfect sync with the five parameters of spiritual development, namely, Mind, Life, Body, Soul and Spirit. The entire area surrounding the Ashram imparts a spiritually rich feeling to the visitors. A few yards away, one finds the renowned Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education, with about 400 odd children pursuing academical & spiritual education from the level of Kindergarten to College. I was awe-struck to see a bevy of unspoilt, little kids mingling with each other with child-like mettle irrespective of their differences in so many things that I have touched upon earlier.

As a perfectly encouraging weather painted us in a rich yellow tone with the clouds and the gentle sun hugging each other in a tight embrace, we moved to Chunnambar Boat House to have lunch. This one rests at about 20 minutes drive from the Ashram amidst a fauna rich dwelling adjacent to a river by the same name which follows up to the estuary not so far away. We took a boat ride to the estuary which unveiled a splendid beach running alongside the navy blue frontiers of the Bay of Bengal. The beach is a magnificent place to sunbath, slosh in the spumes, and indulge in Beach Volleyball. After savouring the the aquatic splendour for quite a while, we returned back to the boat house to feast on some of the exotic sea-foods available.

Thereafter, we headed towards the piece de resistance of our tour, Auroville. It lies about 12 kms from the town in an undisturbed rustic locality. The entire campus is spread out over a large farmland presenting a look akin to a wildlife sanctuary. The authorities are irrevocably strict about not disturbing the sanctity and calmness of the area and hence, don't allow cellphones, camera etc inside the premises of the campus. As we stood in a queue to explore the yet-to-be-discovered woodland and the Final Destination, the guide well versed in Hindi,English,Tamil & French read out the instructions, the most primal of which was to maintain Pindrop Silence. Then, we moved slowly treading the clearings in a suspenseful manner to unravel what lied ahead. AND, It was there, One of the most astonishing piece of Engineering Marvels opening skywards, a Sacrophagus, christened MATRIMANDIR (Temple of the Divine Mother). It's a 100 feet high elliptical sphere resting on four pillars sunk deep into it's foundation, each symbolising an aspect of The Divine Mother, namely, Wisdom, Strength, Harmony, Perfection. Inside it's upper chamber, stands another chamber, a 12-sided room whose walls are lined with white Italian Marble. At the centre, is a pure crystal sphere, 70 cm in diameter, illuminated by sunlight channeled from an opening at the top of the chamber. This is where people congregate to meditate and be one with the universe.

As we were returning back to Madras, Pondy seemed to unfold it's arms with all the grandeur to make me whisper,

mercie beaucoop Pondy (Thank You Very Much Pondy)