Pondicherry and Auroville

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At last! A blog to go with the photos! Several weeks late but finaly i have got round to sitting down and writing.

Pondicherry is pretty easily sumed up really as there isn't much to do there. It is interesting becuase it was still under French rule until 1957 when it became part of India proper. Hence why the town is know for its wide, tree lined boullavards and for the fact that the police stil wear silly french hats.

My one and only mission in Pondicherry was to eat croissant. This was achived on our first day by a visit to 'Hot Breads' where we gorged ourselves on pastries and french bread. Finding a room was very hard as christmas to new year is fully booked up everywhere by package tours. After about and hour of walking in the heat we did find the last room in Pondicherry which, although cockroache infested (they died when sprayed) was good enough.

The other thing to do in Pondicherry is to experience somthing of the teachings of Aurobindo, a guru guy who we learnt about at uni. He was actually a Bengali but ended up in Pondicherry becuase he pissed off the Brits so much in his strugle for independance. We visited the Aurobindo Ashram in Pondi which was peaceful but not very interesting. On our second day we headed out to 'Auroville'. This is an ideal town that was built by Aurobindos disiple. The idea was to found an ideal town where humans could live in harmony and in acordence to Aurobindos teachings, thus realiseing thier ful spiritual potential. There was also something or other about perparing the way for a new race of superhumans who will ive on a higher spitirual plane...or somthign like that.

The place itself is very interesting but far from completed. The whole town is desinged so that from above it looks like a swirling galaxy. The whole thing is very futuristic (see photo of meditation hall). There isn't actually that much to see unless you have your own transport to get about. The infomation center is very good though and tells you a lot about the place.

There are about 1800 people living there from about 30 different courties. They do lots of organic farming and run several bussineses in clothes and other hippy products. They have a few shops at the visitors center but i'm sure thier stuff is sold in England too. Standing in the wholefood corner i have never in four months felt so much like i was in England.

Apart from that, Pondicherry was hot, pleasent to walk around and thats about it.

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