NY Times Article About Pondicherry

all-one-heart

Hi! I'm all really enthoused about returning to Pondicherry! Last time I was there was in 1984. I am arriving in a little over month and sooooooooooooooooooo looking foreward to it! Thanks to Indiamike! I learned here six months ago that in july, when I can get vacation time , the weather there is fairly ok, heat-wise.

Personally, I am framericain ( or famerench?) and this town has really good memories for me. One of them is the smell of brewing coffee, mixed with cinnamon and cardamon, that used to float on the (cooler) morning air, at 6:00 ish. I'd be on my bicycle and it just smelled so good, so India!

I'm hoping to spend some time in the samadhi shrine area of the Aurobindo ashram. Does anyone know the open hours there?

And, as I said earlier, I can't wait to have a masala dosa in the little resto on a parallel road to the main street, and also a cold coffee at the Indian Coffee House, if it's still there?

I'm counting the days now...36 left!

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all-one-heart

atala

The Samadhi opens at 4.30 a.m. and closes at 11 p.m.

The Indian Coffee House moved one block up the road to the opposite side of Nehru St., to my own surprise within the one past year. And unfortunately it is not as nice an atmosphere anymore like it had in the old location.

Where will you stay in Pondy? Park Guest House?

Rachmilievitch

Auroville makes the BBC this morning.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programme...nt/7417864.stm

My visit there wasn't long enough for me to sense much more than Auroville is indeed a different or even an odd place, and that a few of the Aurovillieans are, say, full of themselves. However, I do know as a fact that some of the local Tamils have benefited immensely from their association with Auroville.

all-one-heart

Thanks Atala for the Samadhi shrine times.

Oh! For the coffee House, I wish they hadn't moved! Is the cold coffee still ok?

No, Not staying at the Park Guest House, unless youthink it might be nice for just an overnight stay once in a while?

From june 29 on I'll be staying in two different guest houses in Auroville, three weeks each, in order to get different tastes of how things are these days. If I feel ok about things, with great tollerance for wierdos , I'll be coming back again, maybe with a project. Of course the trip is really too short to get a really objective idea about the place, but for this summer that's all I can manage.

Any suggestions?

all-one-heart

Wow,the article makes it sound like Auroville is a place that is very unsavory. Mud slingers do love to have a go at idealists, don't they!.
I wish a bit more of an effort was made to better Auroville's public relations! But that is almost proof that the place might be authentic; they don't try to sell it to people.

Even if it did take 40 years to build the Matrimandir, what strikes me is what perseverance people have had. Few are the ones who were there at the beginning of the project, and yet, it got done.
So I figure, something's doing ok!

atala

Get a motorbike immeditately, if you prefer to pay less get it in Pondy. You get one for 70 Rupees (in AV and rest of Pondy you pay close to the double)per day with a nice Rajasthani family who lives upstairs in a flat in the first cross-street (left) of Mission street coming in from AV side. (Sorry I do not remember the Street address). There is a sign for a dentist at the intersection on Mission St. Hope you find it. If not, go to Mutu, see here: Pondicherry to Chennai? Help, only meanwhwile I know he charges 100 Rs for a Vespa type bike, still less than others.

You need the bike to get around after dark and to meet interesting people way out in their communities.

Meanwhile read in the archives of AV Today where you find portraits of unusual people, some of whom you might want to meet.
http://www.auroville.org/journals&me...ay_current.htm
This way you will also get to see some widely varying communities, houses, living situations and so on. Also meet Franz at "Fraternity". He is into bhajan (kirtan), and a rather "old" AVian.

Here the following interesting perspective from AV Today:

Perhaps paradoxical for some to hear, but in this light it can be said that slandering AV like the BBC did can only be welcomed by AVians, since AV does not want to get too many tourists coming. Less would be better. For you it is good that you are visiting in July, because then you are more likely to meet AVians rather than just fellow-tourists.

Also, read the AV News every weekend when it is distributed to all the communities. Ask for it, or read here:
http://www.auroville.org/journals&me...ay_current.htm

this way you will know what is happening where, which show comes to town or which celebrity gives a talk etc. Check out Bharat Nivas Auditorium, Pitanga Hall (at Samasthi) and Visitors center and Town Hall.

capt_mahajan

Perish the thought.

__________________
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Humpty Dumpty was pushed. How do you know when push comes to shove?
Indiamike moderating team ..ich bin ein oneliner

all-one-heart

Great advice Atala!
The motor bike is a perfact inspiration.
I also really appreciated the link to The AV Today, which I didn't know existed!
I sent off an email to the appropriate people to be able to visit the Matrimandir and set up a regular meditation practice whenever they feel it is ok.
Heartfelt thanks again to you and to Indiamike.

all-one-heart

Hi Atala! And thanks for this site!

Thanks for the SUPER idea about renting a motor bike. I was wondering how I was going to deal with the distances.

And I didn't know about the AV Today!
Thanks for the link. This was very instructive, and I hope I can consult old articles while I'm there. The guest situation is really getting to a point where it needs to be directly adressed, urgently!