Pondy | 1

Pondicherry – Give time a break!

Part 1

Pondicherry is a beautiful city and I’ve always fascinated the place.  I lived in Chennai for a brief time and was eager to visit the city but never managed to go, regretting the lost chance when I moved out. So when the opportunity to visit came by now, I wouldn’t lose the opportunity again.

When I visited first in December 2012, the city busted many of my myths about the place. It’s a small town, with simple, cheerful and happy people around. A comfortable overnight journey in KSRTC Volvo bus and I reached Pondy (as it’s famously called) in the early hours of the day. Green Palace hotel is at a stone’s throw away from the bus stand and a nice place to stay in.

My colleague Gopi met me at the hotel and we were off to the office in the morning. The office is a pleasant French villa and I was taken by the beautiful architecture and open spaces of the house. The ambience is comfortingly cozy, yet provides for individual spaces to work. The library is placed right next to the entrance, and has an inviting feel to it.

In the two days of visit, I had visited two schools nearby along with Gopi. I first went to a school nearby during noon, and I sat with children in English class, and interacted with teachers. I later visited another school, attended a very engaging story telling class by Gopi, participated in a drawing class with the children and returned with a big smile on my face. While many things at the school were memorable, the sheer positive energy of children at school, beautiful art work done by them, and carefree noisy & playful atmosphere of the schools stayed with me for long.

The evenings were memorable too, with breezy walks at the beautiful beach, quite moments at the Manakkula Vinayakar Temple, delicious dinner at Anand Bhavan, and bumpy rides through the buzzing Nehru Street. I also got happily lost in Chetty Street, looking for a pastry shop which I never found. The local buses are much fun to travel in too – with enjoyable peppy music, pleasant passengers and helpful bus drivers and conductors. Walking is quite a pleasure, particularly in and around the French town. Interestingly, the locals usually gave direction using the statues as landmarks. You’d hear them say, ‘your place is 2 km south of Indira Gandhi statue’, ‘the bus stop is after Rajiv Gandhi statue’; that’s when I noticed that Pondicherry is full of statues of leaders.  No wonder the city seemed safe amidst so many statues of national leaders around!

Time spent at the paradise beach is another sweet event. There is a ferry to cross over to an island of scenic water body, white sandy shores and a big landscape, a beautiful feast for the eye. The wind is slow and soothing with only the sound of the waves as a lullaby. Small benches and shacks nearby are conveniently placed to relax, and the ocean just pulls all your attention, letting you unconsciously disconnect from the external and internal noise, and become one with the nature. You’d see people around in their own bubble of peace, and with a company of good book/music, what more to ask for? The beach is a pure bliss, and truly a paradise!