Pondicherry: A Short Trip

I had an opportunity to visit Pondicherry in mid January this year. One of my friend Abhishek, was staying there and studying at Pondicherry Central University. He had invited me to visit that place several times, but as this was his last year of academics in that varsity, so I finally decided to go.

Pondicherry was formally a French colony till 1962. When rest of the India was in British occupation, Pondicherry was an exception along with Goa, Daman etc. to name a few.

I landed in Chennai and from there it took another two and a half hour to reach Pondicherry. Though it was January, when rest of the Northern India was in the grip of the winter, days at that place especially in Chennai was hot. Eventually night was very pleasing in Pondicherry as the cold breeze from Bay of Bengal was blowing incessantly. I stayed there for 4 days and visited some Temple, Church, Aurobindo Ashrama, market places, Auroville, a nearby historic place called Mahabalipuram which is nearly 100 Kms from Pondicherry. But in evening I preferred to be in Gandhi beach and enjoyed the song of the waves when it came to meet the shore.

The trip was overall good and enriching, yet my last lap was adventurous. You must have heard that Jallikattu protest was in full swing in Tamlinadu in recent past month. The day when I had to return to Chennai, some political outfits has called complete shutdown of the state including transportation system. So virtually it became impossible to reach to Chennai Airport, yet through the grace of Lord I reached to the Chennai Airport just before boarding time. I came there by hitchhiking all along Pondicherry to Chennai. It’s a very interesting story, which, if I get time, will definitely love to write. Google Map came to my rescue at many occasions 🙂

If you are planning to have a visit in South India or especially in Chennai, do take out at least two days to visit Pondicherry. It’s beautiful. But don’t go in summer. I think November to January will be an ideal time to visit.

Sharing you some of the pictures, which I have taken from my Mobile Camera. Hope you will like them.

Sunrise and A Trawler

Other side of the Beach

Sailing together even on turbulent waves, not only just when water is still & stagnant

Gigantic Golden Globe. Got to know that people get inside the globe for meditation. Yet I missed it. 😦

Many Roots of a single tree, Clicked in Auroville

Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram.  Built in 700-728 AD by Pallav Dynasty. Architecture marvel

Lord Shiva and Mother Uma inside the temple

Lord Vishnu

Guiding Lamp

Bye Bye Chennai and finally Laut ke buddhu ghar ko aaye 😛