After a relaxed start to the day (and a strong cup of South Indian filter coffee), we headed out to visit Auroville. I was flying solo on this excursion as Helen was feeling a little unwell.
Auroville wants to be a universal town where men and women of all countries are able to live in peace and progressive harmony above all creeds, all politics and all nationalities. The purpose of Auroville is to realise human unity. Well according to their website anyway. The town was established in 1978 and was intended to house around 50 000 people, as of today only 3 300 people call it home and most of the grand plans remain incomplete. The founders of Auroville were Sri Aurobindo and The Mother, it was not touted as a religious settlement, but strongly gives off the vibe of a cult.
After a break back at hotel and a well needed foot massage, a much recovered Helen and I headed out with our group for a walking tour of Puducherry.
The French Quarter, also known as White Town, felt like stepping into a European postcard – only one where cows wander through intersections. We strolled under bougainvillea-draped balconies, admiring mustard-yellow villas with turquoise shutters.
As we meandered we came across a film crew making a movie in the wide boulevards of this slice of France in the heat of India. Our group hung around for a few minutes, we all secretly wanted roles as extras, but this wasn’t to be.
Our guide shared fascinating stories about freedom fighters and former governors, giving us a glimpse into Puducherry’s revolutionary past. We wandered past the peaceful Sri Aurobindo Ashram, where the quiet felt like a gift after the bustle of the streets. We couldn’t go in to the Ashram as it is a reserved space for peaceful sanctuary. Around the corner though we came to a colourful temple with its intricate statues and flower garlands adorning the outside.
After a stroll along the seaside promenade, taking is the statues and see breezes we came across yet another movie shoot. This one seemed to involve a group of hostages, a crashed bus and a military rescue. They weren’t quite as keen to have us taking pictures and waved us on our way. Another chance at stardom goes begging.
Then it was time to eat, we climbed the four flights of narrow stairs to our rooftop restaurant. The view along the beach was stunning and the food really was on another level. My Chicken 65 Biryani was packed with flavour and went well with an ice cold Kingfisher beer.
Then it was time time to head back to our hotel for a good nights sleep, tomorrow we have an 8am start for our drive to Madurai