PAGES OF MY LIFE: Tamilnadu Part 3, Final.....

Hello folks

Here I come with final series of Tamilandu part 3 …

It was nice experience to be in Tamilnadu for one and half year. When I come here I was told that just only for 3month and then project is over and you will get transferred to some other location but 3 months extended to 15 months.

Its strange place to realize the things, some strange thing I remember now is

1) When someone died, people drunk and dance on funeral.

2) Women shave their head when they go some God/Goddesses temple. I never saw bald women except Buddhist nuns but here lay women also

3) LTTE’s former chief Prabhakaran is Hero. Every political party used his poster to get support from Tamil people, well I m not against it everyone has their perspective of thinking/behave.

4) Every year one temple built than school or hospital..

5) once I was sitting on beach and some people performing rituals, 2-3 mens/womens wearing flower garland and one man singing or reciting(don’t know its tamil) and after 10min 1by one start dancing and became wild others were trying to stop them but they were out of control then one was singing put hands on their head and slowly they became silent.

6) Obliviously nobody understand Hindi except those who previously work outside/north

Oh I missed to write about the Pondicherry its very good place indeed. In fact my colleague used to tease me and say “Pondicherry Guy”… I used to go to Pondicherry on Sunday to explore the city. When I went to pondy; I liked to go to “Le café Restaurant” to have COLD Coffee with the breeze of sea. That restaurant is on rocky beach, and I don’t know why; but I felt relaxed to sit there and have cold coffee. Near to that restaurant there is Ambedkar Mandapam which is good place actually, it has small library having very good books and collection of photographs which flashes the life of that great man .

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar MiniMandapam

Le Cafe at Pondy Beach Aurobindo Ashram

Apart from that, I wanted to explore the nearby area of AuroBindo Ashram so I preferred to walk; I went inside that Aurobindo ashram; it’s nothing but his “Samadhi/cemetery” inside. I liked to walk on that Market area its nice market for shopping. There are very good French architect buildings. And you will find the one museum very small but it has one valuable MAP which I never saw in any Museum. The map contains the origination of any country or u can say start of world as it noted in history even 500BC/100BC.

Well talk about everyone attraction Auroville, I must say those who come in Pondicherry they should stay in Auroville at any guest house the guest houses are cheap there … once I went to attain the bonfire in MatriMandir area which is organized on the occasion of Aurobindo B’day i.e 15^th August. I stayed one night in youth camp guest house (250rs/day) on 14^th august on the same night there was Independence day celebration in WELL’s Café and theme was Arabian night. That night, first time I saw a Belly dance performance, played by beautiful ladies (might be French). I felt like I m king of Arabian countries and these celestial nymph are dancing in my Castle ;). After belly dance over , It was very nice to dance with those dancers and others. Now back to bonfire, Bonfire organized in MatriMandir area in early morning at 4.30am and I think one more time they do bone fire but I don’t remember the day. To attain the bonfire you have to be there at 4.30-5am and meditate till bonfire starts. It’s nice to meditate under the sky/stars and its amazing. Ahh I wished to go inside Matrimandir and meditate but I failed to made it.

Nachooo ;) Belly Dance @ Wells Cafe

Once I was in Verite guest house to do 2-day Vipassana self course and that is one of the best guest house in Auroville, what I like in that guest house is the sound of hollow metallic rod and Pirhana in pool which eat your dead cells of feet. It was wonderful experience with Pirhana ;). During self course the food they served is of western style because all were westerner and its awesome food I felt that I can adjust with western food but not with south Indian J. There is one more café above the solar kitchen named “La terrace” I went there with my German friend Nicki, it was nice to have lunch with nicki because she taught me how to eat with spoons, fork & knife J. After lot of try on pizza she said,”Sud its India you should with your hand ;)”. While having lunch I met some people or u can say Nicki’s friends, the interesting women name Shanti from U.S. who has Guest house “JOY” in Auroville. She is around 60-70 years old, she share some experiences in regard with different topics, it was nice chit chat with her, one important thing she said that,” she done everything she wish and she is happy that there is no backlogs to complete”. And when I look my life I wanted to do many things but most of them are incomplete but good part is God/Dhamma blessed me with some which is best for me :D. Near to visitor center there is Buddha Garden there is guy name Pierre, he is very nice guy and also Vipassana meditator, sometimes he organized the 10days courses for Aurovilian.

Nicki and Me

Nicki and Shanti

One more attraction of Pondicherry is Sadhana Forest community which basically aims to, grow forest and allow people to do volunteer service. The lodging is free but you have to pay for food only. There is interesting story to visit Sadhana forest.. I met one Israel family (Boris & Yelena) in Goa at internet cum travel agent shop. They want to go to Pondy and agent did not know where that place is so I help them and after returned from Goa I booked the ticket for them to pondy. And to get the ticket money from them I went to Auroville and from there to sadhana forest because they were living there. And when I went at sadhana I was surprised some people wanted to meet me because that couple already told to some people that we met one guy who help us a lot without any relation he booked the ticket and guided us how to go to sadhana and so on….. well that’s enough publicity I got J. Sadhana forest is very nice community to protect and grow forest, well managed, hygienic, and even they used different kind of toilets, not modern. i felt like I m in 18^th century, but it was very natural to reuse everything even shit and pee. In meantime I played with their kids they are so cuuuuute that I still miss them. In the evening I went with their family to see Tantra Dance festival and it was terrible. Me and the little girl of Boris got scared so much by the expression of Dancer. But it was great to see the traditional south Indian dance.

Zohar

Main Hall of Sadhana Forest

Bajao ;)

Lets Dance

Scary

There are 2good beaches in pondicherry one is Auroville beach and other is Paradise beach. Auroville beach is on ECR road and Paradise is 8-10km from pondy at Ariyankuppam village, one has to take boat to go to paradise beach which has different rates private/general etc. that beach is nice. And Auroville beach, when I went to first time i.e. in Dec. 2011 it was clean and good and then it was dirty for whole year people shit on beach but recently in Feb. I visited and it was clean and well maintained by Aurovilin’s .

There is one more interesting place know as Pichavaram. It has mangroves trees forest it looks like caves when you go inside, it’s nice indeed.. and worth to see. Its 10km from Chidambaram. And 50km from pondy. Its better if to book private taxi to go there.

Restaurent at Auroville Beach

Above :- Auroville beach,

Below:- Paradise beach

Huts on paradise beach

Looking sexy :)

When I got transferred to Mumbai in end of March; & I got transfer letter and I have to go immediately. My situation was like “hey wait I want to stay 2more days want to go to inside Matrimandir meet some friend in auroville and say goodbye to them and so on” it’s like, old people says “hey god give me death I fed up now with old age” and when God say, “Come Oh My Child”. Then he/she said, “wait I was joking, I want see my loved one this and that :D” but soon I realize everything is annica and I left Tamilnadu next day i.e on 22th march 2013…

At the end of this series I am grateful to those who helped when I was in TamilNadu.

1) Shankar:- a traveler (Tamil) whom I met in train from Nagpur to Chennai(it was my first time to Chennai). He helped a lot. like he took me to bus stop and come with me at Koyembadu bus stop. Board me to the Chidambaram bus. And then again in evening he called me whether I safely reached or not in Chidambaram. Like him one more traveler from Thanjavur helped me like this in my second journey

2) Froncoise/Shivani:- Belgian friend who live in Chennai from 3-4years. She is friend since college days. I met her in global pagoda when she visited Mumbai. It was good support from her because I did not know anyone in Tamilnadu except her.

3) Pierre :- French guy from Buddha Garden. It was great help when I almost need vipassana group nearby and while searching Dhamma works and he organized 10days course and allow me to come when I have free time.

4) Vijayalakshmi Mam:- Vipassana teacher who organized Vipassana course in gypsy camps. And always allow me to come in my free time to attain n serve in the course.

5) And all other my colleague and seniors who were always supportive to me

Thank you All

Next time I will come with Mumbai news till then cheers

Sud

Below i post some pics of Catholic Nun IDYA Ashram where vipassana Gypsy camp organised