Day 1 Friday 6.30 am: I had stayed over at my friend Sophia’s place in HSR layout and we were picked up by our friends. We drove along Hosur road and had pongal, idly, vada for breakfast at an Udipi joint on Hosur road. The drive was fun with all of us yapping, giggling and singing.
Day 1 1.30pm: Usha wanted to visit Ramana Maharishi’s ashram at Thiruvannamalai so we took a short deviation. The place was divine and peaceful! We meditated for a while and trekked on the annamalai hill – it was very rejuvenating. We then had south Indian meals and were on our way to Pondy.
Day 1 4pm: We reached at about 3.30 or 4pm. Neelam is a member of the Pondy Ashram from many years so she arranged for us to stay at an ashram guest house bang opposite the beach! It was so beautiful. The cool breeze blowing on our face brought in the scent of incense burning nearby. The chirping of swallows added to the charm. So many people on bicycles made me want to learn to cycle! There were so many French style villas and the streets were calm. We visited the ashram for the evening meditation program. It was so relaxing, I could have driven for another 8 hours!
Day 2 7.30am: After breakfast, we headed for shopping – bought perfumes candles and soaps, diffusers, books and knick-knacks. We also visited a hand-made paper factory and did some more shopping.
Day 2 1.30pm We reached Auroville where we had lunch and some exotic herbal drinks. I had the sarsaparilla sherbet and it tasted awesome! Picked up a couple of bottles for home. We saw so many foreigners living there, roaming about in Indian clothes on bicycles and mopeds – very unassuming and nonchalant. I can’t imagine leaving my country and living in foreign land amongst strangers. I could never do that!
Day 2 4.30pm: Neelam got special permission for us to visit the Matri mandir. It is an amazing structure – spherical with gold disks all over it. Its being made from more than two decades and still needs some finishing. The garden and lawns there are beautiful and an old banyan tree gives a very royal feel to the place.
Day 2 9.30 pm: We went to a boutique hotel on the beach road called Hidesign Promenade and danced away till the wee hours of the morning!
Day 3 7am: We went to the private Auroville beach, frolicked in the water, got completed drenched in the salty water and then lay on the sand to dry in the sun! There’s a French lady who has a quaint little joint – actually a shack - near the beach where we had a coffee and croissants.
Day 3 2pm: After a simple but delicious lunch at the ashram guest house, we left back for Bangalore. Driving back seemed longer as it always does.
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