John's World...I love PY




After our experience in Kochi I had sworn off beach towns for a while.  No way.  Too hot.  Too humid.  Too many weirdos. 

Yet, when our friend Brihas invited us to his hometown of Pondicherry (aka Pundy, Pondi, Pondy, Peedy, PY), we could not pass it up. 

Pondy is just simply unique.  There is the draw of being a former “French” colony.  There are numerous ashrams that make up the area.  Yes, there is also some great beaches as well.
It was a trip for all of us.  Ashram got his train ride.  James got his visit to the sports complex of Brihas’s school.  Brinda had a wonderful visit at Brihas’s school as well.  I got to see what Indo-French culture looks like first hand.

Brihas could not have been a more wonderful host.  We did absolutely NO planning for this trip outside of travel to and from and accommodations.  Brihas had everything else well planned.  Nothing too rushed.  Everyone got what they wanted.  Right down to Ashram’s insistence we ride a mini-bus before our 7 hour bus trip home (thanks buddy).  I personally got to finally try Jackfruit (awesome) and genuine meter coffee within 30 minutes of arriving (two bucket list things for me).

meter coffee

paper dosa
Pondy may just be the mellowest Indian city I’ve been to yet.  Little traffic.  No one is too busy to help nor too lazy. 

What struck me the most about Pondy was the sense of community.  Everyone helps one another.  Much of the influence of this came from the influence of two gurus in the late 1800s and into the 1900s by the names of Sri Aurobindo and Mirra Alfassa also known as “The Mother”.  The two set up ashrams in the Pondy area with the teaching of committing oneself to short meditation sessions coupled with living life in service to your community through work.  The belief being that meditation is an empty experience if it is not applied in the outside world.  In short, meditation should give us insight into how we can live life.  Not escape from it.  Many people we came across echoed this.  They came to Pondy, felt a connection, and never left.  The stories felt genuine.  Not the “escape” from reality that I’ve seen in other places.  A genuine belief in selfless service to a community.
Our accommodations were well scouted by Brinda as usual.  Pool.  Beach.  Close proximity to food.  Not a dump. 



We had an opportunity to spend an afternoon with Maurice, Brihas’s uncle, on Sunday.  It was amazing.  The home he lives in was an amazing mix of European, Indian, and Zen architectural elements.  Brinda went full on “HGTV mode” snapping pictures and becoming inspired by all the incredible elements of the home from the walls of the local clay, to the rare marble floors, to the flower pot ceiling, to the koi pond.  I went full “Food Network” with the meal Maurice made for us.  Italian.  Maurice had spent some time in Italy.  Speaks fluent Italian and has mastered Italian cookery.  To bite into a caper after five months of being deprived of one makes you appreciate his dish of tomato fish with bowtie pasta all the more. 

flower pot roof


I will have very fond memories of my conversations with Brihas and his family and their hospitality.  But most of all I hope to always carry with me the spirit of the “Tsunamika”.  Tsunamika came from when several years ago, a tsunami hit the east of coast of India and destroyed the livelihoods of many.  A group of women, not to be disheartened, started to piece together scraps of cloth to make tiny broaches to encourage people to not give up and to obstacles as opportunities not setbacks.  The doll making became a source of income for the women as well as a cathartic experience after having to endure such devastation.  Word spread beyond Pondy and these dolls can be seen all around the world as a symbol of the healing power of hope.
 
Brihas Bhaiya and Uncle Maurice pinned a Tsunamika on both boys. It was a very touching and heartfelt moment.

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