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Women in the Bay of Bengal
A day at the beach has a whole different meaning in Pondicherry, the French Riviera of the East, in South India.
Puducherry / Pondicherry, in Peninsular India, is known for its colonial charm.
The colonial period there began in 1521 with the Portuguese – the first Europeans to conduct textile trade in the region. The Dutch and the Danes followed in the 17th century, but it was the French who had the most enduring influence after they built a settlement there in 1674. In spite of some back-and-forthing with other European powers, the region remained predominantly in French hands until 1954, when Puducherry and the other territories of French India were completely transferred to the Republic of India.
But the wide boulevards, some of the buildings, and many of the cultural influences, remain. Many roads and districts still have French names. Boutiques and cafés in the flower-lined streets and monuments along the promenade on the waterfront add to the colonial charm. No wonder this famous beach town is called the French Riviera of the East.
The region is also a spiritual haven: the city’s architectural monuments bear testament to the ongoing importance of imported Catholic practices alongside older Hindu and Muslim traditions. One of India’s most important ashrams, the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, is tucked into the city streets, and the affiliated experimental township of Auroville (City of Dawn) is located nearby.
I was travelling with a small group across South India. On our first day in the Union Territory of
Puducherry, we drove the short distance to Auroville to spend the morning visiting this fascinating experimental community. Founded in 1968 by the spiritual guru and yoga teacher, Mirra Alfassa, it is dedicated to the vision of Sri Aurobindo (1872 – 1950), Indian philosopher, yogi, maharishi, poet, journalist, and nationalist. It was he who first called Alfassa ‘La Mère’, The Mother; he considered her to be his yogic equal.
In Alfassa’s words: ‘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 realize human unity.’ The experimental yogic cooperative sits on what was 20 square kilometres of barren wasteland. Today, after the wrangling that ensued following Alfassa’s death in 1973, the management of the community is defined into Indian law under the Auroville Foundation Act.
On our next day, we visited a local wet market (see: Morning in Goubert Market) and the historic Vedapureeswarer Temple and Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (see: Candy Coloured Temples and Churches), before being let loose to our own devices after lunch.
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The Banyan Tree
Banyan trees are regarded as sacred in India; this one is over 100 years old, and was defined as Auroville’s geographic centre after it was found on an otherwise barren plateau overlooking the Bay of Bengal.
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Round Rocks – Round Tree
The complex was conceived by Mirra Alfassa and designed by French architect, Roger Anger (1923 – 2008).
Taking in the Matrimandir
The spiritual heart of Auroville is the Matrimandir, “a symbol of the Divine’s answer to man’s aspiration for perfection”.
Visitors to the Dome
Visitors come from all over; only those who have sought permission ahead of time are allowed inside the Matrimandir and its immediate surrounds – where silence is maintained.
Water Lily – Nymphaeaceae – Wealth
The Mother named 12 qualities and assigned a colour to each. She also assigned a spiritual significance to over 800 flowers.
“True wealth is the wealth that one offers to the Divine.”
Orchid Tree – Bauhinia purpurea L.
These are the flower of Hong Kong, and always bring to my mind the struggles there. The Mother defined butterfly-tree flowers as symbols of “Stability in the higher vital”.
Pondicherry Beach
Our accommodation in Pondicherry’s French Quarter was wonderfully located: after lunch, I tumbled out the door and onto the famous beach.
Promenade Beach
It is the middle of winter – but we are in the tropics, and average January temperatures range between lows of 22°C (71°F) and highs of 28°C (83°F). Even so, you won’t see nudity or skimpy bathing suits here!
Old Port Pier
Locals are proud of their beach, but looking south towards the Old Port Pier, you can take in the litter left behind, and the thinning of the once-broad strip of sand that has suffered ongoing erosion in spite of attempts to save it.
Couple on the Rocks
Gandhi
On Beach Road, the white granite structure sheltering the bronze statue of independence leader Mahatma Gandhi is partially obscured by nearby scaffolding.
Old Lighthouse
A 29 m (95 ft) lighthouse, built in the 1830s, stands watch.
Jawaharlal Nehru Statue
A statue to Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of Independent India stands on a pedestal nearby.
The Water Tank
In Bharathi Park, young men gather around the shell-shaped reverse-osmosis water tank.
‘State Symbols Of Puducherry’
The park is delightful to walk around – and is interspersed with educational signboards.
Buddha and a Bodhi Tree
Couple on a Wooden Bench
Back on the beach, more couples enjoy time on the waterfront.
Scooter in the Street
Some of the terraces in the old town look tired and worn, but still elegant.
Shopping for Trinkets
The area between the park and the beach is a mecca of sand toys, wind chimes, and other trinkets.
Clay Wind Chimes
Sri Varadaraja Perumal Temple
A 34 m (110 ft) tall five-tiered rajagopuram – the ornate monumental entrance gateway tower – leads into a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu.
Inside the Temple
In the style typical of Dravidian temple architecture, the roofs of the shrines inside are colourfully decorated with stories of the Gods.
Painted Ceiling
Colourful mandalas adorn the ceilings.
Bell Tower
Vishnu on a Dome
Immaculate Conception Cathedral
Not far away, I come across the Church of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception. Built in Portuguese-style in 1791 by French Jesuits, it is one of the city’s many different places of worship.
Nandi – Shiva’s Devotee
Even away from the temples and churches, much of the art has a religious reference.
Rickshaws and Motorcycles
Although I was underwhelmed by the once-famous beach itself – the grey overcast of winter and the ubiquitous litter present everywhere in India probably coloured my view – I thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon walk appreciating the city’s architecture and history.
Puducherry is a delightful city to wander!
Until next time.
Pictures: 21-22January2023
