Pondicherry: Let peace find you

February is a great month. I completely love it, it somehow is laden with great experiences. It often brings travel in the package, atleast in my life and I’m sure in yours. The weather is pleasant, the trees are blooming and there is happiness and positivity all around. This year it brought for me a trip to Pondicherry and trust me I can’t thank it enough for this. Pondicherry with its happiness, peace, beaches has taken a permanent spot in my heart.

On the 11th of February we left from Delhi and landed in Chennai(flights taken till Chennai are cheaper). While the plane circled around in the air, I peeped out of the window and saw only darkness of the likes and the stretch that I have never seen before. The fact that I am geographically challenged came handy. After much contemplation and willingness to find out what that was, light from some boats became visible, shocking to my North Indian- uncontemplative of such large water bodies- mind. A chill passed through my body. It was fearful and beautiful at the same time. Almost sublime. The plane landed in Chennai and everything changed. The world I live in is completely different from the one waiting to unfold. I must mention that it was my first time in south india. The land of beauty and nature and peace and everything that one doesn’t get in Delhi. Following a farrago of in’s and outs,cabs and buses, ubers and olas, the decision was made and we finally left for Pondy. As soon as we came out of the airport our first struggle was waiting on us. While planning to go to Pondy no one gave a thought to the language barrier. But getting the cab guy to come around and explaining to him where we stood took almost an hour. Nevertheless we found him and left to be spellbound. The roads in Chennai( atleast the way to Pondy) were as clean as they are here on the day of their inauguration but there was no ribbon cutting or anything. They were just very clean. 

The journey from Chennai to Pondy had its own share of serenity(which btw is also the name of a beach in Pondy). All there was on the sides of the road was water, which could be heard and not seen ofcourse, it was too dark that late in the night. We reached our abode for the next two days at around 2 am, where we found Teresa waiting to welcome us, the lovely care taker of the house we rented on the Frederic Ozanan road. High on happiness and looking forward to what was supposed to unfold in the coming week we slept a sound, dream filled sleep. In the morning we were to explore what Pondy had to offer and to not turn the trip into a treasure hunt, we left home without knowing where to go. We just wanted to be surprised with what the city had to offer. 

Alongside the most tranquil beach I have ever seen (Promenade or commonly known as the rocky beach). We parked our Activas outside what was called Le Cafe and went in for a sumptuous round of French breakfast. The functioning of Le cafe’ was like that of a canteen but it was located in heaven. With Victorian  architecture and iron railings it was located right at the beach. No matter where you sit, you won’t miss the sea view. We sat there for a good while staring at the crests and troughs the waves formed. It had such a calming effect on us that we didn’t realise having spent about two hours there. Soon it became our go to spot. It was open 24*7 and was less than a Km away from White Town, where we were staying. We would go there every night and sit for hours. 

The most interesting fact about Pondy was that inspite of all this beauty and splendour, it was not Jarred by a gamut of selfie taking, willing to tan, tourists. It seemed like whoever visited the city, made it their own and never left. Everybody knew everybody. Old French women came there and sat for hours smiling at everyone and looking at the sea.

There are many amazing “cafes” and places to visit in pondicherry but this post will only address the ones that led to moments of epiphany. Forgive me for this bias but what’s the point of having a blog if you can’t decide what to write. :)

One evening we rode our bikes to Serenity beach which largely differed in temper from Promenade. It was loud and angry it seemed or was it a full moon night, I fail to recall. We went to sit and eat by the waves in a tiny pink and white Cafe that offered delicious sea food. Having placed our order we seated ourselves. I noticed a girl about my age sitting alone on the table next to us. She was petite but exquisite. Her posture on the table with some of her belongings that occupied the chair next to her, an empty cup of green tea, a leather sling bag and a leather journal was all she had on her. She looked like a part of the landscape that lay before us. To be fair, I wanted to paint it, the whole paronama of this ethereal vision. She would rigorously write in her journal and then stare at the waves for a long time and then would write again. She had been sitting since before we came and it seemed like didn’t plan to leave any soon. My inquisitiveness grew and I asked her if she was working on a book? She smiled and said, “ No I am just writing my journal for my grand kids, they must know what I was like while travelling across India.” 

And that thought just stuck in my mind. I genuinely have never given a thought to even my next generation, leave alone the one after. 

One day we travelled for about twenty kilometres for what turned out to be a twenty minute adventure, but those twenty minutes were worth twenty more rounds of those twenty kilometres we had travelled. We took a  boat ride on the Ousteri Lake. I witnessed things I don’t feel capable of putting into words, but I shall try. The twenty minute boat ride was the closest I have ever been to nature, or so it seemed. I didn’t feel earthly anymore. It was like being transported to a land where there is just me amidst nature. The lake was full of lotuses (I had never seen so many lotuses ever in my life) and a very peculiar water growth in the centre of the lake which blossomed pigeons. I am not exaggerating. Each outgrowth formed a resting spot of a pigeon. And as soon as our boat reached about seven feet near them they all flew at the same time. I left a piece of my heart there, a large chunk of emotions and a feeling which I have never had before. 

The experience made me quiet, really quiet, my friends asked me if anything was wrong but all I could say was, “I don’t think anything has ever been right before”. 

Do yourself a favour and visit Pondicherry not for a weekend but a week atleast. There is so much more that I wish to say but I won’t. Somethings are better left unsaid so that one day they can become an experience. All I can say is, no one can take Pondicherry out of me or me out of Pondicherry, we both unhinged together and left a part of ourselves with each other.