Solitude

Caught through the window pane at a restaurant. I think it is called white breasted kingfisher. I would be glad to know, whether i am right or not.

100 Rupees

a 10 year old boy was very happy ... his dad had just got him a bicycle... although the cycle was a second hand one but nonetheless he was overjoyed... and so was his dad.... the little boy soon started the process of learning how to ride the cycle with the help of his elder sister... the falls, the bruises, the cuts... he remembers them all... although it hurt he never did mind all that... he was living his dream of riding his bicycle and that was what mattered at the moment... he still remembers the final push his sister gave to the bike after which he glided the cycle without any support... how his sister was running besides him and panting while he took his first ride unaided ... how he came rushing back in to tell his mother that he rode the cycle without any assistance... as soon as his father entered the house he told him the same... and the father was smiling seeing his son happy... 100 rupees couldnt have been better spent

Pondicherry...French Riviera of the East of yore

The catch line of the tourism ad was enticing indeed – ‘Pondicherry - Give time a break’. For harried souls like us, it was an invitation to eternal bliss. We headed straight to Pondicherry, fondly called Pondy and now more authentically, Puducherry – take your pick!

The road journey from Chennai to Pondicherry stretching about 150 Kms. is simply excellent. Cruising along the ECR (East Coast Road) and playing hide & seek with the Bay of Bengal, almost after an hour of leaving Chennai we stopped short of Mamallapuram. Hotel Mamalla was a good choice for breakfast with piping hot masala dosa & idli served with the quintessential sambar. Thanks to Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the temples at Mamallapuram appear well cared for. Especially the environs of the Shore Temple known for its idol of Vishnu lying on the ground have been maintained well by ASI. The temple, now a UNESCO world heritage monument, was built in 9th. Century AD by the rulers of Vijayanagar.

At a short distance from the Shore Temple are five temples known as the chariots of Pandavas. The chariots are intricately carved out of sandstone with many figures of divinity and animals like bulls, horses & elephants. All such beautiful sculptures are badly eroded due to their proximity to the coast. The famous sculpture, ‘Arjuna’s Penance’, located at a short distance from the chariots is a giant bas-relief carved out of a face of the hillock. It is a huge panorama depicting large number of saints, nobilities, warriors & animals (elephants very well sculpted with right proportions) joining Arjuna in his penance. Interestingly, there are two interpretations of the bas-relief. One goes as Arjuna performed austerity to be blessed with the powerful weapon, ‘Pasupat’ by Lord Shiva prior to the war of Mahabharat at Kurukshetra. Another interpretation talks about Bhagiratha performing austerity to bring down Ganga on earth to wash away the sins of his kin. And the central cleft symbolizing the river flow at the top of the bas-relief suits the second theory. Next lies the typical tourist stopover at the ‘Butter Ball’ of Lord Krishna – a well-rounded boulder precariously perched on the ledge of the hillock.

We proceeded to Pondicherry along the palm fringed ECR winding through barren salt pits and tiny green hamlets. The air was getting hotter creating mirage on the road. The Ambassador AC droned a bit but kept the interiors cool enough. We crossed the distance of 98 Kms. from Mamallapuram to Pondicherry in less than two hours. From its fringes, Pondicherry appears just like any other prosperous town of Tamil Nadu. As we drove into the French quarter, the city unfolded its rich past transporting us to the old colonial era.

Pondicherry, a Union Territory of India with its own legislative assembly comprises four totally disconnected districts namely, Pondicherry, Karaikal (150 Kms. from Pondy to its south on the eastern coast), Yanam (870 Kms. from Pondy to its North on the eastern coast) and Mahe (located 647 Kms. away from Pondy on the western coast). Starting as the trade outpost of French East India Company in 1673 AD, Pondicherry became the flagship of French settlement in India. Barring a few years of Dutch rule (1693-1699), the reins of Pondicherry changed hands between the French & British over the next 150 years. After 1857 as the British consolidated their control all over India, French India also took root encompassing the French settlements at Pondicherry, Karaikal, Yanam, Mahe and Chandernagore. After independence in 1947, Indian Govt. was very keen to integrate the French settlements with the motherland. While Chandernagore was transferred to India in 1949, the de facto transfer of Pondicherry, Karaikal, Mahe & Yanam took place in 1954. In July 1963, Union Territory of Pondicherry was formed with its four constituent districts.

Pondicherry town is divided into French quarter and Tamil quarter by a canal running north-south. The better planned French part has a vantage location facing the sea. This part also houses all the Govt. offices, museum, hospital and Aurobindo Ashram. The street names such as Rue Francois Martin, Rue Bussy, Rue Romain Roland etc. have a vintage smell. Colonial villas & mansions abound in the French quarter. Many of them have been restored well and transformed into boutique hotels, guesthouses and restaurants. The houses with balustrades on the balcony, ornate grills and large wooden doors & windows can be a photographer’s delight.

We headed to Rendezvous on Suffren Street for lunch. It is a heritage property located at a street crossing and the owners took care to preserve the period look by enriching the interiors with wooden horse-cart wheels, wooden pillars, large earthen ware vessels etc. The terrace restaurant with a thatched roof was quite appealing. There was an AC dining option too in a room, which we carefully avoided. The food at Rendezvous was delectable; we enjoyed the sumptuous sizzlers (both the seafood & chicken options), oysters baked with cheese and the dessert, ‘death by chocolate’ lived up to its name! Such an indulgence with food called for a siesta, which was also prompted by the afternoon weather. The rest restored all our energy for an evening stroll along the promenade, Pondy’s rather tame affair with the sea.

For dinner, our choice was Le Club, the open-air restaurant of the Hotel de Pondicherry on Rue Dumas. The culinary fair was passable but the place truly believed in the philosophy of a leisurely dinner! For a typically rushed Indian, it was an endless wait for the food. On a lighter vein, my son quipped, ‘24 hours service’, as claimed in the menu. Other diners, most of them foreigners, though seemed to enjoy the slow paced food.

Pondicherry does boast of good beaches. We drove down to Chunnambar water sports centre, located about 8 Kms. away from Pondicherry town on the way to Cuddalore. The river Chunnambar flows down to the sea and near the estuary is Paradise Beach. The journey along the river by a motorboat was quite scenic with lush greenery on both sides. Watching the flocks of egrets heading home in the evening and silvery fishes jumping with joy, the boat brought us to the small jetty of Paradise Beach. The beach is pristine, very clean and so less crowded (there were only three families including us), may be due to not so easy accessibility. The sea here is gentle and the waves carry a whole lot of live shells, which immediately retract into the sand as the wave recedes.

No description of Pondicherry is complete without its churches. We first visited the Sacred Heart church situated on the south boulevard. It was undergoing a major renovation. The church built in Gothic architectural style has beautiful interiors with vaulted arches and many windows with colourful stained glass panels depicting noble men and scenes from Christ’s life. The idol of Joseph with baby Jesus in his arms exudes pure bliss. The second church we could visit was the Immaculate Conception Cathedral on Cathedral Street. It was first built in 1692 AD and took its present shape in 1791. The cathedral resembles the Goan churches in architecture. The semi-circular arches, ornate columns and chandeliers add old world charms to its interiors.

Today’s Pondicherry can surely be classified as the haven for the gourmet. Many interesting eating joints dot the French quarter. We located an Italian Pizzeria serving thin crust pizza baked in a log fired oven with all the trappings of authenticity! The dinner at Hotel de l’Orient merits a special mention. The hotel on Rue Romain Rolland is a heritage property, restored to the finest details by the famous Neemrana group of ‘non-hotel’ hotels. The 40-seater open-air restaurant with a live band performance appeared quite inviting. The restaurant, known for its Creole cuisines, turned us a trifle experimental. The crab soup and squid vindaloo followed by chocolate mousse & chocolate torte were lapped up by us in haste.

Pondicherry, once known as the French Riviera of the East, hypnotized many traders, soldiers and scholars from the distant shores. The old French quarter of the city now remains a mute witness to its rather romantic past, while the vibrant India takes shape with its new economic paradigm. As our four-day sojourn in Pondy came to an end, we struggled hard to recover from the time warp.

Sacred Heart Church

Eglise De Sacre Coeur De Jesus : Dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, this church is noted for its gothic architecture and stained glass panels which depict the entire life of Jesus Christ. 

 It is a highly revered religious destination in Pondicherry. Lot of visitors and believers throng to this church to offer prayers. One can be blessed by seeing the wonderful stained glass windows highlighting the life of Jesus.
Every year this church witnesses a growing rush with thousands of devotees from different places visiting this church. This gigantic church is one of the most attractive churches in Pondicherry.

Wonder Machine

This man cannot resist "the boy" in him to check out what this wonder machine was ! Before he had sugarcane juice from it he laid his hand on it and interviewed the seller.

This machine is running all time during business hours, as it takes too much time to get it restarted once stopped. And cost of losing customers during such time is more than the cost of fuel it consumes for on an average on such times. Wonderful cost - benefit analysis by the seller.

This picture is taken somewhere before Madras. I was on official trip then.

Army Of Ducklings

It was a beautiful march by the this pack of ducklings across the busy Anna Salai, Pondicherry which caught everybody’s attention notably dogs, whom the man directing these ducklings was keeping at bay with his bamboo stick.
Surprisingly when he stopped at one point while shooing away the dogs this pack also stopped, though the man was walking behind this pack. It was really surprising to note that this pack was following the movements of its master who was behind it.
Feb 2010 edition of GEO magazine carries a feature ‘The Intelligence of Swarms’ which tells how group behavior of some week species of animals and birds help them not just to survive but also to grow. An interesting read, it is for people who would like to know about the intelligence of nature in its myriad forms.

Balancing Act

This is called a striking balance. And this man certainly knows this. Clicked at Thavalakuppam - Pondicherry on one summer noon of Aug-09.

One Summer Noon.....

This rickshaw wala found some time to take a quick nap. But for the poor man even a rest comes with a heavy cost and he is 'forced' to rest as there is no one to ferry.
This picture was shot at Shri VardhaRaj Temple @ M.G Road - Pondicherry.

You don't need to be rich

You don't need to be rich to have simple pleasures of life. This man is exactly having the same dictum in practice. His carefree gesture, gazing at passing by beauties, wearing 'funky' blue colored poly bag and sitting on an unusual 'seat' puts him a class apart from others who spend an good amount of money but still remain aloof from the quiet enriching moments of life.This guy is sitting on a coiling serpent with the blue sea soaring behind him and his posture is totally 'free' from any effort.

Who knows who he is !!!

Time & Place: 26 Nov 09 @ Pondy Beach

Foot Steps !!

A journey of thousand miles begins with a step. And this is the first one. Took this picture at Pondy beach in the summer of 2009.
It was a lovely evening. Some where at the horizon, the sun had started to ‘cool’ down itself inside the sea and the beach was filled with a riot of colors and people, every where. A bit away from the main beach I found some solitude in being away from crowd and close to sea. It was there that I got the idea of clicking ‘My Foot’.

COPY form of Advertising - Part I

COPY = Congratulate Others Promote Yourself

A local sports club adopting the 'COPY' form of advertising in Rainbow Nagar - Pondicherry. Shot on 26-Feb-2010 when I was on my way to office.

COPY form of advertising - Part II

A well known company adopting 'COPY' form of advertising. Sachin Tendulkar is the ' record making machine' & one of the most costly advertisement material in India.
And those who want to leverage on using the equity of Brand Sachin without any cost must be awaiting for another record to be broken!!!

Daring Act !!!

To twist the moustache of a king and that too one of the Chola dynasty  is a dare devil's task. Here my colleague is doing this job and I clicked this snap for him at Pichavaram.

Pichavaram is the second largest mangrove forest in the world, located near Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu. Dasavathaaram, the movie featuring Kamal Hassan has many scenes which were shot here.

Changing Times : Every Donkey Has Its Day

Times have changed. Dogs have got competitors because now every donkey also has its day. This picture says it all !!
This picture hangs at the entrance of Kumaran Guest House @ Pondicherry.

The Servant at His Master's Gate

This is the the gate of famous Chidambaram Temple which is dedicated to Lord Shiva who is present in the temple in the form of Natraja in blissful cosmic dancing.

This photo was taken on 12-Feb-10 on the day of Maha Shivratri.

Silver Man

So, finally Gandhiji has come down to the streets. He himself feels ashamed to stand on crossings and public places, coz people have always considered him History and always have desecrated him. So finally, the crusader has got down.....

Ants' Nest

And you thought only birds prepare nests!! Well this picture shows ants too do this beautiful task.
First they select a tree which has juicy green leaves. Swamps of ants will raid the the selected leaves and suck out the juice. They will combine the leaves to form a cup in which they will built up their colony.
I just lifted a leaf which seemed like a lid placed to close the cup and this newly constructed home was full of buzzing ants !!
This picture was taken at my office parking space.

Cold War : When love goes missing.....

This happens when love goes missing.
Clicked on Pondy beach almost one year ago.

God's Gate Keeper

Rani is the elephant at Manakular Vinayagar Temple at Pondicherry (Pondy), whom one can see at the entrance of the temple. She has been trained to shower blessings on devotees who offer her money and eatables especially banana. On festivals she is beautifully decorated with colorful, usually red and golden yellow robes and cloth sheets and carries the idols of Lord Ganesha along with the religious processions which pass through prominent streets of Pondy, notable among them is JN Street and MG Road.

Clicked on Aug 09 at Manakular Temple, Pondy during our first visit to the temple.

Change Agents In Our Society

Did you share yourself today ? Times Life : 2 May, 2010-05-18
In this artcle Indrani Rajkhowa Banerjee brings into life a very inspiring account of ordinary people who are amazingly trying to create a difference in lives of those to whom small things we never care of can bring a lot of difference. Consider few instance, taken from the said article and other sources:
Someone in Mumbai distributes footwear at traffic signals to barefoot people, another man collects the leftover food at weddings to feed hungry kids, in Delhi a gentleman distributes drinking water in shanties of west Delhi, another person never leaves home without packets of glucose biscuits for poor kids, a young journalist instead of visiting church every sunday religiously visits nearby home for aged people and spends her time with them…………
A guy collects rickety and torn out bicycles and repairs them and gives them to school kids who otherwise would have dropped as parents are reluctant to send kids far away to schools, a young IIT engineer teaches at late night classes for rickshaw pullers, a teacher at Indore pays fee for her maid’s girl child apart from salary, a man & his friends provide for cremation of unclaimed bodies……….
A group of college pass outs started a mobile library with their own books, a couple distributes new clothes, food and sweets in an orphanage on every birthday of their daughter, a doctor do free medical check-ups for poor everyday for three hours, A auto rickshaw driver offers discount to specially challenged people and list is endless………….
A heart felt desire to see people smiling and contribute in the best possible way keeps these ordinary people motivated and do their bit to make a difference in lives of people. What one give to others comes back , is the mantra to remain content and satisfied in life. Salute to all such souls ……......