14 Oct 2017. Sorry for the delay. This post was written days ago, but then it deleted itself somehow. I am rewriting it after having kept up with other posts after it.

I woke up in a dreadful mood after an unpleasant night first in the train and then in the filthy guesthouse. Matt was running interference and I was trying not to talk to anyone too much. Our host wanted us to agree to use his friend’s houseboat for our overnight trip, and I wasn’t feeling very trusting that it would be adequate, so when we learned that only one of us would be able to go view it, I volunteered. The reason for that was that Jay, the friend, had a motorcycle, and one person could ride on the back. So that person was me.

I perked up pretty well when I saw that it was a Royal Enfield. In case you don’t know what one is, here is the Wikipedia link: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Enfield

Jay was a pretty fast driver, which I enjoyed, and we whizzed across town, across intersections where I momentarily feared for my life and down narrow flooded alleys. The houseboat seemed pretty ok to me. I turned on everything and made sure it worked. The showers were pretty bad, but they assured me that the pressure would be better once we were underway (this turned out to be a lie).

We rode back the way we came, Jay pointing out a few things around town, and then when we pulled up in front of the guesthouse, asked if I’d like to take it for a spin. Did I ever! So off I went down the road in the other direction. I only went about 10 minutes, maybe 15, because I had no sense of the area’s layout and I didn’t want Jay to worry. Matt snapped a few photos of me returning.

Jay left and we all had breakfast. Then a tuktuk was there to take us all to the boat. I was in a good enough mood from the motorcycle ride that when I fell in the mud trying to get my suitcase through the flooded walkway up to our dock, I only laughed and apologized to the man I almost brought with me into the mud when I went. He was laughing too, so that was alright.

We settled in and met on the upper deck. All the houseboats leave at the same time, and we enjoyed the queue to get out to the lake. I’ve heard that in popular months it can be a real drag, but in our case it was really ok. That first part of the trip was really pleasant, and we were served lunch as well.

Once we reached the lake, we were taken to a fish market on a peninsula or maybe an island (it was hard to tell), where Matt and I selected a couple of large crayfish to supplement our dinner. There was a bird of prey casually hanging out waiting for scraps there.

We enjoyed all this part of the day, but in the evening we docked in an area where loud and obnoxious poppy music was playing over speakers mounted in coconut trees. It was loud enough to make casual conversation difficult. We were invited to take a walk until dinnertime, which we did.

The area is all developed into canals that may or may not have started out with natural banks, but now have stone and sometimes concrete embankments. Every so many meters they have steps down into them, where people can bathe and wash their clothes and dishes. We were surprised at how quickly the water was flowing.

We walked back and made it to the boat just as darkness fell. The music was still blaring, and we asked when it would stop. The boat staff said 20:30. It was 17:30 or so. Matt and Abbie and I attempted to play card games while we waited for dinner to be served. Derek enjoyed his book.

Dinner was far too much food, but wonderful. And the neighborhood’s power went out, so the music stopped early, thank goodness. We drank beers, played some more games, and eventually everyone hit the sack.

12 Oct 2017. Derek and Abbie headed out to see the rock temple this morning, since they’d done other things yesterday. Meanwhile, Matt and I had a relaxing morning breakfasting and just puttering around. We packed all the bags into our new car at 10:00 and headed to the Amma Mandapam bathing ghats.

Since we aren’t traveling much further north, and therefore won’t see, for example, people bathing in the Ganges, I was really interested in seeing and maybe experiencing the bathing ghats. And it WAS really interesting: very practical and very much the sense of daily life happening. As we entered, there were entry points for men and women separately, so I went to the women’s side and Matt went to the men’s. At first, I thought the water looked really sketchy, and then I realized that the “scum” on the water was soap suds from women doing their laundry.

Although it was fully visible to the men’s side, this was the only area where women were bathing wrapped only in sarongs. I assume that allowed them more access to fully wash themselves in public. They were also doing the practical work of their laundry. I waded in, and Matt took a picture of me, but I decided against going all the way in for the simple reason that I’d then have to change somewhere into dry clothes for our drive. I’d worn fisherman pants and flipflops to make a shallow wade easy.

After, we walked over to the mixed-gender area, where entire families and gatherings of friends were playing and swimming and washing. Here, the women wore saris and were more fully clad, although the children and men were pretty scantily attired.

There’s a small temple onsite, and offerings were being made (and an elephant, of course)

Off to one side, there were barbers cutting hair and shaving faces. One was kind enough to unnecessarily turn his client around for a picture (yes, I asked first).

In general, however, I think this was one of the few places that my camera wasn’t very welcome, so we gawked at the activities a few minutes longer then headed out.

Derek and Abbie had already been waiting there for us, so we all piled into the latest Toyota Innova for the drive to Madurai.

Madurai has a very different feel to it than Trichy. Somehow it seems a little friendlier, although it’s also very dirty. Our hotel is near the main temple, and there is a lot of activity at all hours. The streets around here are varying sizes, from larger thoroughfare to alley. All of them are teeming with traffic and people, although I realize you wouldn’t guess it from these rather calm photos.

The alleys are often organized by specialty, for example, the spice sellers or the electronics shops. There was an entire alley of garlic, but I didn’t get a picture.

The first thing we did after checking into our hotel was to have lunch, which was scrumptious, in the hotel restaurant. We are finding more and more delicious things we like eating. We already knew about most northern Indian cuisine (as far as I can tell from that part of the menus), although it is frequently somewhat different than we are used to in terms of flavor (and delicious!!). Southern Indian cuisine is delicious, but aside from dosai (a dosa is a thin pancake, sometimes with a filling, sometimes plain, always with various sauces or just one at breakfast), and thali (a set lunch menu served on a large plate with various sauces), we don’t know most of the words. New to me is idly, sometimes spelled idaly, which is a thick white bread which reminds me of dry knedlicky (Czech bread dumplings). It’s a little less substantial, though. I prefer eating my food with naan, paratha, dosa, or just rice. Pooris (a puffed fried bread) are not super convenient for me, although I love the presentation. Again, I will try to add a picture or two of food later. I’m usually too busy eating.

After lunch, Matt and I raced over to the Gandhi Museum in a tuktuk. The museum is housed in a beautiful mansion near the university (also near an amusement park we were tempted by).

Inside, the only fee is for the camera. Although there wasn’t much that makes a good photo, I never avoid paying these fees. I see it as a way to support the museum. Since I’d paid it, of course I found a couple of things to capture.

The museum is well-arranged. A concise history of Britain’s involvement in India is presented in a series of panels, with pictures and vignettes into lives affected. The story continues in a numbered route through several rooms, with occasional objects of relevance as well, continuing on while Gandhi is introduced, from his youth and experiences as a barrister and living abroad, to his return and a detailed description of his involvements and works in India. Eventually, the path winds you around to his death. This cloth is bloodstained, and I admit I felt just a bit horrible taking a picture of it.

The rooms after that had his letters and small objects from his life. I really enjoyed the letters, but I also took a photo of one of his pairs of glasses.

When finished, I went into the attached bookstore, where I bought two small volumes, again partially just to support the place. Together they cost less than a euro, so it wasn’t much support. With the camera fee, it added up to about a whole euro.

Anyway, as we finished up, we got adopted by a friendly yellow bitch with a torn nipple. She was pretty mangy, but really really wanted Matt to pet her. He scritched her forehead for a while. Abbie and Derek, who had walked, arrived as we were leaving.

A tuktuk drove us back to the neighborhood around the temple (also the neighborhood of our hotel), and we walked around for an hour or two through very lively streets before heading back to the hotel, where we met Derek and Abbie and discussed plans to see the procession in the temple later, after a rest.

We didn’t really know what was going on in the temple, but we checked our shoes and our cameras in the entrance and went on in. This temple had a particularly lovely water reservoir.

A colorful character took it upon himself to take Abbie (and hence the rest of us) to see something in a back corner. I’m still not quite sure what he was trying to show us, but we could hear the music starting up elsewhere, so we made our excuses and headed that way.

Video would have captured this better, but I got a few pictures. First, something happened inside the part of the temple where only Hindus can go, then a few men filed out with torches and hauling boxes, which they stacked out of the way. The musicians started making more noise. Some Hindus came out all at once, but they all went separate directions with intent, and none of the tour groups went after them, so we stayed too.

Finally, men came out carrying a gold and red palanquin. There was more energy to the music, and everyone joined in to follow it around the corridors. Sometimes we stopped and the musicians played more music while the bearers chatted.

At what became the end point, near another entrance into the Hindus-only core, the palanquin was set down, and all non-Hindus were herded into a semi-circle of viewing. The musicians played, and people made offerings both to the palanquin and to an older bearded man in a green lungi who sat on the floor near it.

My favorite were two young women, in their late teens or early twenties. They were dressed for the occasion, and had flower offerings ready to go, but seemed really uncertain, and were hanging back with all the western tourists. When the man in the green lungi sat down, some of the other Hindus handed him offerings of money and flowers, so one of the young women worked up her nerve, egged on by her friend, and selected a flower from her arrangement. She came up behind him and tapped him gently on the shoulder with the flower. He didn’t seem to notice. She did it again, and someone he was facing gestured, and he turned and took her flower. This brought the two girls more prominently to the attention of the people in charge, and they tried to encourage them to walk around where they could properly make their offerings at the palanquin. This took a lot of “help.” The young women were so shy and uncertain, but eventually they got their offerings made and backed away nervously but smiling.

And that was pretty much everything. The musicians played, then the bearers picked up the palanquin and took it inside. And everyone just left.

Derek almost got one of the very shy temple kitties to let him pet it. Ten more minutes and he might have succeeded.

Things were much quieter when we exited the temple. We went back to the hotel, to the rooftop restaurant, where we had some of the most deliciously succulent food I’ve had yet and a great view.

9 Oct 2017. We enjoyed another delicious breakfast in our wonderful hotel. They have gotten used to us, and bring us bigger pots of coffee (me and Derek) and masala chai (Abbie and Matt), and sooner in the process. After that, we arranged an appointment with a guide, Gopi, a second generation Aurovilian, to learn about this community of international dreamers near Pondicherry. A taxi driver was arranged, and he got more than he bargained for in the end – as we didn’t just need a return trip but also a lot of driving around the community while we were there. He nearly missed another appointment of his own in the evening, arranging another driver to meet us on the road home and switch places!

I’m not sure how to describe Auroville that will not make it sound like a cultist utopia. I grew up in southwest Washington state, where many figures from my childhood were involved with the cult of Ramtha, an Atlantean warrior supposedly channeled by a middle-aged American woman. Further, my work in and study of Thai traditional medicine and my experiences studying Chi Nei Tsang with Mantak Chia and his Universal Healing Tao organisation have made me very comfortable with the sometimes heavy woo factors in idealist philosophies. So read further with whatever grain of salt level you prefer. For example, did you know that “living water,” which is basically aerated and treated with music and lighting, is essential?

Auroville was founded after a French soul-seeking artist met an Indian teacher and began interpreting his philosophy and teaching herself. She is now simply referred to as the Mother. In a dream, she saw a community laid out on a grid of principles and ideals, a large lotus in the center. I’m simplifying extremely.

The first Aurovilians attempted to create this vision using only their own labors, but almost no progress was made in the first couple of years, until an architect suggested that they incorporate local paid labor into the actualisation. Applying their ideals to the hiring of labor, however, is what makes this community so worthwhile. Everyone working at Auroville, in any capacity, is entitled to eat at the community kitchen for free, and receive health care and education for their families. There are many other ways that Auroville improves the lives of the people in their area. They teach skills and provide an outlet for entrepreneurial endeavors. Each craft workshop is staffed by individual freelancers, who can choose their work and their pace, selling when and where they like, all while receiving the kinds of benefits usually enjoyed by employees.

I’m sure there’s a lot more to the story. We talked to a man laboring onsite who still asked us for money for food, while agreeing that he is fed onsite. But Gopi told us that of the 2nd generation of full Aurovilians who’ve gone away (such as returning to the countries of their parents for college), 80% have returned to make their homes in Auroville. I could see the appeal. They are researching and engineering new techniques for a sustainable community. Part of the science campus:

An arch-building class for architecture students. The frames are removed after the bricks are set.

The spirulina beds:

Aurovilians are still working to realize the dream of the Mother. They have completed the Matremandir, which is a beautiful meditation space and the center of the lotus. There is a pleasant walk to a viewing space, but visits inside are only granted on in-person advance application.

When the location was founded, there was a large banyan tree, and it has been incorporated into the idealistic layout.

To produce the gold segments, they studied the techniques of the Golden Buddha in Bangkok, another monument we have visited. It is truly beautiful in the sunshine.

We saw mongeese (mongooses?) on the walk back, and everyone was tired and impressed by our day during our much quieter taxi ride home to the hotel.

The women’s restroom shows a sari!

The others took a rest in the hotel, but I felt energized. I went for a stroll to see the shore during daylight.

For dinner, we enjoyed a trendy place with the most delicious spicy cocktails, then a last walk on the beach and back through town. We were adopted as pack by a yellow dog. None of the other dogs we passed liked him, and we defended him from a pack of 10. He followed us all the way home, and howled all night long, lonely outside our window. Poor guy. We never fed him or petted him, but I guess he liked us anyway.

(I forgot to turn off the dramatic tone.)

8 Oct 2017.

After a sprawling breakfast, today was the day of the Science Fair! We were excited to head over and find out what all the boys of the nearby Catholic school had done for their projects.

In contrast to most European and American educational systems, children in many (I can’t say all, lacking experience) Asian countries are taught recitation and memorisation. So it was really cute to hear tag-team reports, often among the younger classes. As you walked along the presentation, each child would pick up where the last left off, continuing their presentation.

I don’t know if the girls they’d convinced to sit for their displays were their sisters or girls from neighboring schools. We found out that the girls and boys filing through the exhibits in uniformed groups were from other schools.

As ever, many children (and teachers) wanted to take selfies with us, especially while trying to convince us to vote for their entry. 😀

(these 2 photos courtesy Dr. Abbie Vandivere)

The day became hotter while we were there in the open, and soon we were sweltering under the colorful shade tents. It was definitely time to move on and find lunch!

We ate at a French cafe with the most delicious sourdough baguettes. It was hot in the shade, and another table had placed themselves in front of the only fan, so after lunch, Derek and Abbie returned to the hotel for a cool-down and rest. Abbie’s massage was also scheduled very soon.

Matt and I went shopping! Directly across the street from the cafe was a sweet little design shop from Delhi, a collaborative effort by young designers. They used printed and embroidered patterns in really fresh ways, so I bought a dress and Matt bought a couple of breezy shirts. He’s feeling more equipped for the heat now!

Then it was time for my massage, back at the hotel. The masseuse was the mother of our lovely young hostess, and she was very matter-of-fact. The massage, which was for relaxation, was brisk and not very deep, but effective.

After a break, the group got back together for a wander through town, past an excitingly busy park, where many children were playing. We found the BEST temple, too.

I’m afraid I have to apologize. I found that the “dramatic tone” camera setting is amazingly suited to India. It makes the brightly colored gods and demons and other figures pop, and highlights the ancient carved stone, with its textures, in ways that other settings haven’t. I’m a little addicted. I may be overusing it. So pretty.

and normal:

Some shopping later, we stopped at a south Indian restaurant recommended by our hostess. It was very busy with Indians, and the food was delicious. One thing I really need to improve is my skill at ripping bread one-handed. I’m fine with eating with my fingers, but chewy and crumbly breads are very difficult using only one’s rights hand. Derek and Abbie are better at it than I am, and I didn’t see Matt, since he was next to me versus across. I imagine we’ll get plenty of practice!

After dinner, we walked to a posh European place recommended for its cocktail bar, to finish the evening in style.

Welcome back to my adventures. It’s true: I don’t always remember to blog every trip. For instance, Matt and I traveled to Marrakech last weekend, and although I may belatedly post something about that trip, it wasn’t one of the major exploration trips, which definitely get blogged about. The cast of characters for this 3 week journey: me (Sharon), Matt, and our friends Derek and Abbie. This will be our first trip with them, although all of us are veteran travelers. Oct 5, 2017: Was entirely a travel day. We woke up early, took an Uber to Schiphol airport, then flew via Paris CDG to Bengalaru (Bangalore). We arrived just before midnight, and collected our bags before re-checking them into a domestic flight leaving at 06:30 for Chennai. Derek had purchased us access to a nice travel lounge, so we slept for a few hours on comfortable recliners, before waking for complimentary breakfast then boarding our plane.

(lounge photo credit Matt)

We arrived to Chennai around 07:30, but our arranged transport was not there. In the end, we took an Uber to Mamallapura, where we’d be staying the first night in order to see the Tiger Cave in the morning. It was a long drive, but pleasant, and we checked into our budget guesthouse with no problem. Matt and Abbie went for food while Derek and I took naps. My favorite thing about our guesthouse, which shared a courtyard with another guesthouse, was the stairway. Everything is so colorful here, and usually hand-painted and -lettered, although occasionally you will see stencils as well. After a nap, we headed out, first for some late lunch at a friendly but mediocre cafe nearby, then for Matt and me to get sim cards. Unfortunately, there were some problems with the sim, so it took much longer to do than it should have. Abbie and Derek headed to Shore Temple without us, but we took a tuk tuk and joined them at the 5 Chariots temple. On the walk back, we stopped in at another closed monument, but took pictures from outside. The sun had already set, but it was beautiful. Considering how long of a day it was, we were pretty pleased at all we’d accomplished thus far. We went out for dinner at another friendly and mediocre place (this is really a middle-of-nowhere town, not really a culinary hot spot) and discussed our plans for the evening and next day. Abbie and I went to negotiate a driver for our next day adventures; Matt went to get help with his still-malfunctioning sim card; Derek went for an early night, since he’d been unsuccessful with napping earlier. Errands run, the three of us remaining found the entire town camped out on the beach enjoying the breeze. We didn’t manage to finish our enormous beers.