Christmas in Pondicherry

After 5 hours by train to Chennai, an auto across town and another 3 hour bus journey I arrive in Pondicherry. The best thing about my arrival is my guest house room, which is a sort of French colonial boudoir with Indian touches. It has pink walls, stained glass windows with wooden shutters and a high ceiling with lilac beams and a big old swishy ceiling fan. On the walls are silk paintings of Krishna.


On Christmas morning I visit the Sri Aurobindo ashram which is just around the corner. The ashram has a beautiful shaded courtyard and visitors file round the samadhi (or shrine) where Sri Aurobindo and his disciple 'The Mother' are buried. There isn't alot else to see apart from the ashram bookshop, but the courtyard is a relaxing place to sit and contemplate. Most of the ashram life now goes on in Auroville, a community for 'a new way of living' about 12 km from Pondicherry. It all sounds a bit wierd, but I meet an Italian guy over Christmas lunch who is staying there, so decide to pay a visit to find out more.


Just down the road from the ashram is a Hindu temple dedicated to the elephant god Ganesh. It's quite a narrow street, but outside the temple is a real live elephant who blesses the devotees. For Rs 20 I buy an offering of a coconut, some grass and bananas in a basket and for another Rs 10 a 'fast track' entry ticket so I don't have to join the long queue! Once inside my coconut is smashed and the priest makes a puja for me at the Sri Ganesh shrine. I then get my basket back with the broken coconut and bananas. On the way out I can offer these to the temple elephant who then blesses me with his trunk. I'm not sure what it all means but the ritual is very enjoyable and a different way to celebrate Christmas day...