Tamil-French cocktail

An unusual, heady cocktail of French and Tamil culture, found only in this small nook of the world. Read to rediscover the meaning of purity.

There wasn’t a single woman without flowers in her hair. Some had jasmine powder on their faces, and the men strode about in knee-length lungis, their idli-sambar served on a banana leaf. I could have been anywhere in Tamil Nadu, except these folks spoke fluent French in addition to Tamil. There were statues of the Virgin mother about and rangoli on thresholds. A street named Rue Romaine Holland had a Chettinad restaurant on it; this is Pondicherry (a name that still trips easier off the locals’ lips than Puducherry). It is an unusual, heady cocktail of French and Tamil culture, found only in this small nook of the world.

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The arrival of European powers in 1670 transformed what was once a small fishing village to a grand port in the 18th century. The French were around until 1954, and much of their language, architecture, cuisine and literature remains painted within the territory’s panorama. The elegant houses in the French Quarter with elaborate gateways, high garden walls and louvered shutters are a living legacy of French colonial architecture. At dawn, the aroma of fresh croissants heaves from
bakeries, and restaurants like Satsanga, La Terrace, Rendez-Vouz serve excellent soufflé au fromage. The Gothic style churches, botanical gardens and Romaine Rolland library and statue of Governor Dupleix are reminders that the French had more than a cameo role in this town’s history.

The Ashram
Outsiders and locals alike enjoy Puducherry’s pristine beaches, its vibrant markets and beautiful architecture; The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) has restored several facades along Visial Street in the Tamil Town, and a stroll along it is truly worthwhile. Many people come here for a very different experience — a spiritual one.

Escaping his British prosecutors, Sri Aurobindo Ghosh ran away from Bengal to Pondicherry where he was shielded by the French. A philosopher, poet and seer, he remained there for forty years until his death in 1950. Vijay Bhai, executive member of Admin and finance for the Sri Aurobindo Society met us in one of the grey painted buildings of the ashram. He explained, “Sri Aurobindo was able to transcend the thinking mind to a higher consciousness through deep meditation.” ‘The thinker’ was later joined by Meera, AKA Mother, ‘the doer’. “Their vision is kept alive in the ashram and school, where children are given a holistic education by teachers who are not on a salary. All their needs are met by the ashram.”

Auroville
Ten kilometres north of Puducherry is Auroville, a unique and “universal” town. Astair Patel, a respected resident who knew Mother as a child, explained that the idea was entirely conceived by Mother. “She realised that people sought a spiritual experience and wanted to meditate, but also wanted their family near them. The experiment — now a green haven with beautiful buildings — was built on treeless, barren land and people from many nations put-together their goodwill, skills and effort to create what has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This sprawling commune of international dwellers is run mainly on renewable energy. There is no exchange of money, just skills. No one owns any property — everything belongs to the commune. People dress modestly and abstain from alcohol. It is a society without hierarchy, ostentation or crime. The emphasis is on a spiritual existence, not a religious one. Matrimandir is Auroville’s centrepiece, an uplifting place of meditation, where one focuses on a single beam of sunlight.
Visiting Puducherry is pleasant experience; however experiencing the Ashram and Auroville can truly shuffle your deck. If you are someone seeking a purer, more cerebral existence, you need look no further.