Some trips are simply eye-opening. I was expecting a lot of a first journey to India. First because I had been willing to travel to India since I was 19 years old... Secondly, because a dear friend of mine has been living in South India, near Pondicherry, for years.
Towards the end of 2011, I decided 2012 would be a wonderful year of travels. It was my first resolution for the new year. In January and February, I had already traveled to Berlin, Nairobi, London and Paris, but it was not enough. The year had to start with the greatest travel of all, and it was time to make room for 'Incredible' India.
In order to spend some time in the legendary Auroville where my friend lives, I then flew to Chennai (ex-Madras) mid-February and scheduled to spend some time in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
We started the journey with my friend in Mamallapuram / Mahabalipuram, near Chennai, on the Indian Ocean for a short introduction to Tamil Nadu heat and sun and temples...
Tamil Nadu is a very special state of India, very traditional and out of time, so spiritual and colourful, I was lucky enough to travel from Chennai to Pondicherry via Auroville.
While Auroville is so uneasy to define with common words, for its unique social and spiritual experience and its international gathering of people from all over India and the world, Pondicherry is the charm itself of a middle-sized city along the ocean, enlighted by historical and especially French influences, which remain today as a positive and lovely impact.
There is nothing more agreable than a walk in the middle of Pondicherry's main market, more colourful than possible, or a ride through the white streets of the French quarter.
Before spending more time discovering more in depth Auroville, I took a week to travel to the rest of India and decided to ride by bus around Karnataka, to reach the holy temples of Hampi and the Maharajar's palace of Mysore, north and south of Bangalore.
(Hampi's main temple)
Hampi was quiet, hot and warm and so historical.
Mysore is on the contrary very busy and extremely dynamic.
Getting back to Tamil Nadu through Bangalore, I came back to spend the third week of my journey in Auroville.
But that's already another story.
More soon....
Towards the end of 2011, I decided 2012 would be a wonderful year of travels. It was my first resolution for the new year. In January and February, I had already traveled to Berlin, Nairobi, London and Paris, but it was not enough. The year had to start with the greatest travel of all, and it was time to make room for 'Incredible' India.
In order to spend some time in the legendary Auroville where my friend lives, I then flew to Chennai (ex-Madras) mid-February and scheduled to spend some time in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
We started the journey with my friend in Mamallapuram / Mahabalipuram, near Chennai, on the Indian Ocean for a short introduction to Tamil Nadu heat and sun and temples...
Tamil Nadu is a very special state of India, very traditional and out of time, so spiritual and colourful, I was lucky enough to travel from Chennai to Pondicherry via Auroville.
While Auroville is so uneasy to define with common words, for its unique social and spiritual experience and its international gathering of people from all over India and the world, Pondicherry is the charm itself of a middle-sized city along the ocean, enlighted by historical and especially French influences, which remain today as a positive and lovely impact.
There is nothing more agreable than a walk in the middle of Pondicherry's main market, more colourful than possible, or a ride through the white streets of the French quarter.
Before spending more time discovering more in depth Auroville, I took a week to travel to the rest of India and decided to ride by bus around Karnataka, to reach the holy temples of Hampi and the Maharajar's palace of Mysore, north and south of Bangalore.
Hampi was quiet, hot and warm and so historical.
Mysore is on the contrary very busy and extremely dynamic.
Getting back to Tamil Nadu through Bangalore, I came back to spend the third week of my journey in Auroville.
But that's already another story.
More soon....
No comments:
Post a Comment