A QUIET WEEKEND AT PONDICHERRY

-

Pondicherry is one of the best weekend getaway places, especially when you are visiting south India. It has  some nice beaches to relax and cafes to treat yourself.

I decided to take the trip and explore the city. From Chennai the trip took me two and a half hours  to reach  the main city.

I had heard of the "AUROVILLE" and wanted to visit it.Auroville also known as the "SOUL OF THE CITY". The soul of the city has a magnificent lotus shaped temple called the  "MATRIMANDIR".

The matrimandir was initiated by the Mother  Sri Aurobindo Ashram.
The foundation stone was laid on 17th November 1973. Architect Roger Anger gave the shape of a lotus in full bloom representing divine consciousness.
Initially  an urn  containing soils of 121 countries and 23 Indian  states  was placed at the inner chamber of the temple.  This signified harmony and peace amongst  people of different countries. There is no particular religion to be followed here. People from all walks of life are welcome .The flattened sphere is covered with 1000 golden disc symbolising Golden supra mental sun.
 The mother gave twelve gardens around the temple they were named:


The walk  from the main entrance to the  mandir was a great experience.
 Some of them  I could click. These engraved quotes give a meaning message on human qualities.
Some of them are represented below

Another magnificent sight was the" THE BANYAN TREE", right at the centre of the place. The tree is more than 100 years old, the aerial roots give it a splendid look. The diameter of the tree is 50 metres.

 People gather for meditation at the matrimandir and it is a silent zone. One has to book  earlier in order to go inside the temple.



Some amazing pics of Pondicherry

Cd work # waterfall


Beach view

Dusk#beachside#Gandhi statue

French Colony



French war Memorial

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

KING'S DAY. NETHERLANDS

-
Image
 *King's Day in the Netherlands: A Celebration of Orange and Joy* King's Day (Koningsdag) is a national holiday in the Netherlands, celebrated on April 27th, marking the birthday of King Willem-Alexander. This vibrant and festive day is a time for the Dutch to come together, embracing their cultural heritage and national pride. *The Significance of King's Day* King's Day has its roots in the 19th century, when Queen Wilhelmina's birthday was celebrated on August 31st. Over time, the holiday evolved, and when Queen Juliana ascended to the throne, her birthday on April 30th became the new date for celebration. When King Willem-Alexander took the throne, the date was changed to April 27th, his birthday. The holiday is a celebration of Dutch culture, unity, and the monarchy's connection to the people. *Celebrations Across the Netherlands* King's Day is celebrated with great enthusiasm throughout the Netherlands. The streets are filled with people dressed in oran...
Read more

MAHASHIVASRATRI

-
Image
  MAHASHIVARATRI Mahashivratri is  one of the significant festivals of the Hindus. It is celebrated annually in India and Nepal, in honour of Lord Shiva. It is believed that  Shivratri  is celebrated as the day when Lord Shiva  saved the world from the poison that emerged from the ocean during Samudhra Manthan. Shivaratri means the " Great  night Of Lord Shiva ". Samudhra Manthan The Samudhra Manthan  has a very important role in the  in the Hindu mythology. The Samudhra Manthan was a battle between the asuras and the Devas( evil and good)  .  In this battle the asuras gained victory over the Devas. Disheartened ,the Devas  went to Lord Vishnu for advise. Lord Vishnu  advised them to get the nectar  from beneath the ocean to become mortal. For this , the Ocean had to be churned and this could not be done alone.So the Devas joined hands with the asuras , who agreed for a mutual benefit. The mountain and  Vasuki , the k...
Read more

MUDRAS FOR A SPIRITUAL AND HEALTHY LIVING

-
Image
GYAN MUDRA This is an article on Mudras. Mudras are the certain position of fingers which when practised properly and regularly benefits the health of the overall body. These mudras can be practised with great ease at home or anywhere. The first mudra is the GYAN MUDRA - Mudra of knowledge. In this, you have to place the tip of the index finger on the tip of the thumb. The other fingers remain straight. This Mudra enhances knowledge and improves the endocrine and the pituitary gland. It also helps  in meditation This can be practised  any time, standing or sitting. PRITHVI MUDRA In this mudra, the tip of the ring finger touches the tip of the thumb, while all other fingers remain straight. It strengthens the physical and spiritual weaknesses and increases the life force. It can be practised any time of the day. This spiritual practice recommended in a quiet setting, especially while meditating. Should be practised at least for 40 - 45minutes in a day. F...
Read more