Trip To Pondicherry

Yet another weekend and looks like I can sneak out a 2 day’s ride. Thought of checking out the mahabalipuram. Pondicherry and couple of other places nearby. As planned with Vipin(My Collogue) for this Bike Ride, we Started early by 6.30 am for what 'can be called trip' after 2 months of commuting.

Vipin was waiting at sholinganallu junction very near to CDC5(Wipro Chennai development center) at 6.40 am i reached there, after a cup of coffee, we took off towards mahabalipuram 32 kms from solingnallur junction and 58km from Chennai . We traveled through ECR road know for its beautiful views of Bay of Bengal. it is an express highway built along the coast of the Bay Of Bengal connecting Chennai to Cuddalore via Pondicherry. You can find a lot of senic beaches on the way likes Thiiruvanamayur beach, Golden beach, Olive Beach... and many small beaches alongthe way.A bike ride along the East Coast Road is a ride to remember its gives rise to a spectacular scenic beauty with beaches and fishermen hamlets. From Uthandi starts the scenic beachway till mahabalipuram.
The road runs along side the sea and you are quite tempted to stop the bike and tread your way down to the beach (which we actually did) and if you are careful enough to choose the right spot you may be lucky enough to walk down to a virgin beach. The solitude and the roaring silence of the sea captures your soul.

At 8.00 am reached mahabalipuram. Here we went directly to the caves and to see sculptures of PallavaKings. Mahabalipuram/Mamallapuram was a 7th century port city of the Pallavs dynasty. It has various historic monuments, and has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site, I was amazed to see the carving done on a single stone, remained me of Ajanta and Ellora Caves not as marvelous as those. .After seeing the caves and temple over there, we show some half finished, may have been examples of different styles of architecture, probably they practiced when they had nothing else to do... After almost spending about two hours here, we started walking towards where we had parked our bike on the way we saw many skilled sculptors who were adding life to the rock...
At 9.30 had our breakfast in an Adyar Anand Bhavan Restaurant near on the beach, there we had famous Pongal and Dosas. I was not surprised to see that there were many foreign tourists over there. The food was very good and started towards Pondicherry..

After About 25kms from mahabalipuram bike had a puncher and nearest bike repair shop was further 2kms, so vipin said he will be coming by walk and I moved on bike, after reaching their, just found out that was closed and had to go further 1 km near a check post it’s a small village Odiyyur, which 54 kms from Pondicherry…Here I found a lot of people playing/watching a Volleyball tournament, and couple of small tea and cold drink shops, even thought they didn’t understand my language but understood my problem and it was most amazing to see they got more tensed then me, and started call the mechanic in there town while, I was having a cup of tea, and finally ended calling up not one person but two, by the time bike was ready, got a chance to play a game of volleyballwith them, then after almost an hour bike was ready… after a quick round of thanks giving to all the people …man they where really very helpful….Who helped me out of this mess and also letting me play with them. We started towards Pondicherry, As I was driving I knew that this tube will not hold and needs to be changed badly before reaching Pondicherry, after just 6 kms the worst nightmare came true and I said not again... the bike stated to irritate me more and more… but cool songs playing in iPod brought my senses right on track…, luckily this time shop was very near and by the time tube got replaced we had some cookies and cold rinks… and move on towards Pondicherry thinking there will be no more hookups …

we reached Pondicherry at around 1.30 p.m. instead of the 11 or 12 p.m. as I had planned. Before entering the city of Pondicherry we took a right diversion to Auroville you wouldn’t even know of its existence unless someone told you to take that rather indistinctive looking lane lying beside an eatery joint. Auroville is a settlement of international community. It houses more than 2000 members from nearly 30 odd countries living together as a proof of human unity and harmony cutting across all sects. As you enter the township, you find yourself on a narrow rustic road that has been drawn out of an environment that appears quite untouched. You would imagine you are in the midst of a remote uncivilized corner of India, when suddenly a foreigner drives past you on a TVS motorbike and before you blink you find many more whizzing past in their bikes and cycles. None of the riders seem Indian. In fact they all come from different countries. There are huge sprawling bungalows and cottages, many of them with architecture that look straight out of France, hidden behind the greenery. I believe there are schools, farms and cottage industry (making incense, handicrafts, perfumes) that drive part of the economy in Auroville. You can buy their products at the visitor’s center located in Auroville. You can also taste French food, buy leather goods, herbal soaps, perfumes, lamps and other interesting memorabilia that you might want to take back home......we had lunch and took the pass to see A huge golden globe called the Matri Mandir, located in the midst of a carefully landscaped garden, symbolizes the philosophy of human unity and progressive harmony. The hall is closed for renovation and was expected to open in october 2008 but a Gardian described it as a meditation hall that is circular in shape with no corner and edges, pure white in color with a large crystal globe that kind of floats in the center giving you a feeling of infinity and weightlessness. The place is not about religion but about a belief that every human being is a part of the Divine Consciousness and that all members of Auroville are citizens of the world living for the growth of the human spirit irrespective of where you come from. You leave the place feeling a little awed!

Getting back on to the road, as you enter the city of Pondicherry, you are not impressed- there is a narrow lane lined with little shops, with garish colored houses and little temples. However, at a sudden turn the same narrow path becomes neat and geometric, the shops replaced by the clean sanitized walls of houses that look straight out of a Mediterranean town.
As you pass down from Muthumariamman Koil Street to the Rue Bolcombe you are left a bit confused and awed by the strange mingling of the Tamil speaking gentry and the French architecture. The city was once divided into white town and black town, respective homes to the rulers and the ruled. There is nothing much French about Pondicherry now, but the historical buildings give you a hangover of the past era. The sea facing road or the Boulevard is where you can see the sea at its splashing best beating against the cemented walk or the Promenade

We Booked a guest-house near City Bus terminal without even seeing it, we took what we got. Turned out to be a good place to stay at a very cheap price. A much-needed rest was taken by vipin and after an hour off rest, went to the beach within the city - well that could hardly be called a beach. On one side of Beach Road is the endless sea, the Bay of Bengal awaited us; but unluckily there was no sand, just rocks, and then the rough sea. We could not even go to the water, the rocks nearest were covered in moss. We went as near as we could without ensuring that we didn't get wet and waited for the big waves, so that the spray could reach us. Within 10-15 minutes, the tide had built up appreciably... Was kind of late in the evening but was perfect for enjoying a small breeze and enjoying a hot cup of tea over there. After dark we had to return back. But that rocky beach played host to the beautiful mornings, thought tomorrow I will be able to catch the sunrise too....

we had Pani puri and Chats along side the beach, the pani puri guy explained us about the Tsunami effect, How Suddenly the water got empty from the beach up to 4-5 km and within 5 minites how a more than 50 feet wave hit this coast and many people washed away along the beach and who all fallowed the water into the sea to check where the water really went, even till date their body have never been found ... Just wondering about the Tsunami... how that would have been...what would have happened... if we where there at that time; we left that place... As we had lot of time after having some, Later after a thought we decided to go to shopping as Pondicherry is a favorite stopping ground of the passionate shopper with low sales tax compared to other states after bit of shopping started back towards guesthouse..

The next day we thought of going to the beach early in the morning to see the sun rise. But none of us could get up early and we couldn’t make it by sunrise time. And so we headed towards Paradise Beach Just 7 Km from the Pondicherry bus stand towards cuddalore (Worst affected place during the Tsunami). Here it is popularly know as boathouse the beach connected to land, from boathouse to the beach it about 15 minutes boat ride to this beautiful beach through the backwaters, and we felt as if we are going to some Hawaiian Beach. Beautiful palm trees escorted us to the golden sands; few cottages, and a beer shop awaited us, but that was later. We were the first to reach the beach and there we no crowd around, I jumped into the blue sea. Earlier I had heard that the beaches in Pondicherry are dangerous from my DAD, on just seeing the beach it did not feel dangerous - granted that the sea was a bit rough, but did not seem dangerous. My allusions of safety vanished within 5 minutes.

The beaches in Pondicherry have a very strong undercurrent. The waves that hit the shore, There was quite a steep descent to the water, and even this beach had very strong undercurrents. I sat in ankle-deep water for a long time. The power of the waves and the sea cannot be fathomed unless you experience it first hand.

After about an hour in water i decided to go to cottage where vipin was chilling out with cold drinks, spent some time under the huts facing towards the sea just sat there and lazed round enjoying the sea view every wave that came to shore had something new to see!!! It was amazing....after this we headed back to Boathouse....

After breakfast we checked out of the guest, and we headed towards French colony and Bharthi Park very near to the beach that we had been yesterday. Bharthi Park Good for a stroll. Not many kid games over there. There is a water fountain there worth a look. Not sure if they were trying to make a musical fountain there....Pondicherry as a city is very relaxing, well structured, and well maintained. We had no idea about the roads, but reached any place without any problems. The rue de Busy has many good restaurants lining both the sides. The antique shops in the side-lanes add to the charm of Pondicherry.

At last we started back to wards Chennai and went to Rain Drop Boat House at Mudaliar Kuppam on the ECR Road. which we had seen while going towards Pondicherry... this place is made for those who like speed boat ride and water sports.... we decided to go a water bikes ride..But for a 5min ride Rs 400 was way too much.... since Vipin was there... I decided to take him on a ride... Now -that I am really a beach person! Mountains, valleys, monuments are good for a very short trip but it’s always the beach and water sports that fascinate me the most. I can spend days on a beach and do all sorts of water sports. Speed on water thrills me, well driving a water bike on backwaters its not as trilling as you drive in the sea where u fly in the Air before coming down after hitting the waves... anyways had fun driving that ! but it ended before it started only 5min.... not good i thought.... then finally i decided to do Kayaking its 100 per person for 1hour... after an hour of muscle jingling kayaking... we took some time off with tea and snaks....before heading further towards Chennai...

Just as I thought its time to pull the Curttons to trip... The bike had another plan..... Fuel got over just 2 kms from the nearest bunk... near mahabalipuram… I must say that single TVS Victor Drank more petrol then we had water... Because 700 Rs petrol for just 320 km i'e around 25 km/liter is very terrible... beyond expectation....

Finally yet another Trip came to an end and I coulnt have spent these two days any better way... This was an awesome ride not because of the Bike. but in the end loved every part of the Trip. Though I missed almost a third of places as planned still happy with what I got see. Thanks Vipin for the Company and sorry for that walking exercises & i hope u lost few kilos after this trip... & Finaly thanks to that worst bike "I ever rode" making this trip an unforgetable experience. Any ways MAZAA AA GAYA!!!