My next stop, the temple- mountain town of Tiruvannamalai was carefully selected as halfway between Bangalore and Pondicherry thus avoiding an overlong bus journey, sore back swollen knees and ankles etc.It looked quite interesting, flanked by Mount Arunchalia with one of the biggest Hindu temples in India dedicated to Shiva in his fire incarnation and also famous for the Sri Ramana Ashram. I was picturing sleepy temple town, nestled in the hills, easy to walk around and a hotel with a pleasant garden, clean rooms and a good restaurant ( as promised in the website); not all of my expectations were met but it is important to accept what is there not what we'd like to be there so I was prepared to go with the flow....at the same time as planning to leave after 2 nights not the planned 3..
My first afternoon was spent wandering near the ashram and becoming aware of the hordes of Westerners pottering about on bikes and scooters, all women wearing scarves and , all men over 40 with hair in pony tails...I fitted in and yet I didn't, they strode or rode purposefully while I fumbled around trying to avoid cows, rickshaws and potholes. I didn't dare enter the ashram...everyone looked far too cool and anyway what would I do the following day?Visiting the ashram was planned as a whole morning's activity. I spent the evening watching my new favourite show (Packed to the rafters) on cable tv.
The next day started well, I had a plan and it was going to get me through the day and fill me with more positive thoughts about India. First stop, Ashram, no messing about this time in I went bold as brass amongst all the scarves an pony tails. Out I came 20 minutes later, none the wiser. There was lots of bell ringing, lots of kissing the floor, lots of namaste hands, lots of rubbing ash onto the forehead...lots of rituals...swap incense for ghee, swap ash for wine and wafer, swap chanting for singing hymns....what's the difference?There obviously is appeal because it was packed with scarves and ponytails and not many Indians.Guru Ramana was a very serious thinker who said that the way to enlightenment is to truly know yourself (I don't disagree with this as an idea) but I expected more silent meditation, less fashion show, more simplicity, less bells and whistles....It was what it was not what I wanted it to be. Anyway on the way out of the ashram I saw an Indian man slapping his wife while people stood on and watched....this was not what I wanted it to be either and the irony of a load of scarves and ponytails chanting and searching for inner peace on their India trip while this was going on outside was not lost on me.
I felt unsettled as I made my way to the Shanti Cafe and this was in some way a presentiment to what was about to happen. I ordered my tea, looked up and there seated on a cushion opposite me was Helge Fisher. Now for those of you who don't know the story Helge and I first met on a yoga holiday in Ibiza about 8 years ago, it was a strange first meeting because unbeknownst to us we were actually neighbours in Brighton but had never met.We became good friends but things went very wrong on a holiday to Austria in 2006 and I hadn't spoken to her since then, in fact I had carefully avoided seeing or or having to speak to her, sometimes even walking out of places if she was there. So here I was, out of love with India, in a philosophical mood when who should I slap eyes on??...if this trip has taught me one thing it is too expect the unexpected, never be surprised. Needless to say the silent campaign couldn't continue, it was time to let it go.
Helge has been in Tiruvannamalai for 5 months and had lots of good recommendations for me, including somewhere to stay next. I took her advice and visited the big temple in town (photos below) ate at the German Bakery and booked myself into the Mango Hill Resort near Pondicherry where I am now. I wasn't tempted to stay longer in Tiruvannamalai, even though Helge suggested things I could do with her what I needed was some open space and a swim.
So here I am in Mango Hill which although not the most expensive place I've stayed in is certainly the most comfortable and it has a massive pool. It is owned and run by a French guy and is full of well to do Europeans. I could be anywhere in the world, India is quite shut out and at the moment that is fine for me. I will have some ayurvedic treatments (budget is going out of the window for a few days) swim and venture into Pondicherry on little trips. I was musing over dinner whether I am any different from the scarves and pony tails...choosing to shut out the outside world, living in a little bubble in an attempt to find peace...I'm probably no different at all.
My first afternoon was spent wandering near the ashram and becoming aware of the hordes of Westerners pottering about on bikes and scooters, all women wearing scarves and , all men over 40 with hair in pony tails...I fitted in and yet I didn't, they strode or rode purposefully while I fumbled around trying to avoid cows, rickshaws and potholes. I didn't dare enter the ashram...everyone looked far too cool and anyway what would I do the following day?Visiting the ashram was planned as a whole morning's activity. I spent the evening watching my new favourite show (Packed to the rafters) on cable tv.
The next day started well, I had a plan and it was going to get me through the day and fill me with more positive thoughts about India. First stop, Ashram, no messing about this time in I went bold as brass amongst all the scarves an pony tails. Out I came 20 minutes later, none the wiser. There was lots of bell ringing, lots of kissing the floor, lots of namaste hands, lots of rubbing ash onto the forehead...lots of rituals...swap incense for ghee, swap ash for wine and wafer, swap chanting for singing hymns....what's the difference?There obviously is appeal because it was packed with scarves and ponytails and not many Indians.Guru Ramana was a very serious thinker who said that the way to enlightenment is to truly know yourself (I don't disagree with this as an idea) but I expected more silent meditation, less fashion show, more simplicity, less bells and whistles....It was what it was not what I wanted it to be. Anyway on the way out of the ashram I saw an Indian man slapping his wife while people stood on and watched....this was not what I wanted it to be either and the irony of a load of scarves and ponytails chanting and searching for inner peace on their India trip while this was going on outside was not lost on me.
I felt unsettled as I made my way to the Shanti Cafe and this was in some way a presentiment to what was about to happen. I ordered my tea, looked up and there seated on a cushion opposite me was Helge Fisher. Now for those of you who don't know the story Helge and I first met on a yoga holiday in Ibiza about 8 years ago, it was a strange first meeting because unbeknownst to us we were actually neighbours in Brighton but had never met.We became good friends but things went very wrong on a holiday to Austria in 2006 and I hadn't spoken to her since then, in fact I had carefully avoided seeing or or having to speak to her, sometimes even walking out of places if she was there. So here I was, out of love with India, in a philosophical mood when who should I slap eyes on??...if this trip has taught me one thing it is too expect the unexpected, never be surprised. Needless to say the silent campaign couldn't continue, it was time to let it go.
Helge has been in Tiruvannamalai for 5 months and had lots of good recommendations for me, including somewhere to stay next. I took her advice and visited the big temple in town (photos below) ate at the German Bakery and booked myself into the Mango Hill Resort near Pondicherry where I am now. I wasn't tempted to stay longer in Tiruvannamalai, even though Helge suggested things I could do with her what I needed was some open space and a swim.
So here I am in Mango Hill which although not the most expensive place I've stayed in is certainly the most comfortable and it has a massive pool. It is owned and run by a French guy and is full of well to do Europeans. I could be anywhere in the world, India is quite shut out and at the moment that is fine for me. I will have some ayurvedic treatments (budget is going out of the window for a few days) swim and venture into Pondicherry on little trips. I was musing over dinner whether I am any different from the scarves and pony tails...choosing to shut out the outside world, living in a little bubble in an attempt to find peace...I'm probably no different at all.
the view from my balcony
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