Rotary trip to Pondicherry
CAMARADERIE, bonhomie and fun were the lietmotif of the three-and-a-half day Rotary trip to Pondicherry (Puducherry) and Mahabalipuram (Mamalapuram).
The early morning flight landed in Chennai to a sumptuous breakfast awaiting the 36 Rotarians/Rotarian Partners at Radisson Blue GRT. Then, a super luxury Volvo sped to Pondicherry’s beach-side Le Pondy Resort, getting us there by early evening.
The convivial mood was evident on the bus: riddles (Sharmi Bhansali), songs, food (Sweta and Kanan) and good-humoured
chatter made the journey seem shorter.
Later, we walked along Pondicherry’s pier and beach front area, taking in the city’s landmarks and happily clicking away photos as well. The day ended with a fabulous dinner at the much reputed ‘Palais de Mahe’. A delectable meal, flowing drinks and live Indian music saw day one ending on a high note.
The next day, following a lavish breakfast, we left for Auroville. Our guide Gopi was fabulous; an Aurovillian himself, he described the city’s ethos and egalitarian way of life. Within Auroville, we took in the unusual activities: a music centre that built instruments from stone, wood and metal to create soothing sounds whilst putting unemployed youth to good vocation; wood-craft of exceptional quality, and a fashion centre as well. The visit ended with a trip to the famous and must see ‘Matri Mandir’ – the heart of Auroville and soul food for all. This was followed by lunch at another eating place of repute ‘Maison Perumal’.
We then visited Auroville Ashram, which has the samadhis of the Mother and Aurobindo Ghosh. This was followed by a surprise treat: cycle rickshaws ferried us in twos to the delights of White Town: the charming lanes, shops and cafes had everyone longing for more. There was shopping too. Many aboard the bus on the return journey to the resort were laden with bags of purchases made at Auroville and White Quarter.
Back at the resort, an evening of music and song awaited us. A live band played while many of our members – Rtn. Sudha Malhotra (a Padma Bhushan awardee), Rtn. Pranay Vakil, Rt. Ptn. Sweta Vakil, Rtn. Pratap Padode, Rtn. Ptn. Falguni Padode and Rtn. Ptn. Rajul Parikh – sang a variety of songs, entertaining the group. Meanwhile, dear Munna – Rtn. Aziz Jhaveri – rediscovered his love and passion for drums and accompanied the group. The setting and the vibe made for a great evening!
Credit must be given to President Rtn. Preeti Mehta for empowering the team headed by Rtn. Ashok Jatia (can Rtn. Ptn. Vatsala be far behind?) who did a fabulous job! Rtn. Ptn. Kanan Fotedar and her friend Ami Gandhi, worked in tandem with team leader Ashok to keep everyone – from the youngest to the oldest – at complete ease. Care was taken at every juncture – especially with the seniors – to anticipate and address their needs.
The last day, we left for Mahabalipuram by bus: the sights included the Five Rathas, the Shore Temple, while the hotel – The Intercontinental Mahabalipuram – was luxurious, large and well spread out. An early evening on the hotel’s private beach enjoying the sunset and sundowners was followed with a wonderful Bharat Natyam performance in the centre of the water body – Lily Pond area within the hotel. And then, more songs and merriment followed! Rtn. Pratap, Rtn. Munna, PP Rtn. Ramesh Narayan, Rtn. Ashok Jatia and Rtn. Pravin Bhansali regaled everyone, while Rtn. Sabira Merchant broke into impromptu Shakespearean monologue!
The next day was pack-up time. It was an extremely memorable trip with new bonds explored and more in the offing. Definitely looking forward to the next one!
