Hues of Pondicherry...

<div style="text-align: left;">Happy New Year Everyone!</div><div style="text-align: left;">Our December vacations last year was spent mainly with family, doing absolutely NOTHING:-)</div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558920162132482882" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMfDn0Ja-vHGCzbheky1yg0s53UtQ6QjKQB9k4f9YySEzbGeR8MoRZoMDRUKs9hygeoGzCa1x09f8SV9XWqhhERc-pjj520kjUXzCHCTMWMHjPEAQ00MAxx8LDrGyrdW3xkjdB8pEE7ZM/s400/pondi4.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 263px;" /><div>Okay, well almost...one day we decided to drive down to <b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puducherry">Pondicherry</a></b> and enjoyed strolling through the various <i>rues</i> or streets.</div><div><b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puducherry">Pondicherry</a></b> being a former French colony in India still retains some of the influences. Here are some colourful captures...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558916467267144706" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Zo3LBPtTyJPUhJYX6UdzppZk_d482OuDd0B10yqAvWooD7sU7ORUpytg111vPuF0sS7lUQdiwRGCa9wM1fzS8Q0p2qb9JuwmKMGjh1_cUaRsIYhKMxKjuZLSOrXFRHIleiTKGfOog4Y/s400/pon2.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" /></div>Traditional door colored brightly...<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558920171159414658" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieZozhUSUeDDMeTwyVdKv7tMz2T43Eqz0WetTaOpAuu-Nd_LxV9GBx4vEJX5jVR35-A7eHl-7i0wkBFgYrE8hCK6CLEBq_P5UInDWzgSPoY0Jbj4K6bdly-PkmZP2MlnRsGK2mptPf0C0/s400/pondi2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 359px; height: 400px; " /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChOfh749SRL81HkOA-LcK7QMkWCIf09RjXyGWTUHAYlQLTQGEI9ewlyZlq8zJJnsWi-gsOxuX46kzMEG4AzI0v9uS-s_VqseZI9-JVgdZADOsfFkWVoK8YniyB792YiFUMKN1RaSaJsQ/s1600/mal.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div>The temple elephant...</div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558916479272856002" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChOfh749SRL81HkOA-LcK7QMkWCIf09RjXyGWTUHAYlQLTQGEI9ewlyZlq8zJJnsWi-gsOxuX46kzMEG4AzI0v9uS-s_VqseZI9-JVgdZADOsfFkWVoK8YniyB792YiFUMKN1RaSaJsQ/s400/mal.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" /><div><div style="text-align: left;">Fabulous shade of orange...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558920161404787602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhSFKlbHgFWN4mAxh_VV0UTYzjFVA9AbbfnXlvcbWs0TWg5L-0obkHCnKYepqZRLWCcGRpEYQv_P3hi4oRlN8rzMMfA6Y2mf2sIQGIR221Pd9hUV7-Aha907ZQ2G2-k_QTYbISN8VAI9c/s400/pondi3.jpg" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 361px; " /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Loved the huge doors...</div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558916471546759234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMEqWUiisPaokzXr8sucXb3OOBsc7lFo1d_7jfG5gAMY0jr63WiW0vvlx4kLPIb0CsirThPNMsufs_GZ2O8TXs_78VuxX9bIqwIrB9J-Jlit3KsbBtx5-7bAY9dYdCcxWsGXd3z7FNBg/s400/pon3.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" /><div style="text-align: left;">...and the grills</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558920174098394306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsS2JWWcT0-YCwt2nJqXQFPRxYnTLNDUcs8duDMnrr75hiq8PBUHaeqHD1NVUtpUTHJNZDJsEq6QlXwvS1JmUgSPfh9kWZzoGPd3wTxr2MtqZPRsbQ12A2aJNKx6L7yZynuW7-OI-xJvc/s400/pondi1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 285px; " /></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span><div style="text-align: left;">The door-knobs...</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8rExLi0azp8_j8N84nBjQrTIMx7F_QLsF-5R8fBha8rysXrBxi8UoP0d-Z1h-KhilefG879WlWtqu6uGzLC0csRGYdf6K5wf1dl96cYu6dp0cpfouYSR7gmRXtZWi_PfRl_357NPeIqw/s1600/pon1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558916466591207058" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8rExLi0azp8_j8N84nBjQrTIMx7F_QLsF-5R8fBha8rysXrBxi8UoP0d-Z1h-KhilefG879WlWtqu6uGzLC0csRGYdf6K5wf1dl96cYu6dp0cpfouYSR7gmRXtZWi_PfRl_357NPeIqw/s400/pon1.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" /></a>The street signboards with french and tamil influences...</div><div><br /></div><div>Hope you liked the various colours of Pondicherry, coming up next is a post on a lovely heritage villa where we stayed.</div><div><br /></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">( images by Arch)</span></i><br /></div>

Hues of Pondicherry...

Happy New Year Everyone! Our December vacations last year was spent mainly with family, doing absolutely NOTHING:-) Okay, well almost...one ...

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Auroville, Pondicherry

<span style="font-family:georgia;">First, a big thanks to </span><a href="http://masalachaionline.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family:georgia;">Masala Chai </span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;">for the </span><a href="http://masalachaionline.blogspot.com/2008/01/you-make-my-day.html"><span style="font-family:georgia;">"You make my day"</span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> Award. I really appreciate it and also the post on </span><a href="http://masalachaionline.blogspot.com/2008/02/dune.html"><span style="font-family:georgia;">'The Dune'</span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> which kind of brought back lovely memories from our <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pondicherry">Pondicherry</a> trip a couple of years back & inspired this post on Auroville:-)) <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166313487341080258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNJgcjgrFvVfsOvKvuFHyNEZJUcQ8vzpCdAgDitvnTL_NPBqwAeM3O2hZoNoISRtWNOY8EzgLhMAuDI4hVPv8dNgaAi9w36CiqsE3o7oUbktm0phKDC05MVo2djd6VNI7TpDu3qpPSC1Lc/s400/pond1.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />My door obssession in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pondicherry">Pondicherry</a>, when I didn't have a digital camera, scanned from old photographs:-) <img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166316249005051650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfJ1-U18b17Gh_y4e9X-JdRd1D_qw6Z4e0TPxBEW0ZsbAGG3EgPgngRz8NOXRC1iYPzx2VF4xy12_OoqnPLgwv4THPQWHtL9obb8JQgUyayvqstMs_CyVPwKddbCjlZACMlxNUyh9Klfzu/s400/pond3.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166316236120149746" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7rvWUxvN2Zg6CCAcYAWra_5kLvM3n87R8o6z57SLgZzLTvBe2hU3QjCvMa6Quj20fnI5bI4VLu99H4h4dIzZ6aR4IP-ZTiE0ZE6keGPk47FAa70NbyzUrlCn5sPetCzMLkDDOlkhW0nbc/s400/pond2.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /> The history of Pondicherry can be traced back to 1672 when the French bought this port town from an India King. The French connection grew when <a href="http://www.auroville.org/vision/sriauro.htm">Sri Aurobindo </a>an Indian scholar & mystic set up an ashram here in 1926. <a href="http://www.auroville.org/vision/ma.htm">Mira Alfassa </a>his French-born spiritual companion, also known as <a href="http://www.auroville.org/vision/ma.htm">'The Mother' </a>established <a href="http://www.auroville.org/index.htm">Auroville </a>in the sixties.<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166372379932643186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgJQ11TlpzlIR3PSKeDgm5ijpoYrIctZzkgVdxNgC7sFLrWKjXHcWo9iqGAd8BS7vXnpc_86dfMii9Jww6n1hJJmzlstvdgQVJG5DDAGyLk5xs67excS1Uk9aKKzD0kUqW4ygSDgZsoJLt/s400/matri.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /><em>Image of Matrimandir in Auroville.<br /></em><a href="http://www.auroville.org/index.htm">Auroville</a> is a series of self-supporting communities in villages which are very close to Pondicherry. Auroville's New Age ideal drew many Indians & Westerners including French architect <a href="http://www.auroville.org/vision/Roger_Anger.htm"><strong>Roger Anger</strong> </a>who was the chief architect of the township of Auroville.<br /><br /><strong>Featured here are a couple of homes from Auroville.</strong><br /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166360306779574114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHIc528GuVPgk2f4u_XyLver_z8qAxKLnAeN5I4TgTF8pTKbl9EhxhUmW7y8vUAJ-Noe4q8UMNK2CONjml6iBCgPvISZN7cFWHVazzWOTvUPShNiUKPmXq9uLmKr5lwML7EzRXBefjZ6u/s400/pondi2.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />A fusion of natural & modern home of <strong>Frenchman Jean Legrand</strong> & wife <strong>Joy.<br /></strong></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNyrN49veNXU6nh3zAX2pw4OjrHVURh9Bmnq4t88t9jrZ6u2MkFOspdeVR6OzUSBteTTUpU8qGFDNHMbqdmbw6AiUfCl2LGIFYU-J_m95DqhcwG-qgikUlDf22b-hfEYF2OUkdoowDd30v/s1600-h/pondi3.jpg"><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166310167331360402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNyrN49veNXU6nh3zAX2pw4OjrHVURh9Bmnq4t88t9jrZ6u2MkFOspdeVR6OzUSBteTTUpU8qGFDNHMbqdmbw6AiUfCl2LGIFYU-J_m95DqhcwG-qgikUlDf22b-hfEYF2OUkdoowDd30v/s400/pondi3.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;">Natural light streaming in through the circular shapes on the ceiling and that is echoed by the natural rocks & granite slabs in Legrand's bathroom.<em><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166310171626327714" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjrUTPUKz6lB3iZI9kYTsg0zLYXz0VxYxpujZJWgCL4o4LVoj00d4Bf6Eco7FSCN3YG9AAB2nsX07FjRNpWeoOZKJZs_E7xYgUyutA08NNkOBCm5fN2dkC-Vcs4v6tzIm5RavZDazDzvpm/s400/pondi4.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />Love the angular and circular shapes of the kitchen & dining area, which has been designed keeping the light in mind.<br /></em>Home of designer <strong>William Netter</strong>, an American Spiritualist and Sri Aurobindo follower.<br /><em><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166310180216262322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgABdB2r4B4zEZTuvBMDlX_y21Dp2-dr4EmYQOBB8tIfC7UeNrEwjumW2FRd34LeamiwS4uOH_nIMNJmDV1HhHTQ-ozf1ZMZ-fPPHE1IGTE2UF5eeGnnh3QqB01vFLn6ApydK5RGTmChwTj/s400/pondi5.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></em>The white-tiled kitchen with simple modern lines and ample natural light.<em><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166316253300018962" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSnp2hcUs9jwoxfJJDFC0IbGtkndvC4GSguofTQcR3aFLwGzcAXaBa-hKE8qOCMs64qmLzg0CCnEzPDPaqFpuZuz_FzxiaoSloMe9ldSkrOk6QiISG8TwoadMvxpRg8RqrcLMt9Z_WB-iy/s400/pondi6.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></em>The design here is Minimalist with areas designated for different purposes. Here is the space for praying with <a href="http://www.auroville.org/vision/ma.htm">'The Mother's'</a> and <a href="http://www.auroville.org/vision/sriauro.htm">Sri Aurobindo's </a>photographs with a votive candle burning in the centre and his work space.</span><br /><div><div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166322992103706418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihAiTKh7bouB_qFZH6K4-tbjDtgkVSsHcn67V4drgDfzsliHU-yc4Q8wRs5_UJiSub5wu7Z3Yn_23GS_vw3MFGrCJgmf9M4JsdAc5DiZ1QNO9oL5wmkSmp4m8M7cFUpshQ8S6tPmayRxxX/s400/pondi7.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />A house designed by French architect <a href="http://www.auroville.org/thecity/architecture/arch_roger_anger_house.htm">Roger Anger </a>for Christine Devin & her husband in 1976 in a design resembling toadstool shapes.<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166322996398673730" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiEV-SEVbLnj4by-fIjyfokdQFUbmjOCmK5QD3Q5o1xbQ6cHfFA7qyWrCYQFt0Lsh4PxpTE6KKAtNkxjvsUyeMLgVQRQ9gbwua9PRDkFolbwBlOSl7Ef-hHNvtTcMDQhsNdg9PFdBtlgck/s400/pondi8.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />Beautifully designed circular bedroom with movable slats to adjust light & air flow. <em>Love the red-oxide smooth flooring and a simple portrait of the Mother on the wall.<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5166323000693641042" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4Z8-tJHKte_qAw4AKf7H2fBF_q-aYmFA96DhY-M_O1I-iSX-17PdiuN7ei5bFcDHuoCED9qL9bc2nTQbtIpwxoSvORvF9D4BRDtQhDP_v19X4nePMnhYLny1gG2xNcvOfAi9KWUXXqNvV/s400/pondi9.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></em>Locally made paper lantern and couple of floor cushions & wooden chest adorn the dining area. <em>I absolutely love the shape of the windows ( reminds me of railway train windows:-)</em></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia;"><br />The township at Auroville is heaven for architects from India & abroad trying to create something different, something new. You can read more about the various styles of architecture in Auroville <a href="http://www.auroville.org/thecity/architecture.htm">here</a>.<br /><br /><em>(images from Indian Interiors- Taschen & Auroville.org)</em></span></div></div></div>

Auroville, Pondicherry

First, a big thanks to Masala Chai for the "You make my day" Award. I really appreciate it and also the post on 'The Dune...

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