| 2 Nov: Pondicherry |
 The seaside guest house that is managed by the ashram of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother provided a great night’s stay. Waves from the Indian Ocean awoke us all from our slumbers. We began the day with a visit to temple dedicated to Lord Ganesh. The road was closed to car traffic and we walked down the wide French Colonial streets. Trees lined the roadside and we dodged many cyclists, motorbikes, and auto rickshaws on our way. The Manakula Temple is sandwiched between handicraft stores and foodstalls. The most noticeable feature at the front of the temple is a massive Indian Elephant, who warmly greets temple visitors. Amma led the way inside the temple and immediately pointed out the walls. We studied the elaborate interior which displayed hundreds upon hundreds of different representations of Ganesha. Each colored manifestation on the wall depicts an aspect of Lord Ganesh or an image as He is worshipped from different countries all over the world. The many cultures and stories came together as we headed towards the main idol of the Temple. There was a cleanliness of this temple that shoul be noted, as it stood out from many of the others that we visited. The visitors here seemed very quiet and respectful. The environment was perfect for deep meditation, but first we had to visit Ganesh at his main altar. He was beautifully adorned with metals and garlanded with flowers and the group stood before Him praying for the removal of obstacles on many different levels and for many different people.  After receiving blessings we sat for a meditation and were absorbed in the "clean" energies of the temple. After sometime we again admired the many representations lining the wall and left the temple. Upon exiting, Swami, who was talking with Ashok about the day’s plan was pushed on the shoulder by a massive figure. Surprised, he quickly turned to see who was demanding his attention. A great grey Elephant was alerting Swami that she was going to give him a blessing! Swami, Amma and Raghudas each took their turns in bowing before the majestic creature and she gently placed her long trunk on the crowns of their heads. After speaking with some temple volunteers we learned that this 19 year old Elephant was named Lakshmi and was the favorite temple resident amongst all the locals and visitors alike.Next we headed down the laid-stone streets to Sri Aurobindo’s ashram. Here we sat in a beautiful garden and meditated in the serene setting. Just ahead of us was the Samadhi and resting place of both Aurobindo and the Mother. Ashok, our driver then suggested that we visit Auroville. This is a self-sustaining community and village, a 30 minute drive away. It has its own population of locals and ex-pats. There are about 2000 people, mostly Europeans who spend extended amounts of time or reside there permanently. Upon entering a dirt lot outside the community our group was ushered in a "Welcome Center." Here there were facts and images about the community posted on the walls. There was a media room that we were told to sit in. Inside there was a video looping about a current project that the community has undertaken. The Matrimandir is a giant golden sphere, 29m high. It is in a far corner of the Auroville landscaped grounds. The video showed the blueprint and design behind the structure. Amma immediately recognized it as the Meru, the three dimensional representation of the sacred shakti Mother energy. Only this version has a sphere around the construction. It is essentially a "void" meditation hall. Aside from white carpets and walls, there is nothing inside except a crystal sphere suspended from four pillars. This works to collect the energy of the sun. "This energy is prana, or life force," Amma continued. Swami and Amma agreed that it would be great for us to meditate inside for a while. A site worker instructed us to wait in a nearby lot where we would be shuttled to the building site. We were told that though construction was not complete, the hall was open for meditation. In a few moments time we entered a "zero emissions" electric vehicle that made a slight humming sound as it carried us into a thick green forest. Within two minutes, Swami pointed out the darkening sky. Menacing clouds threatened to open up on us, but we thought that we would be fine upon entering the Matrimandir. At a gated checkpoint the vehicle ceased to hum and we were told to walk to the site. Soon the skies did open and we found ourselves being nicely showered in a torrential downpour. Swami, trying to make light of the situation, joked that we were being told to bathe again. The rain came down very heavily and we took refuge under a broad tree. The Matrimandir was still out of sight. The rain eased up for a moment and we ran down the trail to see if we could find the site. Around a bend a wide spreading and landscaped field opened up, revealing the massive gold sphere. Even in the rain we appreciated the great architectural feat. A worker nearby was clad in an all blue waterproof jumpsuit and came to our sides. We were all soaked through at this point, and Swami asked about going into the hall. We were then told the hall is only open for 2 hours in the morning and to enter at that time requires applying for a permit 2 days in advance. At this Amma was just about fed up with the whole situation. We had come, quite innocently and unprepared only wanting to meditate, we were told to visit the meditation hall after watching an informational video, driven to a checkpoint some distance from the site, rained on, and only then were we told that a permit was required to enter--and this must be done 2 days in advance. Raghudas laughed to himself, two days ago the group was somewhere in Central India in the middle of a 19 hour train ride. We returned to the car, only after receiving another great and heavy shower from the heavens. And it seemed, just to spite us, as soon as we reached the vehicle, the clouds parted and sun shot its warm rays upon us. Our clothes were drying, but our moods were still drenched. In the car, our driver sensed our moods and decided to take a "short-cut." The detour would prove to be a Divine surprise for all of us and would clearly explain the purpose behind our natural and forced "shower." |
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