Promenade Pondicherry

On the trail of 'Life of Pi': the beginnings

To all those who loved this book and are yet to love it.

I wasn't hungry when I took these photographs. I am back home in Pondicherry after seven long years and my mom fed me well with idlis, dosas and chapathis. Now a complete stranger in my own hometown, which has changed quite a lot since, I wielded my camera like a tourist and set off to rediscover Pondicherry, but this time, the Pondicherry of Yann Martel, of Piscine Molitor Patel. (Excerpts from the book are within quotes and italics)

'I arrived in the town of Pondicherry, a tiny self-governing Union Territory south of Madras. Pondicherry was once the capital of that modest of colonial empires, French India.'

So here I am on Nehru Street trying to locate the Indian Coffee House.

'I was at the Indian Coffee House on Nehru street. It's one big room with green walls and high ceiling. Fan whirl above you to keep the warm, humid air moving. The coffee is good and they serve French toast.'

The Indian Coffee House on Nehru street, where Yann Martel met Francis Adirubasamy, lies in decrepitude today. I was told that the Coffee House has moved few blocks west.

'My waiter appeared. I hesitated for a moment. I ordered two coffees. We introduced ourselves. His name was Francis Adirubasamy.'

The Indian Coffee House has now moved to the basement of a cloth store (Maharaja Silk), with no green walls and high ceiling. Coffee is still good there, but I couldn't meet Mr Francis Adirubasamy to tell me a God believing story.

'Tell me have you been to the botanical garden?

Once upon a time there was a zoo in the Pondicherry Botanical Garden.'

Once upon a time my father took me to the Pondicherry Botanical Garden to see the trees that were older than history, the flowers and fountains, the toy train and concrete elephants and bulls, but there was never a zoo in the garden.

'Did you notice the train tracks?

Did you take note of the names of the train stations?'

Yes I did. The toy train had two stops: Fern Hill and Jagjivan Nagar. No Roseville or Zootown and the Fern Hill was right next to the rose garden.

'It was huge zoo, spread over numberless acres, enough to require a train to explore it, though it seemed to get smaller as I grew older, train included.'

'A train still runs on Sundays for the amusement of the children. But it used to run twice an hour everyday.'

'There is a photo taken at the zoo during the visit of a V.I.P. .... There’s a giraffe in the background. Near the edge of the group, I recognize a younger Mr. Adirubasamy.'

I was told that Pi feeds the giraffes from this watch tower inside the botanical garden in the movie by Ang Lee

'The Universe makes sense to me through the Hindu eyes.'

'In the entrance hall hangs a framed picture of Ganesha, he of the elephant head. At his feet is an attentive rat. Because when Lord Ganesha travels, he travels atop a rat.'

'The Muslim quarter wasn't far from the zoo. A small quiet neighbourhood with Arabic writing and crescent moons inscribed on the facades of the houses. I came to the Mullah Street.'

'I had a peek at the Jamia Masjid, the Great Mosque, being careful to stay on the outside, of course.'

Well, I went in.

'Islam had a reputation worse than Christianity's- fewer gods, greater violence, as I have never heard anyone say good things about Muslim schools.'

I met Mr Iqbal the evening before I took photos of the mosque. He was welcoming and allowed me to take photos inside the mosque. We didn't talk much as he seemed quite busy in his office. he knew about the book and I presume that Ang Lee shot few scenes in the mosque.

'Above, two slim, fluted minarets rose in the air before a background of soaring coconut trees.....it was pleasant and quiet.'

'The building clean and white except for various edges painted green, was an open construction unfolding around an empty central room.' 

'Short of breath I said, “Father, I would like to be a Christian, please.” He smiled. “You already are, Piscine–in your heart. Whoever meets Christ in good faith is a Christian. Here in Munnar you met Christ.”

Our Lady of Immaculate Conception. Pondicherry.

'This Son is a god who spent most of His time telling stories, talking.'

'I stopped attending Mass at Our Lady of Immaculate Conception and went instead to Our Lady of Angels.'

' “There is no mistake,” said the priest. “I know this boy. He is Piscine Molitor Patel and he’s a Christian.” '

' "Bapu Gandhi said, 'All religions are true', I just want to love God", I just blurted out.'

'It just happened that we were not far from the statue of Gandhi on the esplanade. Stick in hand, an impish smile on his lips, a twinkle in his eyes, the mahatma walked.'

'After Daddy Gandhi, what next? Uncle Jesus?' 

'I went to Petit Seminaire, the best private English-medium secondary school in Pondicherry.'

I didn't.

'Mamaji swam thirty lengths every morning at the pool of the Aurobindo Ashram.' 

'Let's go the Beach Road.

I am waiting for someone.

Well, you will miss him if you keep rubbing your eyes like that. 

Thank you for the information. Have fun on the Beach Road.' 

'How about the Government Park?

I can't, I tell you.

Come on.

Please Raj, move on.'

'Yes they have tobacco in Canada- but do they have Gold Flake cigarettes? Do they have Arun ice cream?...Are the cars Ambassadors? Are the book shops Higginbothams?'

'It was utterly incongruous. Richard Parker was born in Bangladesh and raised in Tamil Nadu, so why should he have a French accent? Granted, Pondicherry was once a French colony, but no one would have me believe that some of the zoo animals had frequented the Alliance Francaise on rue Dumas.'

Venus Transit

Venus transit from Pondicherry, India (06.06.2012)

Flirting with Fire

Moulin Rouge

Zeus worshipped



Fairy over lillies



Goliath

Blonde by the fire

Tango

Crucifix and the devil

Dancing with the feline

Erotica

Flamingo

வியர்வை இனிக்கும் நாள் நோக்கி.......

சிந்திய வியர்வையெல்லாம் இனித்திருந்தால்

இந்தியாவில் இன்று சர்க்கரைக்குப் பஞ்சம் இருக்காது.
மலிவு விலையில் வியர்வை.
விவசாயிகளின் வியர்வையெல்லாம்

விஜய் மல்லயாக்களின்  வீடுகளில்  விருந்தாய்.
வியர்வை ஏற்றுமதி செய்கிறோம் நாம்; கடல் கடந்த கணிப்பொறியாலர்களாய்.

நாடெங்கும் பல புதிய கிழக்கிந்திய கம்பெனிகள்.
மிளகு வாங்க வரவில்லை. இம்முறை  மலிவு விலை வியர்வைக்காக.
வல்லரசு ஆகிவிட்டோம் வியர்வை விற்று.
சிந்தியவனுக்கு மிஞ்சியது என்னவோ உவர்ப்பு  மட்டும்தான்.
இனி இனிப்பது எப்போது.

முடிந்தால்......

உன் சுற்றம்  தன் மதியிழந்து, தான் மதிகெட்ட காரணம் நீயென
பொய்யுரைத்த  பின்னும், நீ சிந்தையிழக்காத்திருந்தால்.
அச்சுற்றம்  உன்மேல் ஐயம் கொண்ட போதிலும், தன் உறுதி காத்திருந்தால்.
அவ்வையத்திற்கு  இணக்கமும் தர இயன்றால்.
உன்னால் காத்திருக்கமுடிந்தால், அதனால் சோர்வடையாதிருந்தால் .
உன்மேல் பொய்கள் கூறப்பட்டும், வாய்மை வழி நடந்தால்.
தான் வெறுக்கப்பட்டாலும், உன் சுற்றத்தை வெறுக்காதிருந்தால்.
இவையனைத்தும் உன்னால் முடியுமாயின், அவர் கண்கட்கு
நீ மிக பண்பாளனாக தெரியாமலும், பெரும் பண்டிதன்  என மொழியாதிருந்தால்....

Translation of Rudyard Kipling's 'If....'

Elina at the Bull Wall, Dublin

I found this place (the Bull Wall) in Dublin only weeks ago after all these years. Ever since, fell in love with this place and wanted to do a photoshoot here, but had a to fight few odds on the day: mid day sun, wind and the reluctant reflector (good work Amanda!!). Thanks Elina !!!