Written on February 17, 2016, our journey imported from our old website <3
After the rickety drive from Chennai, I felt like this cat (sans empty liquor bottle. all sober bewilderment):
But Pondicherry- its France meets India meets beach town vibe lured me out after bathing off the dust and emotional Chennai debris. A colourful Ganesha temple, Sri Arobindo ashram meditation and some people watching/street shopping later, I wanted to get some work done- and enjoy a bit of what the dry state of Gujarat doesn’t offer.
Establishments in Pondicherry aren’t like those in Mumbai which were either very loud clubs or desolate creepholes. A highly rated french bar with a relaxed-cool atmosphere was perfect for the purpose of a drink in the corner while working on my phone alone. Other than expected interactions with natural dyers and various people involved with textiles along the way, I had planned the majority of my Pondicherry experience to be spent in solitude. Three days full of meditation attempts and reflective thoughts while traveling through greenery. That’s not what happened though, life has a funny way of throwing places, experiences and people at us when least expect them.
As a result, finding textile-related work in a town that I had never been to was much more efficient. And the trip, expected to be just a nice getaway full of fresh air and learning, morphed into something completely different with the addition of a shared restless and therefore understood energy that I have only ever experienced alone before. The kind of aimless search you deem necessary although you're not quite sure what you’re looking for, so most people tell you to stop- and some encourage you. I was lucky to meet the latter.