Not so black and white

Place: PONDICHERRY

One of the most popular destinations of the Coromandel coast, and indeed south India, Pondicherry is a charmed, quaint town, steeped in French culture topped by Sri Aurobindo's aura. A visit indicated all of this to be true, but not reflecting a true picture. It is as much a Tamil Nadu small town, congested and colourful in a way only towns in that area can be. The city actually almost looks away from the Bay of Bengal.

NH 32 is an excellent way to reach Pondicherry from Chennai

I drove in from Madras, now Chennai, starting around 7 in the morning. The approximately 150 kilometre journey takes a little over two hours, unless you are stuck in a jam, as I was. I made full use of it by sleeping through, and reached in about four hours! The road, NH 32, is excellent though, and very noticeable to north Indian eyes. Small towns with their colourful temple mandapams and crowded markets dot the journey, with green- brown hills and pretty vibrant fields replacing them once you are out of the urban areas. To me, it is surprising that at coastal route is not more popular, but the driver said that road was not as good.

The entry gate to Pondicherry 

Eagerly looking out as I entered the city, as I had heard so much about it, the first moments inside were disappointing. Instead of beautiful French era mansions, on view narrow streets flanked by small street side shops, interspersed by modern glass fronted facades of new hospitals and coaching institutes. :( There is no effort to cash into the reputation of the town, and the disappointment continued till suddenly the very look of the place altered. I was later told Pondicherry, officially Puducherry, is divided into what is now the heritage zone, or White Town and the rest, referred to as Black Town.

White Town 
So today, when people gush about Pondicherry, they refer usually only to the White Town and Auroville, an outpost. The White Town, built by the French who were in charge for about 280 years, fronts one of the four beaches of the territory, is an approximately oval area laid out in a grid pattern within, with buildings and parks.

Explore White Town on foot, and let the camera capture little details

This French quarter has cousins across the world, and does not compare favourably either in the architecture or in its upkeep, even though the tourism office is right by the sea and quite disappointing. Though it is best explored on foot, be ready to be tired as the weather is muggy for the better part of the year. Also many streets are cobbled, great to look at, but not made for long walks. The architectural style is largely French colonial, part Gothic, with some local influences.

The beachfront area, known as Promenade beach, is well used. Early morning sees joggers out in force, even in light rain, while students take up the later morning time by running around and playing. Gandhi's statue is a favourite hangout. Quiet during the afternoons, the day evening belongs to the tourists and towners who may come for the sea breeze or just a walk. There is an old lighthouse, which was visible from the room of the hotel I was staying in, and badly in need of repair.

White Town has a number of beautiful mansions, though many now house Indian officialdom and bureaucracy. A significant part is still private however, and keep a lookout for the Alliance Française, Lycée Française, French Institute, Mairie (Town hall). The area has a number of hotels, many of whom have tried to recreate the past including Hotel D’orient and Duplex. There are a number of museums, including the Pondicherry Museum, the former houses of writers Bharathidasan and Subramania Bharathi, which are today museums and the Jawahar Toy Museum. If you are on a short trip, enjoy the outdoors instead.

The Park Monument, set in the middle of the park, and left, scenes of devastation from the cyclone are still visible

Pondicherry was devastated by a cyclone in December 2011, and signs of the extensive devastation can still be seen around the town. A prominent park, today called Bharati Park, still has uprooted trees, as do a peripheral parts of the town.

A special feature of the town is its rich craft heritage. There are a number of excellent craft labels, and at least one label, Hidesign is now an internationally acclaimed leather accessories brand. But there are many more, and for a craft lover, a visit to the main market in White Town or in Auroville is going to throw time budgeting astray. Look out for Maroma. For the budget conscious, try Auroshikha. Must buys include perfumed candles, kurtas, 'green' bags, soaps, oils and incense sticks. Besides great baked products, especially from Auroville. Quirky shapes, sizes and aromas ensure they make for great gifts. Plan accordingly.

The Matri Mandir is situated in the middle of the Peace area

Especially when visiting Auroville. Arguably the most famous extension of Pondicherry, this is where an alternate future is taking shape. For more on it, look up the net, but for the average visitor, this is paradise for those yearning to get away from the tempo of busy urban lives.

Founded by The Mother, Sri Aurobindo's disciple in 1968, it is an UNESCO endorsed township that is worth a visit, if only to see white skinned people zipping around in bikes, usually attired in calico lungis or kurtas, complete with checks. Its beautiful, un-manicured environs (you get the drift), tucked away houses, lawns and gardens merging into woods, dirt tracks and the occasional road, small markets, the monumental Matri Mandir and the charming food and craft outlets, all make it a a 'different' trip. You have to buy peanut butter from the bakery. Just a word of caution, if you wish to visit Matri Mandir, you will have to get prior permission from the Visitor's Centre, which is quite far away. If you can, spend a day there, and a sense of peace, however ephemeral, is sure to envelop you. It was my last stop at the former French outpost, and a great way to conclude the trip. 

Morning at the Marina

Place: Chennai 

Chennai has relatively few popular tourist spots. Ok, Chennaivasis need not kill me, there is still freedom of opinion. What I mean is the majestic Marina Beach is still its chief attraction, notwithstanding its politicians and Sirji.

The Marina is indeed impressive. It is huge beach. Wiki says second largest without specifying which is the largest, though I suspect cities such as Miami, Rio and Sydney may be in the race for the top spot. Anyways, the Marina at about 13 kilometres is one long stretch of sand, though the main area is a little over two kilometres long. Given an average width of about 300 metres, you may be forgiven for thinking its a bit too much once you water laden feet sink in the sand as you make your way back to comfort of your car.

The sand is not exactly soft, and it compares unfavourably to Kovalam or indeed Europe. But there is much to see including crabs scuttling into their holes all over the beach. Near the water, the wet sand is heavy and becomes muddy.

It's a very straight coast, but beware, the water is choppy. You wont see too many boats out in the sea frequently, or swimmers. Swimming is illegal in fact. Yes, fatal drowning rates are quite high. Dipping your toes in the Bay of Bengal is a safer bet.

Later in the day, there will lots of street food. Look out for the spice level

It is a well used beach, right from early morning. The health conscious run, jog and jump. Later the vendors arrange their stalls, and serve continuously as business picks up by the evening. Summers are hot in the city, so the afternoons are deserted, but the cool evening breeze draws in many, locals and tourists alike. Many of the vendors sell their wares late into the evening and then retire for the night right on the beach. 

Along the road is a wide pavement, excellent for walking or running. There are a lot of statues, including one to 'Triumph of Labour'. Pick your favourite from Gandhi, Kamaraj, Subramania Bharati, Annie Besant, Periyar, and even Subhas Bose, Vivekananda and Robert Caldwell!

Here are some early morning views:

It is wide, wide beach. Wish it was cleaner

Derelict boats, but actually still in use are parked along the beach

Family time as dad and offspring play on the sand

Beware of the surf. These are off limits waves

A view of the Vivekananda Ilam from the beach

Tracks and shoe prints dot the seafront. Lots of crabs populate the beach

Morning ablutions on the Marina

View from the top

Place: MACAU

The ruins of St Paul's at Macau is the city state's most well known historical landmark. Today a UNESCO World Heritage site, only the southern facade of the 16th century complex survives, dating to the early part of Portuguese presence in the area.

Built from 1582 to 1602 by the Jesuits, the cathedral, dedicated to Saint Paul the Apostle, was one of the largest Catholic churches in Asia at the time.

Close to Senado Square, the focal point of old Macau, the ruins see thousands of visitors go up these steps to get themselves photographed. Even newly married couples in Macau make a beeline for it. 

Kingdom of treasures

A traditional land in tune in with modern times, Jordan’s natural beauty combines spectacularly with historical and cultural legacies

Jerash was an important Roman era city, and a considerable extent of the ancient monuments survive.
Here the Cardo Maxiumus, a long colonnaded street

Place: JORDAN
It’s a destination that catches you by surprise. The West may have been charmed by Petra and the Dead Sea for a long time now, for most Indians, Jordan has been an unknown chapter in the book of West Asia. However the reverse is not true, and the immediate connect that makes the Indians feel at home is the familiarity the average Jordanian citizen has with India, or at least Bollywood. In markets, streets and restaurants, the realization that you are from the land of Amitabh Bachchan and Mithun Chakravarty can immediately create that bond of friendship so needed to make the tourist feel welcomed. 

Well, there is much more that will not only make the Indian traveller feel at home, but feel enriched by the experience. For such a small country – most of its six million people live in a narrow strip along the western border of the country, it has a plethora of riches that satiates even the most demanding of tourists.

Jordan sits at a crossroads of history – and the land is littered with architectural marvels from different eras in history. Cradling the Fertile Cresent, the region was important from before the Greco Roman times. Among the legacies the ancient Nabatean rulers bestowed were the ruins of Petra, today one of the most visited places in the world. Petra’s long lost rock-cut buildings, dating back from the 6thcentury BC, and rediscovered only in the 19th century, still evoke awe and most visitors spend an entire day rediscovering the extents of city once at the centre of human civilization for themselves. Its pink, or more romantically, rose-red monuments figure on most ‘must places to see’ lists, and deservingly so. It is amazing to reflect not just on the technological and architectural skills in building such a massive complex, but also the aesthetics imbued in these buildings, whether a library or an amphitheatre for about 10,000 peple, still in almost perfect condition.

The Madaba Map, a mosiac map made in the floor of the
church in Madaba. This is the oldest surviving map of
the Holy Land

As the birthplace some major revealed religions, Jordan today attracts numerous religious tourists, who have circuits that they can follow. Largely Islamic today, Jordan is also home a number of Biblical sites, including Mount Nebo, from where Moses is said to have shown his followers the promised land. The ancient city of Madaba is home to a famous map, a 6th century mosaic depiction that showed the earliest cartographic locations of the Holy Land. Do not be surprised to see busload of American and European tourists do Christianity related tours.

Nature’s bounty

One of Jordan’s best kept secrets is the dramatic natural landscape, which could well entitle it to be called the Switzerland of the Middle East. Most of the country is desert, but in combination with rocky hills, these deserts, especially Wadi Rum and desert castles to the east of the country, are today tourist magnets. For a true experience, stay at one of the many tented luxury hotels in the desert a reality. Lawrence of Arabia frequented these deserts, without the luxuries, almost a century ago.

Unlike its name, the Dead Sea's azure, sparkling waters a
favourite rejuvenation destination for the entire region

Another great draw is the Dead Sea, which far from being dead or grey, as the name might suggest, is actually an inviting blue sea where visitors love to get mud packs and float on its azure waters. Most of the Jordanian side of the sea is dotted with beaches and hotels, including the top luxury ones, and relaxation and rejuvenation are the main activities provided by a plethora of top global hospitality chains.

The river Jordan connects the Dead Sea to its other sea, the Red Sea. A contrast again, this reddish hued sea is another favourite tourist haunt for its glass bottomed boats, which allow you to marvel at the teeming sea life without getting your feet wet. Of course there are enough pools for you to do that all over the city. South of the Dead Sea is the Rift Valley, whose top is permanently unexpectedly snow covered!

Unexpected is perhaps the best way to describe Jordan. In an area of geopolitical sensitivity, Jordan has consciously striven to modernize itself over the last few decades. Bereft of major oil revenues, tourism instead has become an important contributor to its GDP, contributing well over 10 per cent. Creditably, all the attendant infrastructure required for it – good connectivity, rule of law, security, great hotels, extensive retail, including traditional crafts, finger licking mezzes and kabab platters – and other global cuisines as well, helpful people, are all in place, making it already the place where the entire Middle east is holidaying. And it’s ready for the rest of the world to join the party. As noted, Indians seem to be specially welcome. If you seen a few Mithun movies, your shopping might just get free in local markets!