I’ve been let loose in India’s south, having escaped the compound that is Oneness University! Luckily for me I had 3 spare days in between courses and an old uni friend who works in Chennai. After the sheltered daily routine at Oneness it was a shock to the senses to be thrown back into the crazy Indian street life.
There are a few differences compared to the North, for example the men here rock the old school mo-tash and it’s a sign of masculinity to sport a big dirty mustache. In contrast they also wear something called at Dhoti which is basically cloth wrapped around as a skirt. People answer you by wobbling their heads side to side, it’s up to you to work out the meaning which could be either yes, no, maybe or I don’t know! The language here is Tamil and unique to this area, even my Indian buddy cannot communicate with the locals who do not speak Hindi. Christianity has a much bigger following here in the South, adding to the already large list of religious groups in India. One of the apostles, St Thomas is said to have brought Christianity to India right here in Chennai in AD58. I visited the site of his Martyrdom and the cave which he was supposedly imprisoned in and later escaped from.
When traveling my mantra is generally ‘do as the locals do’. Well I can proudly say I have sampled traditional southern food, visited local beach life, viewed a Bollywood blockbuster and traveled by local buses with no air conditioning and raging Hindi music. My first Bollywood movie experience was a film called Chennai Express, thankfully with English subtitles. Turns out the singing, dancing and acting is not bad quality. The air con and atmosphere is also top-notch. Most interesting is the reactions of the audience who cheer, clap, whistle, scream and dance throughout. Got to love the Indian enthusiasm!
Aside from Chennai we ventured to a number of interesting smaller towns. Auroville is an international village where all inhabitants are working in the eco community for a sustainable future. Spending a few hours here definitely gives off a strong hippy vibe. The concepts and ideals began in the hippy movement of the 60s and today foreigners from all over the world flock here for a life of simplicity, peace and solitude.
Next stop was Pondicherry, a bustling beach side town with a French touch. The French settled here and as a result you can find a vast mixture of Anglo-Indians, new age Indians, tourists, and travelers who may be visiting one of the many local Ashrams. Spirituality is at large and many of the Oneness teachings are reinforced here. The fishing trade is evident by the number of boats dotted out in the Arabian Sea and the stench of the marketplaces which are a hype of activity. Too much hustle and bustle for this country kid!
The smaller and more laid back tourist destination of Mamallapuram was much more my scene. Also on the beachfront this historic village is a hub of archeological sites. During my visit there were a cluster of school groups who were captivated by a white westerner. The number of ‘photo’ requests and questions such as, ‘hi how are you?’ and ‘miss, what is your name?’ were too much. They all wanted to touch me and shake my hand to introduce themselves, very sweet but after 10 minutes I was ready for a break from my role as the token foreigner. The temples are sculptures here were amazing, well worth fighting off herds of kids for!
A big thank you must go to Harsh for being my host, tour guide, negotiator, body guard, and travel accomplice! Great to touch base with friends in foreign lands, knowing a local definitely makes the experience that much more real. Now it’s time to go back to the safe confines of the Oneness Uni campus… 2 more weeks of learning and meditations and I’ll be on my way to Nepal. Bring on the tranquility and scenery of the Himalaya!
SPIRITofSAMMY 