Auroville Trip 2019

Auroville, the land of Matri Mandir, some good coffee, a great run place in Feb and almost a non-Indian place in India. Its been some time since we went there, so this time, when Nikesh suggested for a group trip, it was settled for Auroville. Just a day before, there was news of big hurricane over Southern India. Schools at Pondicherry were closed for couple of days before our trip. We were in two minds - to go or not to go. We decided to make the trip anyways with lots of board games just in case we are stuck in our homestay. As luck would have it, it did not rain much and we had a great trip!


Day 1 -
One of the main reason to choose Auroville was to visit Matri mandir from inside. For first time goers, a pass is needed that can only be obtained in person. The pass is available at the visitor center at a time window of 10-11 am and 2-3 pm. Our objective was to reach in between the latter window and all plans were done based on that. We stopped for breakfast at Murugan Idli shop (the same one in Chennai) and it was a very good breakfast. This meal would set this trip as an epic foodie trip.  From here, we did not stop anywhere all the way to the visitor center reaching at 2:45 pm, with 15 mins to get the pass.

At the entrance only, the guard mentioned that the Matri mandir was undergoing renovations and it was closed till 16th Nov. This would now be my third visit where I have missed it. During the first one, I did not know about this place. During second one, I forgot about the in-person pass thingy. This time, I had remembered but Crowley had some other plans.  We still went in and breakfast at the Dreamer's cafe in visitor center. The cafe food was awesome. They make homemade hummus and olive paste. They take olives and grind them to paste and spread it over bread giving it a very nice flavor.


From the visitor center, we went straight to our homestay - Gaia's homestay and rest for a while. Gaia has amazing trees/garden with couple of man-made ponds that make it very peaceful. No network too. Our dinner was done at Tantos post that we went to Auroville beach just to get the night sea-breeze.

Day 2 -
Day 2 plan was simple. Good food and beach. The day started with a majestic breakfast at Auroville cafe. For that food, the food charges are lower than my lowered expectation.  The cafe is closed on Sundays so we made it our plan to have food there on Saturday itself. Food was very delicious and prompt service. From the cafe, we went to Paradise beach, first stopping at the Chunnambar boathouse for the tickets.

There was bit of a queue at Chunnambar boathouse but it cleared soon enough. We took the speed boat. The distance was only for 10 mins between the boathouse and Paradise beach but the wind hitting face with seawater in it made it worth it. Paradise beach is indeed very clean with enough state support of changing rooms, shower and even a rain dance setup. Weather was perfect to go in the bay and the beach is a great one, nice waves and not so rough. Soon, all of us were inside the sea and had a gala time. It was difficult to leave the place once we were tired and hungry, we decided to pick a good place for lunch. Not before a good rain dance shower.

Lunch was done in Pondicherry at this old, cozy and simple restaurant with simple Thalis both South Indian and North Indian. Once back at the homestay, we took showers and slept. I was reading Good Omens book and I could not have cared less if we decided to spend all time in the homestay. Good Omens is a must read. At night, Nikesh found this highly rated inner place in the heart of Auroville - Naturellement cafe. It took a while for us to get there, and that too in all darkness. But the dinner place was worth all this. It served very good food and an even more delightful dessert.

Day 3
We had debated lot of plans for the next day morning, go to Auroville beach, spend more time at the homestay, stroll in Auroville but eventually slept and then had breakfast at Aurolec. Aurolec had opened just for us. Under the trees, it is a peaceful place to relax and do nothing and have good food. We decided to check out the centre for evolutionary consciousness next to it but we were denied entry without prior appointment. It seems like an ashram kind of place. While having breakfast, I read this article on Slate and it was a delightful read.

We decided to head back to BLR but not before stopping at Marc's cafe to buy some coffee. The drive back was good  - we played an interesting game - think of a word that has two or more meanings, in different context. Example - tip, charge. We stopped for lunch at this weird looking place in Tiruvannamalai called Dreaming Tree. On the rooftop of a residential building, it takes you by total surprise. It is a Yogisthaan kind of cafe, an Aurovillian cafe in the middle of nowhere. Full or foreigners, who are just relaxing, I wondered, why are so many people here? Surely, they all could not be travelers.  But regardless, it was very good. Buddha bowl dish was the best and amazing.

Good Omens - Book and TV Series Review

Good Omens
By Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

Two words review - Its ineffable.

There is an angel and there is a demon, both assigned on Earth.  The world is going to end, an armageddon is coming. This war is the reason why the world was created. The god's army is preparing a war with the satan's army. Both sides believe they will win. This war will happen on Earth and will destroy the planet. And along with the angel's antique book store and all the Sushi. So will go the Queen's soundtrack and nice Bentley cars obsessed by our demon. Together, they decide to take matter on to their own hands and save Earth.

Goofy, hilarious and very very clever is what Good omens is. In the hands of two people who would become masters of world building and story craft in future from the time book was written,  Good Omens is a prescient foreboding of it all. Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, living in different continents would exchange floppy drives with new passages thrown in between.  Good Omens is filled with insane creativity and imagination.

Crowley, our demon, is duty-bound to mess up humanity's existence. While other demons will tempt humans with greed or lust, our Crowley will architect a highway that will cause future traffic jams (and incalculable human pain) while it exists.  The demon is bit more fascinating than the angel, they always are for people like me.  This demon wears shades all the times, even while driving and especially during night, you know why? because it is cool.

The book of Job takes new meaning as the technical work documentation for jobs of angels and demons. Pages are riddles with hilarity, reminding so much of Hitchhiker's guide. The lens to view the world changes after reading this book.  Local surrounding actions can be deemed as the work of either Aziraphale or Crowley.

But at the heart of it all, there is a bit of bad-ass in our angel and our Crowley is also a wee bit do-gooder. In times of armageddon, it is their friendship that wins the hearts of everyone.  This armageddon itself was predicted down to its last detail in the prophecies of Agnes Nutter. There is also an anti-christ, a hellhound who takes the form of a dog whose name is also Dog. The four horseman are now riding bikes and one of them is replaced by a new sin, called Pollution, more suitable to our times. God Omens take known things around us and offers a never thought before Biblical angle that even God did not intend. For all it does, who knows, it may be part of God's plan :)

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Good Omens TV series
Written by Neil Gaiman
with Michael Sheen as Aziraphale and David Tennant as Crowley

It is good that TV series was written by Gaiman himself. This protects the essence of the series. Gaiman understands this medium enough to tailor it. The story is timeless as ever, recent events since the time novel was published adds more flavor. Using Queen's songs as soundtrack provides an excellent background score, makes the book things more visceral. But the best part of the TV series is the casting of Aziraphale and Crowley as Michael Sheen and David Tennant respectively.

I would have watched this show for Michael Sheen even if everything else is removed. But David Tennant, as menacing as he was in Jessica Jones season one, is as Crowley as Crowley could ever be. Both David and Michael nail their respective characters and add more flavor to it.   While Aziraphale's expressions and style of delivery is definitely angel-like, David's walk and mannerisms like a drunk, rich, reveling in the use of modern conveniences and luxuries makes him a likeable devil. David Tennant portrays as if the Crowley was written for himself only.

This TV series is not the greatest ever but it is something that does enough justice to the book and more. Book is more rewarding but viewers of TV series will be content. TV series so far have not been able to do justice to bizarre hilarious books. Tragedy and violence is the primary medium of TV, it comes naturally with all the action and gore. Next to that, it is the drama with sombre mood building and nihilistic characters that is the recent phase. But goofiness and hilarity is difficult to portray. When TV does it in direct manners, the wit is lost and when it is under a symbolic gesture, people fail to grasp it.  Also, wit that comes from wordplay comes more alive in books that verbal utterance.

Take the scene where Crowley is threatening its plants to perform (that is grow fast and be green) else there will be consequences. It works, David pulls it off very well. But in the pages, it is peak hilarity. In the TV series it comes at an odd time, establishes some humor and goes. In the book, it is begins with a natural section, describing the Crowley's home where Hastur is about to come for him. It all seems connected.

But the TV series shines in characterization and soft expressions with the background of music. Michael Sheen must win an award for this.  Just look at this video -







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After the book and the series, there is one more things to be done. Find all other works of Gaiman and Pratchett and devour them