India: Pondicherry

While staying in Auroville we visited nearby Pondicherry a few times, we went to see the ashram of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo (no photography allowed), the market, a raw food restaurant, a Hindu temple and some shops of course.

I love markets in general and I love markets abroad. I love the ones in India because of all the fresh fragrances of the flowers, herbs & vegetables and the incredible colours.

 These garlands of flowers are handmade on the market.

Indian lady with braid and flowers

Many of the flowers are used to embellish the Indian ladies and for offering in the temples.

nun doing groceries on the market

woman cutting coconuts

colourful bags for sale

This Hindu temple was just a few steps away from the ashram and it was a very colourful place. I was pleasantly surprised seeing people sitting down on the ground in the temple itself and chatting with each other, the temple seemed also like a meeting place: worshipping and socializing felt like a good combination.

ornamented front of a truck 

man sleeping in front of his(?) shop 

woman working in a blue sari

bull statue with red hibiscus flower

See also part 1 of my trip to India: Auroville