Gratitude February-Glimmers and Grace

Glimmers & Grace is an uplifting monthly feature in which bloggers reflect on moments of joy and grace experienced (even amid challenges) in the past month. Fellow Bloggers who Joined me are

1. Corinne
2. Holly
3. Esha

February started super hectic. As readers are aware from my previous post that husband’s niece got married in January. The wedding was spread over almost a week. The entire first week of February the wedding went on. Soon after, son’s exams started. While, son was preparing for his exams, I started preparing for Sraswati Puja, an annual festival at my home. Many of my friends came to attend the puja. I was excited when everyone said that they felt lots of positive vibes during the puja. Renovation work started at my house after the exams ended. To escape the dust and chaos at home. Son and I escaped to Pondicherry.

View from the Room

In Pondicherry, we spent an amazingly relaxing, refreshing, and rejuvenating vacation. We stayed in one of the guest houses of Shri Aurobindo Ashram. From almost every corner of the room, we could see the sea waves. The ashram was on the Goubert Avenue, in other words, right on the Rock Beach Road. I used to spend most of the day, sitting either on the balcony looking at the sea or people walking on the Rock Beach Road, or else down at the dining hall, meeting fellow guests from across the world. Met one particularly interesting person, his name is Janardan Ji. His Uncle was Champaklal, the trusted aid of Shri Aurobindo and Mother.

Empty Rock Beach Road in the Afternoon

I have never spent such a lazy vacation before. Did absolutely no touristy stuff apart from visiting the Paradise beach. This beach is a real treasure. It will remind you of both Goa and Kerala Backwaters. It was an absolutely empty white sand beach. We sat there under a coconut leaf shack and kept watching the waves rise and fall.

Entrance to Paradise Beach

Loved the food in Pondicherry. For Breakfast and Lunch we ate at the Ashrma’s dining hall. However, dinner used to be a moment of foodgasm. It was a Mom-son trip and both of us like to explore cuisines. The two of us were literally in food heaven trying out various European and South Indian cuisines. One of the Cafes in Pondy became our absolute favourite. Every evening, we went there for some snacks. The ambience was beautiful and the staff were courteous. The day we were leaving, those boys gave us a nice farewell with a cheesecake.

Meeting my college friend and his wife at Pondicherry was undoubtedly serendipitous. We spent an entire evening discussing everything from art, science, politics, and nostalgia. We also went to eat Portuguese food followed by French macaron, vodka cookies, and cinnamon rolls.

On our way back, we stayed for two days in Chennai. Met my husband’s cousin and his family after a long time. I also met my maternal Uncle after almost 20 years. He is a 90 year old young man, who impressed my son with his stories. On the leap day, we were back in Aamchi Mumbai.