This story was originally posted on University of Waikato’s Global Experiences blog.
by Georgia Owens
7th of January 2024
We arrived in Chennai and were welcomed by the IndoGenius team. On our way to Puducherry, we stopped for our first authentic Indian lunch. If I could describe India in one word it would be busy. Busy with people, vehicles, pet cows, wild dogs, colours, art, crafts, languages, religions and cultures. There are so many beautiful things to see, smell and absorb, it can be hard to process.
We were proudly welcomed into the Manakula Vinayager temple dedicated to the God of new beginnings/removing obstacles in your life Ganeśa (aka Ganesh). We then witnessed the washing, feeding and preparing of Ganesh (abhishekam). I ended the visit by removing negativity by smashing a coconut! We then visited the Aurobindo ashram founded by Sri Aurobindo. His teachings emphasise the divine consciousness within and the aspiration to realise this divinity through self-discipline, meditation, and dedicated spiritual practice. I spent 15 minutes in silence under a beautiful tree filled with squirrels and birds. We then went for lunch at Surguru and tried the famous masala dosa. We ended the day with an introduction to yoga with Susie which focused on breathwork, followed by an introduction to Bollywood with Gilles.
Sri Aurobindo
9th of January 2024
Today, we drove to Auroville, an experimental township conceived by The Mother, Mirra Alfassa – a collaborator of Sri Aurobindo. The town aims to be a sustainable and universal town that allows humans to live together in harmony. The town is structured around the Matri Mandir, a golden spherical temple.
We had a session on conscious clothing by Uma. I learnt about chemical exposure through clothing and reflected on my disconnection to the origin and process of making the clothes I wear. I do not responsibly source my clothing and it was a confronting realization that I will happily spend more money on a coffee than a t-shirt. Meetu, our leader, also shared about her evolved fashion goals from cheap, comfortable and colorful to clothes that are sustainable, soft and have a story. We ended the visit with lunch at Solar Kitchen.
10th of January 2024
We started the day with yoga. Attention was focused on our solar plexus, which personally led to an emotional release. I received the best advice from Susie – “Feelings aren’t to torment, they’re to be released”, “You are not your emotions”, and “Where attention goes, energy flows”. I spent the rest of the morning exploring Auroville. We then attended a session on sustainable agriculture and organic farming with Krishna MacKenzie at Solitude Farm. Krishna spoke about sustainable gardens, using the whole plant for medicine and food and self-maintaining crops that can feed communities. This resonated with me because I believe NZ should be filled with self-maintaining crops (e.g., citrus trees in schools). We ate lunch sourced from the farm and Zomato for dinner – India’s version of UberEats!
11th of January 2024
I spent the morning at Matri Mandir. We then had a guided tour of Hidesign’s leather factory. Having grown up in the leather industry, this was a nostalgic experience. I appreciated the craftsmanship, the dyeing process (all the cowhide is naturally tanned by vegetables) and that leather was described as a byproduct – cows are killed for their meat, not their skin. We engaged with some of the staff and learnt that the women-dominated company has provided an income to many families, which in turn has provided children with an opportunity for higher education and socio-economical growth. We ended the day at the beach in Puducherry.
12th of January 2024
We spent the day driving to Isha Yoga Foundation in Coimbatore where we were welcomed by a volunteer and now friend – Harkirat. Initially, I struggled here. However, Harkirat took me under her wing and explained that this place would “break and then make you” and encouraged me to make the most of the experience and to give the place a chance to work on me.
13th of January 2024
I started the morning with a cold bath in the sacred waters of Theerthakunds. This water was blessed with a crystal. Ceiling art. I had to remove my clothing to wear the provided linen cloth. Whilst waiting in line, I watched a family of monkeys run across the roof. We then visited Isha Vidhya school – this has been the highlight of my trip so far. This school in rural India was made possible by contributions from donors – most of the children receive scholarships, which they believed were easy to obtain. The children were passionate about their school and education, with students voicing it was their “happy place”. I connected with a young student named after the moon – Nila. We ended the day with a beautiful sound and light show reflected on Adi Yogi – the statue of Shiva the first yogi. Today, Harkirat advised me to ignore the people and focus on myself. She also explained Nandi the bull – represents eternal waiting – and left me with the expression “Chadho”, meaning leave it in Hindi (I interpreted it as not to stress).
Georgia (L) and Nila (R)