Saffron and Silk: Puducherry

Showing posts with label Puducherry. Show all posts

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Vacation wrap up.....

Yes, am back from a lovely vacation, short but sweet. For those who may not know, my son and son-in-law visited from DC, spent a week here in Hyderabad, then were joined by another friend of theirs, Muriam, from New York, and together the 5 of us headed to Chennai and Pondy and then back to Chennai. Here are a few pics....we stayed at the Taj at Fisherman's Cove in Chennai and The Dune at Pondicherry, both fabulous places, one outrageously expensive and the other much more affordable, but both my idea of heaven on earth!

Getting ready to leave, the boys saying bye to the doggies

The Taj at F. Cove....opulent, gorgeous, decadent, ridiculously expensive bliss! I don't think I'll be going back.....

The Dune....2 days of amazing food, yoga, ayurvedic massages, hammock swinging, star gazing, playing with dogs, biking.....pure absolute down-to-earth bliss! I'd go back in a jiffy......

Back in Chennai I visited my tiny 88 year old grandma, and even though she cannot remember what happened 5 minutes ago, she can easily remember all the songs she learned and sang in her hey days

then we visited Sharavana Bhavan for their famous filter coffee....and realized why they were so famous for it.....I also think the ambience has something to do with it, after all they say you eat with your eyes too.....the tiny rickety steel tables, waiters yelling out orders for dosas and idlis, fragrance of coconut chutney permeating the room, piping hot coffee in small tumblers, it all adds up!

I also visited - after much phone calling and direction asking and finger pointing and my son's blackberry internet googling - the much touted Amethyst store in Chennai. They have moved locations recently and ever since Vineeta blogged about it, I have been wanting to go. After about a half hour of driving round and round in a 1/2 mile radius, we finally located it and I was determined to buy something to show for all that searching. But maybe it was that they hadn't moved all of their stock, maybe it was the ambience which I really didn't care for (too frou frou and NRI-ey) or maybe it was the hugely overpriced items that I simply could not justify buying....whatever it was, I could not bring myself to buy anything and left in a hurry! Oh well!

We also visited Mahabalipuram en route to Pondy, check my travel blog in a few days to see all the hundreds of pics I took in all the places.....

Now I am back, really ready to take on 2011!

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Travel - The Dune at Puducherry

Ever long for a holiday from which you come back refreshed, like getting soaked in the gentle rain in a heated desert? Then head to The Dune at Puducherry.....a sprawling eco-village set on 35 acres along the Coromandel coast of Tamil Nadu. This resort will take you right into the heart of nature for a fantastic experience like no other. The Dune cherishes the spirit "to live in harmony with nature and men". For ages, swamis (Holy Men) from the nearby temples of Mahabalipuram used this scenic beach reserve as a place of pilgrimage and meditation. It features a generous organic garden, a 700m long sand beach, and all that is necessary to take care of the body and soul according to traditional Ayuvreda’s rites. It also has an Artists In Residence program providing work studios for artists from all over the world! I know I'd be terribly inspired to paint if I was there!!
Each of the 36 bungalows and bedrooms presents a unique architecture, style and decoration for a particular experience. The result is surprising, sometimes eccentric, in a zen and green environment
The hotel is fully committed to preserving the environment. As an example, recycled material from South Indian colonial houses, Chettinad palaces and Kerala planter’s mansions was used for a significant part of the building. The hotel also chose not to equip all bungalows with air conditioning (but there is always a refreshing sea breeze). Solar energy, low energy consumption light bulbs, and waste water treatment complete this ecologic commitment.

Fusing modern and traditional architecture, the hotel's cottages are done up in different styles ranging from plush Regency to vibrant Carribean! The vibrant use of colors in and outside the cottages will force you to forget your stress and relax. The rooms full of genuine antiques, statues, idols, chairs, tables, stone pillars, and carved doors have made the interiors charming and serene. Bright blue and hot yellow textures on glasses and walls energise the mind and soul.

If I was going there I would have a hard time deciding which room to stay in. Would it be the Kerela Room with its wood beams and rafters reaching out to my Kerela roots? Or the Nawabi rooms reminiscent of the Hyderabad I live in? Or the Mud Room for its eco friendly nature? Or the Family House with is infusion of raw earthy colors that I adore???? Or then again maybe the Bangle Room because it is so much like my bedroom??? Hmmm..how about you?
Here are some images of the resort:

The Artist's studio