Floats for festival days and local scene at the temple

Tiruvannamalai - Aurnachaleswar Temple (Shiva-Parvati Temple)

This is one of the single largest temple in India. It covers almost 10 hectares. Construction started in the 11th century. The 4 gopras (towers) are 13 stories or 66 meters high. Both Shiva and Parvati are worshiped here.

A day trip to Tiruvannamalai (Sri Ramana Ashram)

Blake at La Cafe

Blake enjoying the salt air while Arpana was at the conference

Auroville Beach

About 8 km north of puducherry is the auroville beach. A real fishing community with boats and nets on the beach as well as this locally made beach head made of coconut tree trunks. Also seen below is a sea urchin photographs 2 and 3

The Ganesha Temple and Laxmi the Elephant

In front of this very nice Ganesha temple is Laxmi the elephant. If you give her a coin, she will take it in her trunk and then bless you on top of your head with her trunk. She gives you a bit of a clunk actually.

The French Quarter in Puducherry

Puducherry was a french colony until 1954. Like New Orleans, there is a very distinctive french quarter characterized by some of the architecture you see here. Also within the french quarter is the Aurobindo Ashram (last picture).