The poverty level in India is 32 rupees per day- this sign reads that if you are over 65 years old, the government will give you 200 rupees per month - approximately $4 US dollars. To get an idea of what that is in India, a chai teas costs 7 rupees at the tea stall, the average thali- or local "plate lunch" of Indian food served at the local style Indian restaurant costs about 80 rupees.
Pondicherry is a former French settlement. This beautiful, clean European style neighborhood runs parallel to the boardwalk of the beach. There is a garden, restaurants, art galleries and boutiques that are a haven for tourists and visitors to the Sri Aurobindo Ashram.
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| Keep walking north down the cobblestone streets of French Pondi...I thought I was in Europe. |
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| On the north side of Pondi, these guys asked me to take their photo. |
This is Lakshmi. She will bless you, tapping you on the head with her trunk if you give her a few coins or some grass to eat. She lives and works at the Manakkula Vinayakar Temple.
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| The flower market |
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| Inside the museum at the Pondicherry papermaking Company. It is run by the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, where the "mother" is fondly revered by followers. |
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| This goat is trying to eat the building. |
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| Colorful Pondicherry. |
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| The only beach with sand that I found in Pondi. Due to multiple incidences of drowning, it is illegal to swim in Pondicherrry. |
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