On 27th January 2013 a group of
three students went to Pondicherry, in the state of Tamil Nadu as a part of a
cross cultural leadership training and a social service program. It was in
partnership with 6 students coming from Turkey who were also a part of the same
program. On our first day in Auroville we woke up early morning and had a yoga
and a energy session and went around to see the city and learn more about the
people living there. We visited an organic farm, an instrument factory an
eco-housing facility and a place where the local women worked to create baskets
out of old newspapers. 
We had a music session with
Orilio, who runs Svaram. With his help we experimented with the different
noises we can make and to be aware of every inch of our body as well as our
mind. After an hour of that we went into deep relaxation where we were aware of
each breath. He had music playing in the background which helped us imagine
something unique. We also made rhythms and melodies by clapping. It was one of
the most interesting sessions, one which we didn’t want to end.
There was a lot of learning
involved in what we were doing. We also had a session on looking at our future
and what we want to do, our dreams, our plans and our visions. We realized that
some people are clear on what they want, while some of us aren’t. We learnt how
to reflect on our thoughts and our plans. A few of us became clearer on what we
wanted, and one of us changed what we initially wanted to become.
This trip was more like a life
changing experience for us. Not only did we learn how to look within ourselves,
but we also learnt about our capabilities and creative skills. We made new
friends and learnt how people from different cultures have so many things in
common. We would really recommend everyone to experience such a programme at
least once their lives.
Ichha Bhan, Sonal Chawla and Ashira S Pachera
Form
11
