Visiting a different world

A trip to India is always full of surprises, and this trip kept delivering new experiences. 

 Bougainvillea cascades over a garden wall in the French Quarter

First, there was the life-changing decision to strengthen my connection to Shantivanam by becoming a Benedictine oblate, then there was the time spent at the Mattindia clinic where my hayfever, oedema and sleep apnoea were all miraculously cured. 

Finally, there was Pondicherry, with its very French atmosphere and culture.

But while I had anticipated this in what I had read about "Pondy," I knew nothing of Sri Aurobindo, The Mother, nor of the golden sphere of the Matrimandir.

Aurobindo was an anti-imperial nationalist, a guru, poet and philosopher. Born in 1872, he was a couple of generations ahead of his time, with idealistic spiritual ideas that found a sympathetic audience in the open-mindedness of Indian philosophy.

His collaborator was Mirra Alfassa, a Jewish woman born in Paris of Turkish and Egyptian parents. She is known simply as "The Mother" and was deeply spiritual from a very young age. Together with Aurobindo, she is revered in photographs in shops, hotels and other businesses throughout Pondicherry.

At Auroville, with the Matrimandir in the background

The great project of this esoteric partnership was the founding of a Utopian community at Auroville, centred around a golden dome incorporating an enormous crystal, made by the German optical firms of Schott and Zeiss. It really was a symbol of the era - the Nineteen-Sixties, but however one might dismiss the tree-hugging hippies, the atmosphere of Auroville is amazing.

This was a fitting end to my 3-month sojourn, and I left Pondicherry to fly home just a couple of days after sitting and soaking up the overwhelming peace of Auroville.

I came home with serious projects to tackle. The Building Blocks project in Bangalore needs a lot of thought, and I have had conversations with the Ambats in Bangalore, discussing various ideas.

But first. . . . Europe is facing the greatest humanitarian crisis of our lifetime, and I cannot stay in Lincoln. I fly out to Greece very soon.

You can follow my plans and project at my new blog "In Search of a Better Life" - just click on the title. I have kept your name and address on the mailing list, so you'll get regular updates from Samos; - just drop me an email if you want to opt out.

Thanks for all your encouraging feedback; - do please keep in touch.

Bangalore Slum Children

World Trade Centre in Bengaluru

Although I have always wanted to visit Bengaluru (Bangalore,) it wasn't on my itinerary for this trip. Then there was a succession of coincidences (if you believe in coincidences!) There was an email, a text-chat, an invitation to look at an educational project and, above all, a strong sense that this was all happening for a reason. And so I booked a flight and asked if they would find me an inexpensive room.  I had no idea who I was dealing with! They might have been professional thieves, or con-artists, but I followed my instincts, and they were good people, so that I now have another new task - looking for ways to help them with an exciting project. 


India is a country of many languages. Although there are two main languages, Hindi and English, there are 22 recognised official languages across the country. Basic education is taught in one of these local languages, but the secret to breaking into middle and higher education is to be in a school where English is the teaching medium, providing the basic building blocks towards various types of School Certificate. 

It was in the recognition of this that James and Hilda Ambat set up "Building Blocks": a network of schools enrolling children from city slums, and teaching them English - reading and writing -, as the basis of a comprehensive curriculum including arithmetic, social science, general knowledge and other core subjects, all taught in the medium of English. 

Bangalore slums

The Building Block schools are secular and all have children from Hindu, Christian (Catholic and Protestant) and Muslim communities. The schools are highly selective, only taking the poorest children from the worst slums of Bangalore, and then giving them a kindergarten/infant education that is second to none.

Well-equipped classrooms with modern teaching aids

The staff are all professionals and are totally committed to the founders' vision of the power of education to lift people out of poverty. They are supported by an efficient administration in addition to full-time social workers. 

The admissions process is stringently controlled. First, there is a scheduled appointment. Then, to verify that the family are genuinely in need of financial assistance, there is an unannounced surprise visit to check that the first interview was not artificially staged. Thereafter the social workers keep a close eye on the family so that they are aware of any difficulties or problems.

All school children in India wear uniforms - which is always a shock to UK visitors, seeing the crowds of children all immaculately turned out. The uniform is a source of pride, to both the parent and the pupil, and is always freshly laundered and pressed.

Order and discipline are almost taken for granted: when I visited one of the schools I was met with a boisterous chorus of "Good Morning, Sir!" - and a sea of broad smiles. 


The magic of Building Blocks is primarily in the hands of the founders, supported by their dedicated teams. They have several major corporate sponsors in addition to various schemes in which individuals can pledge their support. 

I was enchanted by the whole operation, to the extent that after visiting the first school I had to hide myself away briefly and let the tears flow. To see a scheme that is so focused and so successful is truly inspirational.

But they need funding: and that is a project that I am working on. I will let you know when my ideas are more developed, but if you want to help straight away, drop me a line and I shall put you in touch with the organisation in India. 

Teaching them to learn in English gives them a head-start