http://www.vishvish.com/story/the-house-at-18-rue-francois-martin <p>When my grandfather sold his many businesses in East Africa, it made him a very wealthy man. And he came to Pondicherry with his eleven children, gave nearly all his money to the Ashram, and in return they promised they would look after his family for ever. This is the house he lived in.</p> <p>This is our house. My elderly aunts now live here. My eldest aunt, indeed the eldest of all the siblings, lived here until she was forced into permanent exile by a broken hip, lying on a bed in the Ashram hospital on the oceanfront until she finally passed away, almost 89 years old.</p> <p>The house is almost a prison for my aunts who still live there, and who knows how long the ashram will allow us to keep it...</p> Tue, 12 May 2009 00:00:00 +0000 en-gb vishvish.com RSS generator 2.0 http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-497 Untitled Anonymous trunk of curios. Anything valuable has long been pilfered by my eldest and youngest uncles. Only one of them is left and with luck, he'll be dead soon and discover that you can't take it with you. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-498 Untitled All the downstairs windows have grills or bars. Fifty metres down that street and you're in the Indian Ocean. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-499 Untitled Facing North. All the windows are barred. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-504 Untitled It all fades a little more every year... Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-503 Untitled Upstairs, The Mother is always watching, reminding us to be good. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-502 Untitled Upstairs. No one stays here now, except my cousin and my father on their yearly visits. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-501 Untitled The ubiquitous ceiling fan - we'd fry without it. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-500 Untitled Facing North-West. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-509 Untitled The upstairs kitchen - protection against squirrels - they cause havoc if they get in. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-508 Untitled Upstairs again. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-507 Untitled The sink where I used to have frequent nosebleeds as a nine-year old. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-506 Untitled As I said, no one uses the upstairs kitchen anymore. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-505 Untitled Possibly from my grandparents' era - the table, that is. The little stereo is probably way older. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-514 Untitled Pretty much every appliance needs some form of voltage regulator between in and the mains. Even if it's not plugged in, apparently. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-513 Untitled The window hasn't been opened for some time, apparently. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-512 Untitled This is how drainage works. Very simply. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-511 Untitled The shower is still pretty good in the heat. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-510 Untitled The mother. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-515 Untitled There's still some pretty cool furniture around upstairs. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-480 Untitled My eldest aunt's chair. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-479 Untitled The front door was damaged during a break-in, but the ashram are useless at getting things fixed, hence the state of the house. My aunt is paying for it herself. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-478 Untitled Replacing the front door. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-485 Untitled One of the workmen replacing the front door. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-484 Untitled Ancient furniture from my grandparents' time. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-483 Untitled Through the main front door at 18 Rue François Martin Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-482 Untitled Steps from the dining room to the outside and upper floor. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-481 Untitled The Mother and Sri Aurobindo are everywhere. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-489 Untitled My father and my aunt, supervising the workmen replacing the door. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-488 Untitled Old bakelite switches have a certain charm, and a solid click. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-487 Untitled Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-486 Untitled My grandfather's samathi. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-495 Untitled Well into her eighties, my aunt Laxmi is the artist in the family - sculpture, painting, embroidery, origami - this is a sari she's working on. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-494 Untitled I don't know when quartz clocks became popular, but there's a faint chance this did come from Africa, since my grandfather was a major ivory and tobacco merchant... one of the biggest, apparently. There's some elephant tusks kicking around this house, I'm led to believe. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-493 Untitled Opposite the downstairs kitchen, the slab covered thing is a well - although I have never seen it uncovered, nor can I lift the concrete slab to investigate. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-492 Untitled Replacing the front door. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-491 Untitled Previously my eldest aunt's room. Vish Vishvanath http://www.vishvish.com/photo/untitled-496 Untitled The two remaining aunts in this house watch TV here. Vish Vishvanath