On November 28, 2016, all we had in mind was to have fun and fun only.

On our way to Pondicherry we visited Mahabalipuram where we admired the Panch Rathas, Krishna's Butter Ball, the 700 year old Vishnu Temple and the Shore Temple Beach.

In Pondicherry, the Samadhi was a place that had the power to tune us to the notes of ethereal silence.

We visited the Reception, The museum – Srismriti, the Ashram playground – a perfect example of wholesome education. The gymnasium, the bodybuilding centre and the acrobatics hall had our jaws glued to the ground.

With Gargi di and Kanta di, we sang, recited poems, and had snacks.

The theatre "Vasavadatta" put up by the Ashram students was mesmerising.

At the Bureau Central we watched a series of documentaries on Sri Aurobindo, his life, his principles and the Ashram.

We watched the Annual Sports Display awestruck, as people from the age of 6 to the age of 85 performed games, marches, and complex acrobatics - from trampolines to aerobics and sack races, they did it all.

The next few days were spent exploring the Pondicherry Museum, the library, buying floral headbands and candy floss, and frequenting the Corner House.

We also climbed 2576 stairs at the Gingee fort, on the outskirts of Pondicherry. The visits to the Ashram bakery, laundry and printing press were exciting.

We had a wonderful time at the majestic Cuddalore Silver beach.

On our last day in Pondicherry, we visited the dairy farm and Lake farm on our way to Gloria farm, where we sang to our hearts' content and had luchi-alur dom- chutney fueling our enthusiasm. We visited the Ashram photography section before we headed for lunch at the Dining Hall, and then, suddenly, we realized, that that was it.

As we boarded the train that was to bring us back to Kolkata, we carried, apart from our suitcases, memories that are to be cherished for a long time to come, friends for a lifetime, and some life centred learning.

– Yashodhara Gupta and Ahona Banerjee, Class 9.