Given a choice I will prefer a Beach to a Mountain. Though I wouldn’t want to choose, I would love to explore everything. Wilderness…Wildlife…Forests…Mountains..Oceans…Rivers…Seas..I love them all.

So when my sibling invited me to join them for a impromptu plan to visit Pondicherry (Puducherry) , the french capital of India, I couldn’t say no!!

Let me cut straight to the 4th day there. Adventure sports has always excited me, even if I don’t do it professionally, recreational adventure sports gives you both a taste of the adrenaline rush and an experience of a lifetime which you can never forget.

Some of those I have experienced are Paragliding(in the Himalayas), Parasailing (Goa-Arabian Sea), White Water Rafting (In Himalayas) ,Rapelling and Kayaking (Maharashtra&Kerala). One of the experiences that eluded me till date was Scuba Diving. Me and my kiddo both love water and water bodies. When google popped up “Scuba Diving” as a must do activity in Pondicherry, the temptation was immense.

After some research, I shortlisted “Temple Adventures” ( https://www.templeadventures.com/diving/ ) a PADI 5 star IDC Diving experience center as well offers certification and courses. Initially I had planned to do the diving course (in the hindsight, glad I didn’t). But finally decided to at least go for the one day diving experience. It starts early morning with a 2 hour scuba diving course at their center in middle of the town. We were made to wear the full scuba diving gear and take a dip into the huge tanks there to get our training before we actually dive into the ocean.

So there we were in this huge mini pool/tank wearing the complete gear, we were taught how to put on the BCD Jacket, Regulator, fins, eye mask, weights and the huge Air tank. We were also taught how to breathe , the various signs we need to use underwater to convey messages, contingencies etc. Initially I was skeptical whether I’ll manage to breathe with your mouth alone, but within a couple of minutes I was super comfortable. Me and kiddo both rocked the training and were great at the under water breathing, how to blow out water in case it enters our masks, how to control the regulator/BCD , emergency skills, life saving skills et al. The stage was set for the dive. Out we came and got in the mini bus which was to now take us to the ocean for our big dive !!

We both were visibly excited. We were a batch of 5 pairs, me and my son, three couples and one pair of male students , total 10 of us. We reached the jetty and got into a small motorboat. We thought that was it, we will now be taken a few meters into the water and there we will dive. How wrong was I and there in came the big shock.

We were told that we would be taken to the ocean for the dive, didn’t realize to the ocean meant 7-8 kms off coast of Pondicherry!! As shore disappeared slowly till it became invisible over the horizon, my heart started pounding. I knew the ocean was no joke. I knew that this deceptively calm looking ocean hid dangerous giant waves beneath. Previous two days having had fun and frolic on the beaches..Serenity Beach and Paradise beach..(the names of these beaches are a complete paradox to the reality), I knew how totally different Bay of Bengal coast was to Arabian sea coast. While they are the most gorgeous golden sand beaches with the most beautiful aquamarine crystal clear water….only until you try and step in the water. The pressure with which the giant waves hit you, you will lose balance and be pushed up the shore 2-3 meters, I had to hold myself to not get sucked in the water. After the initial shock and awe, we had a gala time getting pushed, pummeled and rolled over by these gorgeous waves. We had literally surrendered in its wake.

So knowing how strong the waves are and how huge and deep the ocean is off the coast of Pondicherry, my fear started growing as we ventured away from the coast deeper into the ocean. By the time we reached mid way, I had started praying. I visualized my entire family in front of my eyes , said all sorries and thank yous and remembered God. It was like a complete flashback of my life and all my loved ones in front of my eyes. I prayed and prayed that this should not end up being my last trip ever. I hugged and kissed my son (who was totally oblivious to the mini panic attack I was having and enjoying the bumpy ride, as the teeny weeny boat bobbed dangerously on the heavily pregnant looking ocean).

We reached the main boat after almost 30-40 mins since we left the coast. It was a morning session, hence we were empty stomach and hadn’t had water or anything to eat. We jumped on to the main boat, where the skipper welcomed us. Explained the what we were about to experience and also joked about the dangers. He asked how many among the 10 of us knew swimming. Only my son raised his hand among 9 adults, this pint sized 11 year old brat was the only one who knew swimming!! Then they demonstrated how to put the BCD, Air tank AND sit on the edge of the boat, with our back facing the oceans and do a back flip dive into the water !!!! My heart literally did a double take on seeing that.

My initial excitement had wearied off going through phases of sheepish grin(trying to hide my fear), fervent prayer (when we set sail for our dive) and into a full blown panic attack (When I saw the back flip dive demo). When skipper asked who wants to go first , guess what …that little brat of mine raised his hand and said he wants to dive first (where are all the emojis ). Before I could realize what happening, protest or even react , he was already wearing his gear and was ready to dive!! Looking at his enthusiasm and brave attitude the skipper himself decided to accompany my son for his dive.

My throat went dry, with the fear that I wont see him again (like a fool ..I was the one who was scared), I reluctantly forcibly had to volunteer to go second, so that I could be near him. I gave him an air kiss and wished him luck and asked him to be careful. He was wearing a gear that weighed more than his weight and off he went into the water with a superb back flip dive. In that panic didn’t realize I should have had a sip of water to wet my dry throat. I barely mumbled to the instructor that I wanted to wait as my legs had now started shaking and I was on the brink of passing out with panic. He said that the more you wait the more nervous you will feel, the water will calm you. He said that and pushed me!! Those few seconds/micro seconds felt like an eternity by the time I flipped over, tumbled and dived in, kicking and silently screaming , hands and legs flailing to catch hold of the rope, gasping to put my head above water. Phew. I was done or so I thought.

As I got hold of myself after what I felt was an eternity and started bobbing on the surface, I signaled to my instructor that I’ll stay there and not go deeper inside. He was very patient and asked me take my time , but requested me to at least put my head below the water once. He said that the water will soothe my nerves. After a couple of mins I gathered courage and took that leap of faith and went under water. That was when I saw the most beautiful blue I had ever seen in my life. It was beyond heavenly. There were fishes all around me, in different colors, shapes and sizes. Some big and some small. Some glowed in bright neon shades and some in most brightest and deepest colors I had ever see. It was coolest and deepest and most brilliant blue all around me, till where my eyes could reach. It was the balm I really needed to calm my nerves. Isn’t it so true that the moment you let go, accept and relax , that’s when you really conquer your fears.

There was I about 2-3 meters below the surface right in the middle of the ocean , feeling absolutely peaceful and an inexplicable calm that I can’t describe in words. I could see my brave brat going deeper below near the reef. I stayed put. I just wanted to soak in the beauty , hanging on to my dear life ..err rope that connected the boat to the buoy. Could just about the see the reef below. It was as if the my entire being had come to a standstill in those waters. Such was the wonderful effect it had on me. Those moments underwater will remain one of my most memorable moments of my life.

Just as I thought I can try and go deeper below, my throat started painfully pricking and paining with each breath I took from my mouth. The dry throat, earlier due to a panic attack, now came back to haunt me threatening to cut my dive short. No matter how much I tried it just got more and more painful with each breath. By this time my kiddo had dived down to about 10 meters or so and was signalling something to his instructor. Soon enough they started coming upwards. Apparently his ears started paining as he wasn’t able to equalize below 10 meters and had to come up (On your first dive you can go upto 12 meters). I stayed underwater for another few minutes and once my son reached the surface we both climbed back into the boats after a one last glimpse to the underwater world below.

I am not disappointed that I couldn’t dive deeper, I was happy and considered myself fortunate to have experienced at-least this much. I had had a glimpse of natures bountiful beauty below the surface of the ocean. It was beyond imagination and deeply soul satisfying. Something you can’t explain or do justice by describing in words. It needs to be felt. Its needs to be experienced. My sonny boy later described his dive as pure magic. He had hundreds and hundreds of fishes swimming beside and all around him. A few of them even collided with his body and his face and eye mask as well. He was so excited and jumping with joy. He taught me an important lesson that day, to embrace life as it comes and with all its innocence and humility, just surrendering oneself to immerse in it. I am so grateful I dived alongside my brave kiddo , am sure a proud mom beaming with pride!!!

On our way back to the shore I was so overwhelmed with captivating beauty of the underwater world. I had once read somewhere that from birth a man carries the weight of gravity on his shoulders as if bolted to the earth. It is only when we sink beneath the surface that we are truly free. I tasted that freedom, I breathed underwater, I saw the magical underwater world and I lived to see another day !!