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Auroville

January 31, 2023

Auroville (/ˈɔːrəvɪl/; City of Dawn) is an experimental township in Viluppuram district, mostly in the state of Tamil Nadu, India, with some parts in the Union Territory of Pondicherry in India.[3] It was founded in 1968 by Mirra Alfassa (known as "the Mother") and designed by architect Roger Anger.[4][5][6]

Auroville
Town
Town hall of Auroville
Seal
Nickname: 
City of Dawn
Auroville
Coordinates: 12°0′25″N 79°48′38″E / 12.00694°N 79.81056°E / 12.00694; 79.81056Coordinates: 12°0′25″N 79°48′38″E / 12.00694°N 79.81056°E / 12.00694; 79.81056
CountryIndia
StateTamil Nadu and Puducherry
DistrictViluppuram
Founded byMirra Alfassa
Named forSri Aurobindo
Government
 • TypeSelf-governance in collaboration with Central Govt.
 • BodyResident's assembly
Population
 (2018)
 • Total2,814
Demonym(s)Aurovilian,[1] Aurovillian[2]
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
Telephone code0413
Vehicle registrationTN-16, PY-01
Websitewww.auroville.org

Etymology

Auroville has its origins in the French language, "Aurore" meaning dawn and "Ville" meaning village/city. Additionally, it is named after Sri Aurobindo (1872–1950).[7]

History

 
2018 stamp sheet of India dedicated to the 50th anniversary of Auroville

At its Annual Conference in 1964 and with Mirra Alfassa as its Executive President, the Sri Aurobindo Society in Pondicherry passed a resolution for the establishment of a city dedicated to the vision of Sri Aurobindo. Alfassa was the spiritual collaborator of Sri Aurobindo, who believed that "man is a transitional being". Alfassa expected that this experimental "universal township" would contribute significantly to the "progress of humanity towards its splendid future by bringing together people of goodwill and aspiration for a better world". Alfassa also believed that such a universal township will contribute decisively to the Indian renaissance.[8]

Alfassa's first public message in 1965 stated:

Auroville wants to be a universal town where men and women of all countries are able to live in peace and progressive harmony, above all creeds, all politics and all nationalities. The purpose of Auroville is to realize human unity.

— Mirra Alfassa[7]

Site

A site, approximately 20 square kilometres of barren wasteland, some 10 km north of Pondicherry and 5 km from the coast, was chosen for the city.[7]

Inauguration

The inauguration ceremony attended by delegates of 124 nations was held on Wednesday 28 February 1968. Handwritten in French by Mirra Alfassa (the Mother), its four-point charter set forth her vision of integral living:[9]

  1. Auroville belongs to nobody in particular. Auroville belongs to humanity as a whole. But to live in Auroville, one must be the willing servitor of the Divine Consciousness.
  2. Auroville will be the place of an unending education, of constant progress, and a youth that never ages.
  3. Auroville wants to be the bridge between the past and the future. Taking advantage of all discoveries from without and from within, Auroville will boldly spring towards future realizations.
  4. Auroville will be a site of material and spiritual researches for a living embodiment of an actual human unity.

The Matrimandir

 
The Matrimandir, a golden metallic sphere in the center of town

In the middle of the town is the Matrimandir, which was conceived by Alfassa as "a symbol of the Divine's answer to man's aspiration for perfection". Silence is maintained inside the Matrimandir to ensure the tranquility of the space, and the entire area surrounding the Matrimandir is called the Peace area. Inside the Matrimandir, a spiraling ramp leads upwards to an air-conditioned chamber of polished white marble referred to as "a place to find one's consciousness".

Matrimandir is equipped with a solar power plant and is surrounded by manicured gardens. When there is no sun or after the sunset, the sunray on the globe is replaced by a beam from a solar-powered light.

Radiating from this center are four "zones" of the City Area: the "Residential Zone", "Industrial Zone", "Cultural (& Educational) Zone" and "International Zone". Around the city or the urban area, lies a Green Belt which is an environmental research and resource area and includes farms and forestries, a botanical garden, seed bank, medicinal and herbal plants, water catchment bunds, and some communities.

Legal status and government

Prior to 1980, the Sri Aurobindo Society legally owned all of the city's assets. In 1980, the Government of India passed the Auroville Emergency Provision Act 1980, under which it took over the city's management. The change was initiated when, after Mirra Alfassa's death in 1973, serious fissures in the day-to-day management developed between the Society and the city's residents. The residents appealed to Indira Gandhi, then Prime Minister of India for an intervention. The Society challenged the Government's action in the Supreme Court of India. The final verdict upheld the constitutional validity of the government's action and intervention.

In 1988, after the verdict, a need was felt to make a lasting arrangement for the long term management of Auroville. The city's representatives along with Sh. Kireet Joshi, then Educational Advisor to the Union government, met for consultations with the then Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi. Later that year, the Auroville Foundation Act 1988, was passed by the Indian Parliament. The Act stipulated the vesting of all movable and immovable assets of the city in a foundation, known as Auroville Foundation[10] and the creation of a three-tier governing system: the Governing Board; the Residents' Assembly and the Auroville International Advisory Council.[11] The Governing Board selected by the Government of India consists of seven prominent Indians in the fields of education, culture, environment and social service in the areas of Auroville's ideals. The International Advisory Council comprises five members also selected by the Government, chosen from people who have rendered valuable service to humanity in the areas of Auroville's ideals. The Resident's Assembly consists of all official residents of the city. All three governing bodies are meant to work in harmony and collaborate to accomplish the ideals of Auroville as mentioned in the charter, as per processes defined in the Auroville Foundation Act

The Auroville Foundation, headed by a chairman, is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Human Resource Development.[12][13] The HRD ministry appoints the seven members of the Governing Board and the five members of the International Advisory Council. There is also a Secretary to the Foundation, appointed by the Government of India, who resides and has an office with supporting staff in Auroville.[14] The Foundation currently owns about half of the total land required for the township. The remaining lands are being purchased whenever funds are available.

Chairmen

  • Karan Singh – former Union Minister, 1991
  • Dr. M. S. Swaminathan – renowned agricultural scientist
  • Dr. Kireet Joshi – former Special Educational Advisor to the Government of India

Society and population

 
General evolution of Aurovilian population[15]

The township was originally intended to house 50,000 residents.[3] In the initial 20 years, only about 400 individuals from 20 countries resided in the township. In the next 20 years, this number rose to 2,000 individuals from 40 countries. As of January 2018,[16] it has 2,814 residents (2,127 adults and 687 children) from 54 countries with two-thirds from India, France and Germany.[17] The community is divided up into neighborhoods with Tamil, English, French and Sanskrit names like Aspiration, Arati, La Ferme, Auromodel and Isaiambalam.[18]

 
Courtyard of the Tibetan Centre, Auroville
 
Dalai Lama's seat, Tibetan Centre, Auroville

Demographics

The population break-down:

Surrounding villages

Auroville works closely together with the surrounding villages, where mainly Tamil people reside, via the Auroville Village Action Trust under which many different projects including the villages fall. The biggest one under the trust is the Auroville Village Action Group (AVAG), which has programs for women's empowerment, education, and financial support, and also sells its own products in the name of AVAL, Surya and Kudumbam as social enterprise work.[20] Other activities falling under the trust are the Life Education Centre, Auroville Industrial School, Mohanam cultural centre, Auroville Health Services, Deepam school for handicapped children, Thamarai community centre, Martuvam Healing forest, and the Reach for the Stars! program enabling higher education for village youth.[21] Concerns exist because of violence allegedly caused by criminal elements entering from the surrounding villages.[22]

Economy

Instead of paper and coin currency, residents are given account numbers to connect to their central account. Visitors are requested to get a temporary account and an Aurocard, a special debit card for its citizens.[citation needed]

Residents of Auroville are expected to make a monthly contribution to the community. They are asked to help the community whenever possible by work, money, or kind. The "guest contribution", or a daily fee paid by the guests of Auroville, constitutes a part of Auroville's budget. There is a system of "maintenance", whereby those Aurovilians in need can receive from the community monthly maintenance which covers simple basic needs of life. Auroville's economy and its overall life are of an evolving nature and there are ongoing experiments to reach closer to the vision.[23]

The Government of India only finances a small amount of Auroville's budget, which is mainly formed by contributions from Auroville's commercial units which contribute 33% of their profits to Auroville's Central Fund and by donations, largely foreign, from Auroville's multiple international bases set up all over the world. There are guest houses, building construction units, information technology, small and medium scale businesses, producing and re-selling items such as handmade paper for stationery items, organic food, as well as producing its well-known incense sticks, which can be bought in Auroville's own shop in Puducherry. They are also sold online in India and abroad. Each of these units contributes a considerable part of their profits to the township. Over 5,000 people, mostly from the nearby localities, are employed in various sections and units of Auroville.

Other activities include afforestation, organic agriculture, basic educational research, health care, village development, appropriate technology, town planning, water table management, cultural activities, and community services.

Location

 
Auroville Main Road
 
Auro Beach

Auroville is composed of a cluster of properties some 12 km (7.5 mi) north of Pondicherry. It can be easily reached via the East Coast Road (ECR) which connects Chennai and Pondicherry. The visitor center and Matrimandir can be reached by traveling 6 km (3.7 mi) westwards from the signposted turnoff at the ECR Bommayapalayam. Turning east leads directly to Auroville's private beach called Repos, several hundred meters away.

Climate

It is included in the sub-humid tropics (wet-and-dry tropical climate) situated on a plateau region with its maximum elevation of 32 m (105 ft) above sea level located in the Matrimandir area. The annual rainfall average is 1,200 mm (47 in) mainly from the SW monsoon (June to Sept.) and NE monsoon (Nov to Dec) with a dry period of approx 6 months. The average maximum temperature is 32.2 °C (90.0 °F), average minimum 20 °C (68 °F).

Communications and media

The Auroville website provides open as well as restricted forums for various projects, interests, organizations, and outreach which make up the life of the community.[24] The opinions expressed in these publications are not necessarily those of the community at large. The Auroville radio website provides recordings and daily news covering local events. Auroville also has an internal 'OutreachMedia' team to regulate visits of journalists and film/video makers, which has served the community for many decades. Their aim is to ensure that all journalists and filmmakers get official, up-to-date information and representative footage from reliable sources. Owing to recent and ongoing developments within the community, this team's legitimacy and sovereignty is currently under question.

BBC child abuse investigation

In May 2008, the BBC produced a 10-minute Newsnight film about Auroville, which was aired on BBC Two.[25] A short version was aired on Radio 4's "From Our Own Correspondent". It also appeared on BBC Online.[26] The reports contrasted the idealism of its founders with allegations by some people that the community tolerates pedophiles, especially in a school that Auroville has established for local village children.

Auroville filed an official complaint to the BBC that the report was biased, untrue and contravened BBC editorial ethical guidelines. After investigations, Ofcom did not uphold the complaint.[27]

Controversial development plans

On December 4th, 2021, local police, joined by a group of outsiders, began demolishing the Auroville Youth Centre – uprooting the surrounding trees with the help of earthmovers.[28] Despite the protests by the residents, on December 5, more than 900 trees were bulldozed across 67 acres in Auroville. An internal petition signed by more than 500 Auroville residents requested postponement of the development work on the Crown Road ‘Right of Way’, until the Auroville community would arrive at a collective agreement on a practical way forward. [29] An application filed by some residents of Auroville against the ongoing illegal clearing of forests by the Auroville Foundation led the Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) of India to order an interim stay on felling of trees on the 17th of December, 2021.[30] This ban against tree felling inside Auroville was extended by the NGT until the next court hearing on January 3. The verdict was announced on April 28th, 2022, which directed the Auroville Foundation Office to prepare a proper township plan and apply for Environmental Clearance (EC) under Item 8 (b) of the EIA Notification, 2006. Till then they were directed not to proceed with further construction in the project area with the exception ofets the completion of the crown road given a Joint Committee comprising officials in forest, wildlife, and state departments inspect the area in question and the Auroville Foundation Office undertake the crown road work in the remaining stretches where there are no trees.

50th anniversary

By occasion of the 50th anniversary of Auroville on 28 February 2018 the Indian President Ram Nath Kovind sent a message to the community in which he called Sri Aurobindo "one of modern India's greatest sages". He also wrote that Auroville "represents humanity's aspiration for peace and goodwill" and that it is "a unique symbol of human unity".[31][non-primary source needed]

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Sri Aurobindo Ashram and Auroville on 25 February 2018. After a meditation in the Matrimandir and participation in some functions he gave a speech in the Sri Aurobindo Auditorium.[32] He referred to the Auroville Charter and the basic principles of life in the community. Then he said, "Indian society is fundamentally diverse. It has fostered dialogue and a philosophic tradition. Auroville showcases this ancient Indian tradition to the world by bringing together global diversity." At the end of his speech, he expressed his wish that Auroville may continue developing and supporting new and creative ideas for India and the whole world.[33]

Auroville In Popular Culture

At present, any filming within and about Auroville requires land permission from the Government of India.[34][35] Many filmmakers visit Auroville, and a wide range of films are available. These include

  • Ever Slow Green - Re-afforestation in Auroville, South India, full length, 56 minutes, 2020[36][37]
  • City of the Dawn, full length, 80 minutes, 2010[38]
  • Auroville, the outline of a world, full length, 25 minutes, 2009[39]
  • Auroville – A Dream of the Divine (part 1 and 2), full length, 20 minutes in two parts, 2003[40][41]
  • Spiritual journey... Auroville (Духовное путешествие... Ауровиль), six 25-minute videos on Auroville by Russian filmmakers, 2013[42]
  • The India Trip full length, 49 minutes, from the National Film Board of Canada, 1971[43]
  • Auroville topics can also be heard on Auroville Radio,[44] and the films about Auroville screened at the biennial Auroville Film Festival.[45]

Gallery

  •  

    A close view of Auroville Matri Mandir in Puducherry

  •  

    Savitri Bhawan

  •  

    Vérité Learning Centre

  •  

    Bharat Niwas

See also

References

  1. ^ "To be a True Aurovilian: Mother Explains How to Live in the World and - for the Divine - at the Same Time". auroville.org. 19 January 2019. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  2. ^ "Solitude Farm Cafe". auroville.org. 5 November 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  3. ^ a b Auroville in brief Official website. Updated 30 March 2016. Retrieved 28 May 2016
  4. ^ . Boloji.com. Archived from the original on 14 January 2010. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  5. ^ . Architectureweek.com. 16 November 2005. Archived from the original on 7 December 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  6. ^ "Mirra Alfassa as other name". Auroville.info. Archived from the original on 25 May 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  7. ^ a b c Auroville, the Fulfillment of a Dream by Lotfallah Soliman. UNESCO Courier. January 1993 Retrieved 28 May 2016. 29 June 2016 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ Mother's Agenda, Vol. 9, dt.3.02.68
  9. ^ The Auroville Charter Updated 25 October 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  10. ^ Auroville Foundation Act 1988 30 June 2016 at the Wayback Machine Teacher Education, Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  11. ^ The Auroville Foundation Act – 10 Establishment and incorporation of the Foundation 30 June 2016 at the Wayback Machine Teacher Education, Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  12. ^ . Education.nic.in. Archived from the original on 12 February 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  13. ^ . Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  14. ^ The Auroville Handbook 2013 page 14.
  15. ^ . www.auroville.org. Auroville. Archived from the original on 25 December 2014. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  16. ^ Auroville Résidents Service. "Breakdown by nationality – Total 2953" (PDF). www.auroville-france.org. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
  17. ^ Census – Auroville population May 2016 Official website for Auroville Retrieved 28 May 2016
  18. ^ . Archived from the original on 5 June 2008.
  19. ^ "Census December 2021 - Auroville population | Auroville". auroville.org. Retrieved 18 March 2022.
  20. ^ "Auroville Village Action Group (AVAG)". Auroville.
  21. ^ "Auroville Village Action Trust". Auroville.
  22. ^ Trouble in Utopia
  23. ^ . Business.in.com. Archived from the original on 11 September 2009. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
  24. ^ Auroville Journals & newsletters 30 August 2006 at the Wayback Machine
  25. ^ BBC Two (22 May 2008). Indian town's sex abuse claims. Retrieved on: 21 June 2008.
  26. ^ BBC News (24 May 2008). Local concerns over Indian utopia. Retrieved on: 21 June 2008.
  27. ^ Ofcom Broadcast Bulletin 157 – to be published 10 May 2010, revision 1 _clean_.doc. stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk.
  28. ^ "Auroville: the legacy of the 1960's largest utopian city". 14 January 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  29. ^ "Auroville tree felling: NGT stay order extended till January 3". The Week. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  30. ^ "NGT orders interim stay on felling of Auroville trees". The Hindu. Special Correspondent. 11 December 2021. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 17 January 2022.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  31. ^ New Delhi, January 23, 2018. Outreachmedia.auroville.org. Retrieved on 25 December 2018.
  32. ^ AVI News 2/2018, Auroville International Deutschland e.V., Berlin, pp. 6–9.
  33. ^ Mother India, Pondicherry, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, June 2018, pp. 57–58. For the quotation, see p. 57
  34. ^ News & Notes 10 March 2012 [438]
  35. ^ . auroville.org. Archived from the original on 30 November 2013.
  36. ^ "Ever Slow Green - brainfever media productions". brainfever.in.
  37. ^ "Ever Slow Green - IMDb". imdb.com. 22 April 2021.
  38. ^ "City of the Dawn – Watch Documentaries Online – Promote Documentary Film". cultureunplugged.com.
  39. ^ Auroville, the outline of a world (India, Documentary). Vimeo.
  40. ^ AUROVILLE – A Dream of the Divine (part 1of2). YouTube. 24 July 2009. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021.
  41. ^ AUROVILLE – A Dream of the Divine (part 2of2). YouTube. 24 July 2009. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021.
  42. ^ Jenya & Anya Vashuk's Videos. vimeo.com.
  43. ^ Bill Davies (1971). "The India Trip" (Documentary). National Film Board of Canada. Retrieved 22 March 2015. (49 min 30 s)
  44. ^ "News from Auroville". Auroville Radio. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
  45. ^ . aurovillefilmfestival.org. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2013.

Bibliography

English
  • Abundance Publications. The Auroville Handbook.Pondicherry: All-India Press, 2007.
  • Auroville  –  Development Perspectives 1993–1998  –  An Invitation To Participate, Typoscript, Autoren/Hrsg. Auroville Development Group, Bharat–Nivas, Auroville 1993, no ISBN
  • K. M. Agarwala (Hrsg.): Auroville – The City Of Dawn, Sri Aurobindo Center New Delhi 1996, no ISBN
  • Auroville References in Mother's Agenda, Auroville Press, Auroville, no Y., no ISBN
  • Jerome Clayton Glenn: Linking the Future: Findhorn, Auroville Arcosanti, published by Hexiad Project/ Center on Technology and Society, Cambridge, Massachusetts 1979, no ISBN
  • Anupama Kundoo: Roger Anger, Research on Beauty, Architecture 1953–2008, JOVIS Verlag Berlin 2009, ISBN 978-3-86859-006-7
  • Peter Richards: Experience!Auroville  –  Guide Book for Guests and Visitors, Pondicherry 2000, no ISBN
  • Savitra: Auroville: Sun-Word Rising  –  A Trust For The Earth, published by The Community of Auroville, Auroville 1980, no ISBN
  • The Auroville Adventure  –  Selections from ten years of Auroville Today, published by Auroville Today, Auroville 1998, no ISBN
  • The Auroville Experience  –  Selections from 202 issues of Auroville Today, November 1988 to November 2005, published by Auroville Today, Auroville 2006, no ISBN
  • Jessica Namakkal, European Dreams, Tamil Land: Auroville and the Paradox of a Postcolonial Utopia, in Journal for the Study of Radicalism, Volume 6, Number 1, Spring 2012, pp. 59–88 (Published by Michigan State University Press)
  • Xavier Pavie« Encouraging Young People to Develop Social Entrepreneurship in a Community the Case of Auroville ». Case center, reference n°320-0123-1. ESSEC Business School 2020.
  • Xavier Pavie« Auroville, from utopia to responsible innovation: from the emergence of a utopian community to the development of entrepreneurial initiatives ». Case center, reference n°819-0026-1. ESSEC Business School 2019.
German
  • Mira Alfassa: Die Mutter über Auroville, Auropublikations (Hrsg.), Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust, Pondicherry 1978, no ISBN
  • Renate Börger: Auroville  –  Eine Vision blüht, Verlag Connection Medien, Niedertaufkirchen 2004, 3. veränderte Aufl., ISBN 3-928248-01-4
  • Alan G. (Hrsg.): Auroville  –  Ein Traum nimmt Gestalt an, o.O. (vermutlich Auroville/ Pondicherry) 1996, 1. dt. Aufl., no ISBN
  • Michael Klostermann: Auroville  –  Stadt des Zukunftsmenschen; Fischer Taschenbuch Verlag, Frankfurt/M., Februar 1976; ISBN 3-436-02254-3

External links

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Auroville.
  • Official website
  • Radio with daily updates from Auroville
  • Ashley Walters (11 June 2014). "Auroville: The Road to Utopia". Ideas (Podcast). CBC Radio. Retrieved 28 December 2022. (54 min)
  • Auroville - Secret World

January 31, 2023
auroville, this, article, contains, content, that, written, like, advertisement, please, help, improve, removing, promotional, content, inappropriate, external, links, adding, encyclopedic, content, written, from, neutral, point, view, october, 2019, learn, wh. This article contains content that is written like an advertisement Please help improve it by removing promotional content and inappropriate external links and by adding encyclopedic content written from a neutral point of view October 2019 Learn how and when to remove this template message Auroville ˈ ɔːr e v ɪ l City of Dawn is an experimental township in Viluppuram district mostly in the state of Tamil Nadu India with some parts in the Union Territory of Pondicherry in India 3 It was founded in 1968 by Mirra Alfassa known as the Mother and designed by architect Roger Anger 4 5 6 AurovilleTownTown hall of AurovilleSealNickname City of DawnAurovilleCoordinates 12 0 25 N 79 48 38 E 12 00694 N 79 81056 E 12 00694 79 81056 Coordinates 12 0 25 N 79 48 38 E 12 00694 N 79 81056 E 12 00694 79 81056CountryIndiaStateTamil Nadu and PuducherryDistrictViluppuramFounded byMirra AlfassaNamed forSri AurobindoGovernment TypeSelf governance in collaboration with Central Govt BodyResident s assemblyPopulation 2018 Total2 814Demonym s Aurovilian 1 Aurovillian 2 Time zoneUTC 5 30 IST Telephone code0413Vehicle registrationTN 16 PY 01Websitewww auroville org Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 2 1 Site 2 2 Inauguration 3 The Matrimandir 4 Legal status and government 4 1 Chairmen 5 Society and population 5 1 Demographics 5 2 Surrounding villages 6 Economy 7 Location 8 Climate 9 Communications and media 10 BBC child abuse investigation 11 Controversial development plans 12 50th anniversary 13 Auroville In Popular Culture 14 Gallery 15 See also 16 References 17 Bibliography 18 External linksEtymology EditAuroville has its origins in the French language Aurore meaning dawn and Ville meaning village city Additionally it is named after Sri Aurobindo 1872 1950 7 History Edit 2018 stamp sheet of India dedicated to the 50th anniversary of Auroville At its Annual Conference in 1964 and with Mirra Alfassa as its Executive President the Sri Aurobindo Society in Pondicherry passed a resolution for the establishment of a city dedicated to the vision of Sri Aurobindo Alfassa was the spiritual collaborator of Sri Aurobindo who believed that man is a transitional being Alfassa expected that this experimental universal township would contribute significantly to the progress of humanity towards its splendid future by bringing together people of goodwill and aspiration for a better world Alfassa also believed that such a universal township will contribute decisively to the Indian renaissance 8 Alfassa s first public message in 1965 stated Auroville wants to be a universal town where men and women of all countries are able to live in peace and progressive harmony above all creeds all politics and all nationalities The purpose of Auroville is to realize human unity Mirra Alfassa 7 Site Edit A site approximately 20 square kilometres of barren wasteland some 10 km north of Pondicherry and 5 km from the coast was chosen for the city 7 Inauguration Edit The inauguration ceremony attended by delegates of 124 nations was held on Wednesday 28 February 1968 Handwritten in French by Mirra Alfassa the Mother its four point charter set forth her vision of integral living 9 Auroville belongs to nobody in particular Auroville belongs to humanity as a whole But to live in Auroville one must be the willing servitor of the Divine Consciousness Auroville will be the place of an unending education of constant progress and a youth that never ages Auroville wants to be the bridge between the past and the future Taking advantage of all discoveries from without and from within Auroville will boldly spring towards future realizations Auroville will be a site of material and spiritual researches for a living embodiment of an actual human unity The Matrimandir Edit The Matrimandir a golden metallic sphere in the center of town In the middle of the town is the Matrimandir which was conceived by Alfassa as a symbol of the Divine s answer to man s aspiration for perfection Silence is maintained inside the Matrimandir to ensure the tranquility of the space and the entire area surrounding the Matrimandir is called the Peace area Inside the Matrimandir a spiraling ramp leads upwards to an air conditioned chamber of polished white marble referred to as a place to find one s consciousness Matrimandir is equipped with a solar power plant and is surrounded by manicured gardens When there is no sun or after the sunset the sunray on the globe is replaced by a beam from a solar powered light Radiating from this center are four zones of the City Area the Residential Zone Industrial Zone Cultural amp Educational Zone and International Zone Around the city or the urban area lies a Green Belt which is an environmental research and resource area and includes farms and forestries a botanical garden seed bank medicinal and herbal plants water catchment bunds and some communities Legal status and government EditPrior to 1980 the Sri Aurobindo Society legally owned all of the city s assets In 1980 the Government of India passed the Auroville Emergency Provision Act 1980 under which it took over the city s management The change was initiated when after Mirra Alfassa s death in 1973 serious fissures in the day to day management developed between the Society and the city s residents The residents appealed to Indira Gandhi then Prime Minister of India for an intervention The Society challenged the Government s action in the Supreme Court of India The final verdict upheld the constitutional validity of the government s action and intervention In 1988 after the verdict a need was felt to make a lasting arrangement for the long term management of Auroville The city s representatives along with Sh Kireet Joshi then Educational Advisor to the Union government met for consultations with the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi Later that year the Auroville Foundation Act 1988 was passed by the Indian Parliament The Act stipulated the vesting of all movable and immovable assets of the city in a foundation known as Auroville Foundation 10 and the creation of a three tier governing system the Governing Board the Residents Assembly and the Auroville International Advisory Council 11 The Governing Board selected by the Government of India consists of seven prominent Indians in the fields of education culture environment and social service in the areas of Auroville s ideals The International Advisory Council comprises five members also selected by the Government chosen from people who have rendered valuable service to humanity in the areas of Auroville s ideals The Resident s Assembly consists of all official residents of the city All three governing bodies are meant to work in harmony and collaborate to accomplish the ideals of Auroville as mentioned in the charter as per processes defined in the Auroville Foundation ActThe Auroville Foundation headed by a chairman is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Human Resource Development 12 13 The HRD ministry appoints the seven members of the Governing Board and the five members of the International Advisory Council There is also a Secretary to the Foundation appointed by the Government of India who resides and has an office with supporting staff in Auroville 14 The Foundation currently owns about half of the total land required for the township The remaining lands are being purchased whenever funds are available Chairmen Edit Karan Singh former Union Minister 1991 Dr M S Swaminathan renowned agricultural scientist Dr Kireet Joshi former Special Educational Advisor to the Government of IndiaSociety and population Edit General evolution of Aurovilian population 15 The township was originally intended to house 50 000 residents 3 In the initial 20 years only about 400 individuals from 20 countries resided in the township In the next 20 years this number rose to 2 000 individuals from 40 countries As of January 2018 update 16 it has 2 814 residents 2 127 adults and 687 children from 54 countries with two thirds from India France and Germany 17 The community is divided up into neighborhoods with Tamil English French and Sanskrit names like Aspiration Arati La Ferme Auromodel and Isaiambalam 18 Courtyard of the Tibetan Centre Auroville Dalai Lama s seat Tibetan Centre Auroville Demographics Edit The population break down Nationality Dec 2021 19 Indian 1513French 462German 260Italian 177Dutch 106American 117Russian 82Spanish 65British 67Swiss 41Israeli 50Belgian 43South Korean 52Swedish 24Canadian 26Ukrainian 22Australian 19Austrian 12Japanese 13South African 13Chinese excluding Tibetan 16Argentinian 9Hungarian 8Slovenian 6Mexican 6Nepalese 6Brazilian 12Latvian 4Belarusian 4Tibetan 3Ethiopian 3Sri Lankan 3Bulgarian 2Moldovan 1Icelandic 1Colombian 5Rwandan 2Irish 2Czech 1Filipino 2Danish 5Taiwanese 2Ecuadorian 1Egyptian 1Algerian 1Finnish 2Iranian 9Kazakh 4Lithuanian 2Chilean 2Macedonian 4Norwegian 2Portuguese 2Croatian 1Indonesian 1Luxembourger 1Polish 1Sudanese 1Romanian 1Surrounding villages Edit Auroville works closely together with the surrounding villages where mainly Tamil people reside via the Auroville Village Action Trust under which many different projects including the villages fall The biggest one under the trust is the Auroville Village Action Group AVAG which has programs for women s empowerment education and financial support and also sells its own products in the name of AVAL Surya and Kudumbam as social enterprise work 20 Other activities falling under the trust are the Life Education Centre Auroville Industrial School Mohanam cultural centre Auroville Health Services Deepam school for handicapped children Thamarai community centre Martuvam Healing forest and the Reach for the Stars program enabling higher education for village youth 21 Concerns exist because of violence allegedly caused by criminal elements entering from the surrounding villages 22 Economy EditInstead of paper and coin currency residents are given account numbers to connect to their central account Visitors are requested to get a temporary account and an Aurocard a special debit card for its citizens citation needed Residents of Auroville are expected to make a monthly contribution to the community They are asked to help the community whenever possible by work money or kind The guest contribution or a daily fee paid by the guests of Auroville constitutes a part of Auroville s budget There is a system of maintenance whereby those Aurovilians in need can receive from the community monthly maintenance which covers simple basic needs of life Auroville s economy and its overall life are of an evolving nature and there are ongoing experiments to reach closer to the vision 23 The Government of India only finances a small amount of Auroville s budget which is mainly formed by contributions from Auroville s commercial units which contribute 33 of their profits to Auroville s Central Fund and by donations largely foreign from Auroville s multiple international bases set up all over the world There are guest houses building construction units information technology small and medium scale businesses producing and re selling items such as handmade paper for stationery items organic food as well as producing its well known incense sticks which can be bought in Auroville s own shop in Puducherry They are also sold online in India and abroad Each of these units contributes a considerable part of their profits to the township Over 5 000 people mostly from the nearby localities are employed in various sections and units of Auroville Other activities include afforestation organic agriculture basic educational research health care village development appropriate technology town planning water table management cultural activities and community services Location Edit Auroville Main Road Auro Beach Auroville is composed of a cluster of properties some 12 km 7 5 mi north of Pondicherry It can be easily reached via the East Coast Road ECR which connects Chennai and Pondicherry The visitor center and Matrimandir can be reached by traveling 6 km 3 7 mi westwards from the signposted turnoff at the ECR Bommayapalayam Turning east leads directly to Auroville s private beach called Repos several hundred meters away Climate EditIt is included in the sub humid tropics wet and dry tropical climate situated on a plateau region with its maximum elevation of 32 m 105 ft above sea level located in the Matrimandir area The annual rainfall average is 1 200 mm 47 in mainly from the SW monsoon June to Sept and NE monsoon Nov to Dec with a dry period of approx 6 months The average maximum temperature is 32 2 C 90 0 F average minimum 20 C 68 F Communications and media EditThe Auroville website provides open as well as restricted forums for various projects interests organizations and outreach which make up the life of the community 24 The opinions expressed in these publications are not necessarily those of the community at large The Auroville radio website provides recordings and daily news covering local events Auroville also has an internal OutreachMedia team to regulate visits of journalists and film video makers which has served the community for many decades Their aim is to ensure that all journalists and filmmakers get official up to date information and representative footage from reliable sources Owing to recent and ongoing developments within the community this team s legitimacy and sovereignty is currently under question BBC child abuse investigation EditIn May 2008 the BBC produced a 10 minute Newsnight film about Auroville which was aired on BBC Two 25 A short version was aired on Radio 4 s From Our Own Correspondent It also appeared on BBC Online 26 The reports contrasted the idealism of its founders with allegations by some people that the community tolerates pedophiles especially in a school that Auroville has established for local village children Auroville filed an official complaint to the BBC that the report was biased untrue and contravened BBC editorial ethical guidelines After investigations Ofcom did not uphold the complaint 27 Controversial development plans EditOn December 4th 2021 local police joined by a group of outsiders began demolishing the Auroville Youth Centre uprooting the surrounding trees with the help of earthmovers 28 Despite the protests by the residents on December 5 more than 900 trees were bulldozed across 67 acres in Auroville An internal petition signed by more than 500 Auroville residents requested postponement of the development work on the Crown Road Right of Way until the Auroville community would arrive at a collective agreement on a practical way forward 29 An application filed by some residents of Auroville against the ongoing illegal clearing of forests by the Auroville Foundation led the Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal NGT of India to order an interim stay on felling of trees on the 17th of December 2021 30 This ban against tree felling inside Auroville was extended by the NGT until the next court hearing on January 3 The verdict was announced on April 28th 2022 which directed the Auroville Foundation Office to prepare a proper township plan and apply for Environmental Clearance EC under Item 8 b of the EIA Notification 2006 Till then they were directed not to proceed with further construction in the project area with the exception ofets the completion of the crown road given a Joint Committee comprising officials in forest wildlife and state departments inspect the area in question and the Auroville Foundation Office undertake the crown road work in the remaining stretches where there are no trees 50th anniversary EditBy occasion of the 50th anniversary of Auroville on 28 February 2018 the Indian President Ram Nath Kovind sent a message to the community in which he called Sri Aurobindo one of modern India s greatest sages He also wrote that Auroville represents humanity s aspiration for peace and goodwill and that it is a unique symbol of human unity 31 non primary source needed Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Sri Aurobindo Ashram and Auroville on 25 February 2018 After a meditation in the Matrimandir and participation in some functions he gave a speech in the Sri Aurobindo Auditorium 32 He referred to the Auroville Charter and the basic principles of life in the community Then he said Indian society is fundamentally diverse It has fostered dialogue and a philosophic tradition Auroville showcases this ancient Indian tradition to the world by bringing together global diversity At the end of his speech he expressed his wish that Auroville may continue developing and supporting new and creative ideas for India and the whole world 33 Auroville In Popular Culture EditAt present any filming within and about Auroville requires land permission from the Government of India 34 35 Many filmmakers visit Auroville and a wide range of films are available These include Ever Slow Green Re afforestation in Auroville South India full length 56 minutes 2020 36 37 City of the Dawn full length 80 minutes 2010 38 Auroville the outline of a world full length 25 minutes 2009 39 Auroville A Dream of the Divine part 1 and 2 full length 20 minutes in two parts 2003 40 41 Spiritual journey Auroville Duhovnoe puteshestvie Aurovil six 25 minute videos on Auroville by Russian filmmakers 2013 42 The India Trip full length 49 minutes from the National Film Board of Canada 1971 43 Auroville topics can also be heard on Auroville Radio 44 and the films about Auroville screened at the biennial Auroville Film Festival 45 Gallery Edit A close view of Auroville Matri Mandir in Puducherry Savitri Bhawan Verite Learning Centre Bharat NiwasSee also EditAuroville Marathon Arcosanti Sacromonte Planned CommunityReferences Edit To be a True Aurovilian Mother Explains How to Live in the World and for the Divine at the Same Time auroville org 19 January 2019 Retrieved 3 February 2019 Solitude Farm Cafe auroville org 5 November 2018 Retrieved 3 February 2019 a b Auroville in brief Official website Updated 30 March 2016 Retrieved 28 May 2016 Roger Anger as architect Boloji com Archived from the original on 14 January 2010 Retrieved 26 January 2012 Auroville founded by Mira Richards Architectureweek com 16 November 2005 Archived from the original on 7 December 2016 Retrieved 26 January 2012 Mirra Alfassa as other name Auroville info Archived from the original on 25 May 2012 Retrieved 26 January 2012 a b c Auroville the Fulfillment of a Dream by Lotfallah Soliman UNESCO Courier January 1993 Retrieved 28 May 2016 Archived 29 June 2016 at the Wayback Machine Mother s Agenda Vol 9 dt 3 02 68 The Auroville Charter Updated 25 October 2014 Retrieved 28 May 2016 Auroville Foundation Act 1988 Archived 30 June 2016 at the Wayback Machine Teacher Education Department of School Education and Literacy Ministry of Human Resource Development Government of India Retrieved 28 May 2016 The Auroville Foundation Act 10 Establishment and incorporation of the Foundation Archived 30 June 2016 at the Wayback Machine Teacher Education Department of School Education and Literacy Ministry of Human Resource Development Government of India Retrieved 28 May 2016 The Auroville Foundation Act 1988 Education nic in Archived from the original on 12 February 2012 Retrieved 26 January 2012 Auroville News amp Notes No 251 Archived from the original on 16 February 2012 Retrieved 26 January 2012 The Auroville Handbook 2013 page 14 Census Auroville population www auroville org Auroville Archived from the original on 25 December 2014 Retrieved 25 December 2014 Auroville Residents Service Breakdown by nationality Total 2953 PDF www auroville france org Retrieved 7 December 2018 Census Auroville population May 2016 Official website for Auroville Retrieved 28 May 2016 List of neighbourhoods Archived from the original on 5 June 2008 Census December 2021 Auroville population Auroville auroville org Retrieved 18 March 2022 Auroville Village Action Group AVAG Auroville Auroville Village Action Trust Auroville Trouble in Utopia Forbes India Business in com Archived from the original on 11 September 2009 Retrieved 26 January 2012 Auroville Journals amp newsletters Archived 30 August 2006 at the Wayback Machine BBC Two 22 May 2008 Indian town s sex abuse claims Retrieved on 21 June 2008 BBC News 24 May 2008 Local concerns over Indian utopia Retrieved on 21 June 2008 Ofcom Broadcast Bulletin 157 to be published 10 May 2010 revision 1 clean doc stakeholders ofcom org uk Auroville the legacy of the 1960 s largest utopian city 14 January 2022 Retrieved 17 January 2022 Auroville tree felling NGT stay order extended till January 3 The Week Retrieved 17 January 2022 NGT orders interim stay on felling of Auroville trees The Hindu Special Correspondent 11 December 2021 ISSN 0971 751X Retrieved 17 January 2022 a href Template Cite news html title Template Cite news cite news a CS1 maint others link New Delhi January 23 2018 Outreachmedia auroville org Retrieved on 25 December 2018 AVI News 2 2018 Auroville International Deutschland e V Berlin pp 6 9 Mother India Pondicherry Sri Aurobindo Ashram June 2018 pp 57 58 For the quotation see p 57 News amp Notes 10 March 2012 438 Information for the Press and Media auroville org Archived from the original on 30 November 2013 Ever Slow Green brainfever media productions brainfever in Ever Slow Green IMDb imdb com 22 April 2021 City of the Dawn Watch Documentaries Online Promote Documentary Film cultureunplugged com Auroville the outline of a world India Documentary Vimeo AUROVILLE A Dream of the Divine part 1of2 YouTube 24 July 2009 Archived from the original on 22 December 2021 AUROVILLE A Dream of the Divine part 2of2 YouTube 24 July 2009 Archived from the original on 22 December 2021 Jenya amp Anya Vashuk s Videos vimeo com Bill Davies 1971 The India Trip Documentary National Film Board of Canada Retrieved 22 March 2015 49 min 30 s News from Auroville Auroville Radio Retrieved 13 August 2017 films 2013 about AV aurovillefilmfestival org Archived from the original on 3 December 2013 Retrieved 2 December 2013 Bibliography EditEnglishAbundance Publications The Auroville Handbook Pondicherry All India Press 2007 Auroville Development Perspectives 1993 1998 An Invitation To Participate Typoscript Autoren Hrsg Auroville Development Group Bharat Nivas Auroville 1993 no ISBN K M Agarwala Hrsg Auroville The City Of Dawn Sri Aurobindo Center New Delhi 1996 no ISBN Auroville References in Mother s Agenda Auroville Press Auroville no Y no ISBN Jerome Clayton Glenn Linking the Future Findhorn Auroville Arcosanti published by Hexiad Project Center on Technology and Society Cambridge Massachusetts 1979 no ISBN Anupama Kundoo Roger Anger Research on Beauty Architecture 1953 2008 JOVIS Verlag Berlin 2009 ISBN 978 3 86859 006 7 Peter Richards Experience Auroville Guide Book for Guests and Visitors Pondicherry 2000 no ISBN Savitra Auroville Sun Word Rising A Trust For The Earth published by The Community of Auroville Auroville 1980 no ISBN The Auroville Adventure Selections from ten years of Auroville Today published by Auroville Today Auroville 1998 no ISBN The Auroville Experience Selections from 202 issues of Auroville Today November 1988 to November 2005 published by Auroville Today Auroville 2006 no ISBN Jessica Namakkal European Dreams Tamil Land Auroville and the Paradox of a Postcolonial Utopia in Journal for the Study of Radicalism Volume 6 Number 1 Spring 2012 pp 59 88 Published by Michigan State University Press Xavier Pavie Encouraging Young People to Develop Social Entrepreneurship in a Community the Case of Auroville Case center reference n 320 0123 1 ESSEC Business School 2020 Xavier Pavie Auroville from utopia to responsible innovation from the emergence of a utopian community to the development of entrepreneurial initiatives Case center reference n 819 0026 1 ESSEC Business School 2019 GermanMira Alfassa Die Mutter uber Auroville Auropublikations Hrsg Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust Pondicherry 1978 no ISBN Renate Borger Auroville Eine Vision bluht Verlag Connection Medien Niedertaufkirchen 2004 3 veranderte Aufl ISBN 3 928248 01 4 Alan G Hrsg Auroville Ein Traum nimmt Gestalt an o O vermutlich Auroville Pondicherry 1996 1 dt Aufl no ISBN Michael Klostermann Auroville Stadt des Zukunftsmenschen Fischer Taschenbuch Verlag Frankfurt M Februar 1976 ISBN 3 436 02254 3External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Auroville Official website Radio with daily updates from Auroville Auroville News Ashley Walters 11 June 2014 Auroville The Road to Utopia Ideas Podcast CBC Radio Retrieved 28 December 2022 54 min Auroville Secret World Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Auroville amp oldid 1134572782, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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