Written on February 17, 2016, our journey imported from our old website <3
"People of all countries are able to live in peace and progressive harmony in Auroville... The purpose of Auroville is to realise human unity."
The Matrimandir- meditation and spiritual centre of the community
Auroville is fascinating. The spiritual energy and dedication to service amongst the citizens fulfils every aspirational dream it was founded on. The Mother and Sri Aurobindo began this self-sustaining social experiment outside of Pondicherry in 1966. It's about 5,000 acres now with a population of 2,100. There are seven schools and 20 health facilities. They grown their own food and the majority of Auroville is solar powered.
The Mother, on her Auroville: "There should be a place which no nation could claim as its own, where all human beings who have a sincere aspiration could live freely as citizens of the world.. a place of peace, concord and harmony, a place where the needs of the spirit and the concern for progress would take precedence."
"Children would be able to grow without losing contact with their souls; education would be given not for passing examinations but to enrich the faculties...intellectual, moral and spiritual superiority would be expressed in the general organisation by increased duties and responsibilities."
Their gardens grow a variety of foods to serve the community and visitors. They save their seeds to avoid importing from outside sources, and work with the monsoon season to eliminate pesticide use. The buddha garden specifically looks rickety but well loved- tended to by the citizens and entirely solar powered.
Gorgeous organic fresh from farm food served at Solitude Farms - some of the best food I've had
The ground was a dry wasteland before the Auroville residents arrived and brought it back to life. Some orange-tinted remnants of the past trauma can still be seen.
Many textile workers also serve the community with organic materials and natural dyes I had the pleasure of touring the Colors of Nature workshop where fermented Indigo dye is king, along with some various other colors and a variety of dying techniques.
