1. Auroville- The City The Earth Needs
Dr. Pravin Patil
Matrimandir- Spiritual and Meditation Chamber at Auroville
Vacationandtravel doeswondertorecharge and rejuvenate humanbatteries.A planned,brief vacation
trip along with spouse to Puducherry (Pondicherry) turned out to be a perfect semester break for me.
One of the mostunique location we have visited is Auroville. A place positioned most appropriately as
“A Hopeful Vision for the world “, also epitomized as “an experimental laboratory for the planet”. A
profound purpose of setting up Auroville is to achieve a realization of international understanding,
peace and genuine human unity.
Auroville is located 8 kilometers north of Pondicherry. Over the past 37 years, it has grown into an
expandingcommunityconsistingof more than100 + settlementsof varying size inhabited by over 1900
aurovillians,drawnfrom India and 40 plus nations. Mirra Alfassa called as “The Mother” has dreamt of
creation of such a place, taking inspiration from her guru and mentor Sri. Aurobindo.
A Dream- There should be somewhere upon earth a place that no nation could claim as its sole
property,a place where all human beings of good will, sincere in their aspirations, could live freely as
citizensof the world,obeyingone singleauthority,thatof the supreme truth;a place of peace, concord,
harmony,where all the fightinginstinctsof manwouldbe usedexclusively to conquer the causes of his
suffering and misery, to surmount his weakness and ignorance, to triumph over his limitations and
incapacities;aplace where the needsof the spiritandthe care for progress would get precedence over
the satisfaction of desires and passions, the seeking for pleasures and material enjoyment.
-The Mother

2. The general assembly of UNESCO has passed four resolutions to mark its support for Auroville. In
1988, the Governmentof Indiahaspassedthe Auroville foundationactto safeguardthe developmentof
the international cultural township of Auroville according to its charter. On its inauguration ceremony
day ie.28 TH February, 1968, representatives of 124 countries and 23 Indian states placed a handful of
earth from their homeland into an urn as a symbolic gesture of human unity.
Auroville Development, Programs and Green Living: Painstaking and untiring efforts of pioneers in
plantationof more than2 milliontreesandshrubs has transformed this once barren land of red earth
into today’s lush green zone. Auroville’s work areas cover mainly- education with a difference for
childrenandyouth, afforestation,farming,village development, health care, town planning, business,
sustainable community development, arts and culture etc.
Today, Auroville runs sustainable green practices. It shows a wonderful ways of green living by
successfully implementingareas such as land restoration, organic farming, renewable energy systems,
use of appropriate buildingtechnology,waste-watertreatmentetc. Interestingly, there is a network of
over25 km of cycle stretchthroughoutAurobville,linking communities and their activities. As they say
“everylaboratoryhasitsfailures’,Auroville is no different. Savi (Tamil for “key”) is a volunteer service
for students and professionals who wish to participate in and contribute to Auroville for duration
between 2 and 12 months as a volunteer. Multifold obstacles and challenges yet to be conquered in
order to make this global experimentation a true success and which will fulfill a founder’s dream.
I am reallylookingforward for a day; wherein I can pack my bags to enjoy this wonderful green way of
living as well as enroll for Savi service, to be a part of this experimental laboratory of the planet.
Interestingweblinks
http://www.aurovilleradio.org/tag/tv/
http://www.aurovilletv.org/