Luck, love and hard work: a recipe for a life well-lived

By Sumathi

Sumati

I’ve been in Auroville since my marriage 26 years ago. I grew up in Chinnakottakuppam village on the backside of Forecomers, towards Pondicherry. When I was five years old, my father passed away. My mother started doing labor work at Cluny Hospital in Pondicherry in order to support the family. When I was in 5th standard, my mother was concerned about my education, and she spoke with one of the sisters at the hospital. The sister suggested that I should stay in a hostel and continue my studies. As my mother was finding it hard to work and raise three children, thinking of my future, she placed me in a Christian hostel in Pondicherry. I stayed there for five years until I completed high school, and went to church every day. My mother and sister came once a month to visit me, but my brother never came to see me. I missed my family.

After I finished high school, I came to my house in Chinnakottakuppam for the long summer holiday. I was going to typing classes in the evening, and I was free during the day. My aunt was working in Forecomers community in Auroville, and she suggested, “Instead of being at home, come and do gardening work at Forecomers, and help us count the nursery plants.” So I came to work in Auroville when I was 17 years old.

In Forecomers I met Kumar, who was in charge of the nursery. As in many stories, it was a miracle that we fell in love with each other. I don’t know how it happened so fast: we got married very quickly. My family was not happy with my decision, but his parents supported us.

I got a good husband. He is a very great person. We took a very quick decision to get married, but all this time, he’s been a gentleman and always adjusted to me and been a great support. He encouraged me to do a Bachelor of Commerce degree because it was helpful for my work, so I completed that.

We moved from Forecomers to Aurogreen, where Charlie helped us a lot. My first baby Nandini was born in 1991 and the Aurogreen community took care of us very well. My son Naveen was born in 1994, and then we moved to Fraternity, where we are still today. The children grew up here. I really missed my sister a lot in those days. If I think about that, it’s sad. But my husband took such good care of me, it was more than good compensation. My mother came to see me after four years, and now I have a good relationship with my family.

I started to do farming work when I was staying in Aurogreen. I helped in the shop there, where we would sell milk and food in the mornings to the neighbors. Since that time, I’ve been doing farm-related work. My school education was completely in Tamil, so I had to learn English. Charlie and Suzie in Aurogreen first taught to me read and write, and then I learnt on the job.

My family was surviving on one maintenance, which was difficult. I heard that Isha was looking for a person who could undertake communication in Tamil and English between the farmers and the Solar Kitchen, so I started to work there in 1997. The project was called the Central Distribution Centre, housed in a small room in the Solar Kitchen. Everyday I learnt a lot. Isha taught me how to do book keeping and Tally software. Now, I do all the Farm Group accounts.

My main task is to communicate between the farmers and the Solar Kitchen. The Solar Kitchen creates their weekly menu and gives it to us on Friday, advising us of the quantities of vegetables they need for the following week. We liaise with the farmers, and if they don’t have the vegetables, we let Solar Kitchen know. And then we go back and forth between the two groups. It’s not easy. The farmers push us to sell their produce, but customers don’t always want it. If produce goes to waste, the farmers come and question us, so we get stuck in the middle.

In 2004, we changed our name to Food Link and expanded our work to include PTPS, PTDC, cafés and guesthouses. Around that time, we also started doing packaging of dry goods. Lakshmi came to help with that, and she’s still here. We’re always expanding. In 2011, we started distributing milk, eggs and cheeses. All the produce from 23 Auroville farms comes here, including the milk in cannisters.

We need a bigger space for FoodLink, so a new building is being made near Certitude. At the moment, we can’t accept the evening milk from the Auroville farms, because we don’t have enough storage room. With the new building, we will be able to store the evening milk, do food processing and manage leftover food. We can stay open there until 4.30pm, and we can really develop. I hope that people will buy more local vegetables, so that the Aurovilian farmers will grow more and people will be healthy from eating organic food.

It’s not an easy job but I’m happy to do it. I cover other people’s jobs when they go on leave because I know what should be done: I’ve been here at FoodLink for 19 years: I started at the basic level and worked my way up. Now I’m experienced at coordinating the Foodlink team (Lakshmi, Anitha, Anjali, Titu, Gnanamani and Devivanayagi). I am happy to give this service to Auroville.

It’s what Mother says: come for the work of Auroville. Initially, I came because I was married, and I had no idea about Auroville. But then I realised that it is a good harmonious place, with people from different countries staying together in peace.

My neighbour Mahalingam translates the Mother’s books into Tamil and he also gives me copies to read. I like to read the books in a language where the message will enter me most deeply, so I read them in Tamil. Mother’s advice has helped me in many situations. Some days, when I have a lot of tension, I will think about what the Mother or Sri Aurobindo said and it’s really helpful. I also read a page daily from the Calendar of quotations (from the Mother and Sri Aurobindo). I go to the ashram in Pondicherry for Darshan, and I go to the Matrimandir when I have some confusion, and then I feel relief.

My children are grown up now. My daughter has finished her Bachelor of Engineering, and is doing her Master degree now, and my son has finished his Bachelor of Technology and now he’s working full-time in StemLand and Aura Auro Design. My kids dream that they will be able to help Auroville develop.

I believe in the idea of community. Auroville has developed a lot in the last 26 years. I learned so much, in terms of lifestyle, work, reading and writing.

I was really lucky! I have been lucky with my husband, and my children, who are very nice and who support me in my aspirations.

That’s my life story.