Why I chose to come back to Auroville

A public letter — Words by Manjula

Manjula

My name is Manjula, I was adopted at a young age by Sanjeev and Miriam, who have lived in Auroville for a long time. The Auroville experiment on human unity in diversity started right at home. We are a family of four, each of us is from a different part of the world, and arriving at a decision that we all agreed on was a very difficult process. If it was so for an international family of four, then I could only be amazed by how Auroville functioned.

I studied in Udavi School until the age of 14, after which I chose to do my higher secondary education at Future school. It was during my teenage years that my own exploration of Auroville and of myself began.

Around that time, I had the opportunity to travel a bit in France. This helped me realize what Auroville was giving me, from a quality education to a unique multicultural lifestyle. I understood that Auroville provides each and every individual with an overall development (both outward and inward).

I was grateful to be living here, yet there was a part of me that craved new experiences. I had a feeling that I wanted to reinvent myself as I felt a bit ‘moulded’ at the time. I longed for new insights. Curiosity regarding the outside world grew. This, combined with my deep-seated interest in biology drove me to Chennai, to do a B.Sc. in Biology and Biotechnology. I got admission in Madras Christian College, a reputed and prestigious college, based on merit. This meant my fees were affordable.

I enjoyed my course thoroughly. My college experience taught me quite a bit about the outside world. I met many young people whose goals and values were very different from mine and there were just a handful of people I could actually connect to. I was seen as “different”. There was very little awareness about ‘The City of Dawn’ .

I had grown up protected and supported. In college for the first time I was in an environment which was competitive. I learnt to stand up for what I believed in, to be heard, and to be confident. I was able to shine in my class. Being in Chennai, I was forced to appreciate things that I had taken for granted in Auroville. I gained perspective, I learned to focus on little details of life, on how things worked.

I kept a contact with Auroville all through. One of my visits home was right after Cyclone Nishta hit: trees were down, roads were blocked, the electricity was out. Individuals joined hands, work was done, food was shared and smiles were exchanged, strangers became friends. There was only one goal, to bring Auroville back to a functional level. I witnessed a true Auroville at work. I realized that Auroville is “the city the earth needs”. To show the way out of the egoism that possesses the world!

I came back as soon as I finished my degree and discovered that Auroville is a huge family. Each one has a sense of commitment to the community (more or less) and to Auroville as a whole. Auroville has its shortcomings and challenges. At times, it is not always easy to find your role, to fit in, to find housing or get financial help. But I feel that there is so much potential here and willingness to give, that ways can be found to overcome challenges.

Auroville is full of possibilities: I work in Last School, where I teach biology and geography. At the same time I am able to pursue my passion for Odissi dance. I can explore classical singing and sports such as frisbee, swimming, tennis, as well as go for treks to the Himalayas; and I get a chance to participate in many environmental and art-related projects. I am grateful to live in a place where so many innovative ideas are taking shape.

Being here gives me a sense of joy and completeness, which I missed during my college days. But what pulled me back most strongly was the sense of belonging to this unique place. I am twenty-four and may go out to pursue further education or travel a bit just to see the world, but I know that I will always come back home!