Chronicling Auroville reviewed

For the last 30 years, the monthly periodical Auroville Today has been documenting and interpreting events in Auroville for people all over the world, including Aurovilians. This is no easy task, as Auroville has many dimensions and is not an easy place to understand. As the editors state in their introduction to this new compilation, Auroville remains “very much an ongoing voyage of discovery, a field of numerous experiments by, let’s face it, some fairly extraordinary people.” For the publication’s writers, this can be a gift as well as a significant challenge.

This compilation of almost 200 articles, chosen from issues of Auroville Today over the last 12 years, represents a broad spread of the publication’s output during that time, and reflects the rich diversity of the Auroville experiment. The items have been edited down from their original versions to an easily digestible length, and are interspersed with vibrant colour photos and humorous illustrations. Although no author names are attributed to the articles in this collection, it is interesting to note that over the past twelve years more than 100 writers have contributed to Auroville Today, as well as 24 photographers and 10 graphic designers.

Much of the content is grouped into prevailing themes – such as environment, history, town building, education, arts, economy, commercial units, outreach, local culture, health – as well as more amorphous topics, such as spirituality, people and reflections. Ranging from documentation to opinion pieces and satirical items, the articles give a taste of the challenges, frustrations and joys of trying to live an ideal “future” in a unique community. Visiting experts expound their thoughts on Auroville’s progress, and guest writers praise or damn Auroville initiatives in a few hundred words. Pioneers reminisce about the early days and meeting the Mother, and Auroville youth put forward their contemporary perspectives. Some writers express despair at the community’s dysfunction, while the profiles of individuals illuminate the many reasons people are inspired to join Auroville. Commentary on the lack of humour in Auroville is offset by humorous pieces, and reflections on human unity sit alongside a discussion on censorship and free expression.

In a refreshing contrast, the final pages of the publication are a selection of comments from first-time visitors to Auroville, drawn from public blogs. The responses range from those who see Auroville as “endeavouring to consciously connect”, “a sublime place” and “peaceful” to those who see it as a “weird” and “cultish” place that emulates an “exclusive country club” that should be “burned to the ground”.

A commendable quality is the publication’s honesty and willingness to air difficult issues, given the risk it sometimes runs of stirring the ire of Aurovilians and supporters. It may be easy for those close to the coalface – that is, those living in Auroville – to take such a publication for granted, and even to be cynical of its role. But for those of us, like myself, who have had to endure long periods away from Auroville at times, the publication has been a lifeline that connects us to our soul place, and an inspiring reminder of a place and community that aims to be ‘more’ than routine existence.

The editors remind us that the publication cannot cover everything. They state that they will have achieved their goal if they have “have helped broaden people’s understanding...of the diversity, depth, idealism and sheer adventurousness of this place.” Without a doubt, this collection achieves that aim.