La Boutique d’Auroville closed down

Apart from selling products from Auroville such as garments, handicrafts, postcards, books and magazines (including Auroville Today), the managers also gave information on how to visit Auroville and what to do there. “The internet didn’t change that aspect all that much,” says Bhoomi. “We continued receiving many people who evidently are not familiar with using the net. I enjoyed that part of the work more than selling Auroville products.”

One year ago he was served notice to vacate the shop, as the building had been sold. “We managed to get a one-year respite, but by the end of this month, we’re out” he says. Other shop outlets are not easily available. Bhoomi has been running around evaluating possible locations and offers, but baulks at the asking rent of often more than Rs 150,000 a month with a 10 months advance. “That’s double of what we paid here,” he says. “Moreover, we don’t have that much in reserves after we paid the staff layoff settlements.”

His preference is for another location in the White Town of Pondicherry, the area bordering the sea where French colonists once lived. “As Auroville products can carry a premium price because of the excellence of the brand name ‘Auroville’, we would be able to afford a place there,” he says. “Moreover, Pondicherry has become a popular tourist destination for weekend visitors from Bangalore and Chennai. The shops all benefit.”

Is such a prime location available? “I have hope,” says Bhoomi. “A person connected to the Sri Aurobindo Ashram told me that he may get us a suitable location by December this year. That would be fantastic, even though it would take some time for us to be up and running again. Meanwhile, I continue searching.” And the rent and advance payment required? “We’ll need to get a loan, preferably an “angel loan,” he says. “Otherwise it will not be possible.” He mentions that the Boutique once got such a loan from Ananda, when, due to Covid, nothing could be sold, yet the landlord insisted on being paid. “Ananda told us that we could repay the loan when we were able to. It was a great gift. Luckily, after Covid there was a sales upsurge, so we could repay pretty soon.”

Asked what his immediate plans are, Bhoomi says he is thinking of taking a few months’ holiday – his first in more than 30 years.