In memoriam - Maggi Lidchi-Grassi

Maggi Lidchi-Grassi, an esteemed Friend of Auroville, passed away on the 30th of September 2024, in the early hours of the morning at her residence behind Fertile, at the age of 94.

Maggi was born in Paris on the 9th of May 1930. She first visited the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in 1959 and settled there permanently in 1960. She was well-known as an author of works such as Earthman, First Wife, Great Sir and the Heaven Lady, The Great Golden Sacrifice of the Mahabharata, and The Light That Shone into the Dark Abyss. She also founded Domani, an Italian magazine where the teachings of the Mother and Sri Aurobindo were shared. Additionally, she was actively involved in the publication of World Union, the Ashram’s magazine.

Beyond her literary contributions, Maggi is remembered as a homeopath and as Mother’s secretary. She was responsible for taking letters from Aurovilians to the Mother, arranging appointments for those who wished to meet with Her, and maintaining the birth records for children born in Auroville after Mother’s passing.

Maggi also had the honour of being one of the voices to read Auroville’s Charter during the inauguration ceremony on the 28th of February, 1968.

A devoted follower of the Mother, Maggi played an important role in Auroville’s early developments. Together with Nata, she prepared the amphitheater for the inauguration ceremony, while Vincenzo prepared the urn. She and Nata also co-founded Auroshika, an incense-making unit in Edayanchavadi, and later, they established Udavi, initially a school for the children of the women working at Auroshika. Over the years, Udavi has grown into a well-established and recognized school in the community.

Maggi also started the very first Free-Store within the grocery shop that Nata had set up in Edayanchavadi. She later founded the Quiet Healing Center and, more recently, was working on a new project called Stillness—a retreat center she was developing with her companion and partner, Surakshita.

The funeral service was on Thursday, 3rd October, at Karuvadikuppam, Pondicherry.