The Matrimandir, the Lake and the Garden works: an update

The Lake: A new approach

“We’ve been very busy,” says John, gesturing to two long rows of neatly stacked Lego blocks — the remains of the collapsed dam. “We used our long-armed excavator to remove over 4,000 concrete blocks. The lakebed is now cleared, but we’ve decided not to rebuild the dam in this way. The experience of the cyclone, and its aftermath, seems to have come as a sign, and an opportunity, to continue the lake construction in another way than had first been planned. The team now feels that constructing the lake in segments with Lego block walls is no longer the way to proceed.” Instead, the plan is to excavate the entire lake in one go, then line it with HDPE and gravel, as was done for the first section, before allowing it to fill with rainwater.

Material and logistics hurdles

But progress has stalled due to regulatory changes affecting the import of German-made HDPE liner. Indian authorities have become much stricter on the import of materials which could also be sourced within India. “As a part of this process they have even sent a team to inspect the German HDPE factories,” John explains. “Future lining for the Lake may need to be sourced from within India.”

Another delay stems from pending permission from the Tamil Nadu government to move the excavated earth to the northern Greenbelt of Auroville, for creating the hill envisioned by The Mother. “We’re working on securing the necessary clearances,” John says. “Once granted, we’ll deploy the necessary fleet of trucks to move the earth swiftly.” Transportation of all the earth, says John, will hopefully be done within two years.

Regarding the building of the hill, safety and stability are the chief concerns. “After the Fengal incident, nobody wants a landslide,” John notes. Soil samples have been sent to German structural engineering firm LGA in Nürnberg, which is designing the 30 to 50-meter-high hill. The design will accommodate all excavated soil, minus what is currently being requested by ATDC for road shoulders.

Next steps in excavation

Once the earth mounds near the Administrative Zone — the area where the offices of the Town Hall, the Auroville Foundation, SAIIER and the Auroville Archives are situated — are cleared, excavation will begin in that section. The small hill with the miniature lake on top will also be removed, as it partially overlaps with the planned site for the future Matrimandir Service Building.

Further excavation in other areas will have to wait until the ground is fully available. On the northeastern side of the Matrimandir gardens oval, existing workshops and support facilities — all located within the lake zone — must first be relocated, which will only be possible once the new Service Building is completed.

On the western side of the Gardens oval, the road running from the Viewing Point gate to the Town Hall needs to be moved, as it also lies in the Lake zone, but this cannot be completely done until all necessary land has been acquired. For only the first stretch of this road, a piece about 300 meters long, the Matrimandir team is now preparing to create the needed diversionary road so that work on this part of the lake can proceed.

The Matrimandir Office area presents another challenge. It is home to several large, beautiful trees that the executives hope to preserve. One idea is to create a small peninsula — one of three originally envisioned by architect Roger Anger. “We’ve asked Shailaja and her team to design it,” says John. “Water specialists are concerned it could obstruct deep-water flow, so we’ve asked for gently rounded contours to minimise impact.”

A new use for the Lego blocks

What will become of the salvaged Lego blocks? “We’re considering using them as the core of embankments on the western and northern sides of the lake,” John says. This would help protect the low-lying buildings in the Administrative Zone from potential flooding, as the lake’s water level will be 1.5 to 2 meters higher than the surrounding ground.

Garden work on schedule

While lake work is paused, garden development is flourishing. On 21 February, Mother’s birthday, the Garden of Wealth was opened to the public.

Its seven pools each feature water lilies in a different colour, symbolising wealth as interpreted by the Mother. A gently curving, granite-clad path runs through its centre.

The Garden of Bliss, with its central circular section having been re-designed by Auroson, is nearly complete. On 4 April, five white marble fountains were inaugurated, sending graceful curtains of water from brass-rimmed bowls lined with golden tiles.

Work has since begun on the Garden of Utility, where leftover HDPE from the lake is being repurposed to line the new pools.

Concepts for the remaining gardens — Youth, Harmony, and Perfection — are beginning to take shape. “We had a great presentation last week by Mark and Meera on Harmony, which they’re keen to start with,” says John. Beneath the outer rim of the Garden of Youth, a large underground room will be built to store materials and machinery for daily maintenance. Once the lake surrounds the Matrimandir, efficient access to tools will be vital.

Service infrastructure

However, one single underground storehouse won’t be sufficient. Architects Sonali and Ganesh are designing the Matrimandir Service Building, to be located in the Administrative Zone near the Auroville Archives. It will house all the facilities needed to support the Matrimandir complex in the future. Administrative offices, laundry, catering, spaces for maintenance and repair of machinery, parking for tractors and electric service vehicles, and facilities for over 100 workers are included in the design. And how will the people and equipment reach the Matrimandir across the lake? “A service bridge will be essential,” John says, “but its design is still under discussion.”

Reception centre and public bridge

Roger Anger’s original vision included a Matrimandir Reception Centre as the final building of the Line of Force. It would serve the planned population of 50,000 and all visiting guests. From this Centre, a 100-meter pedestrian bridge would lead to the Gardens and the Matrimandir.

Land acquisition challenges stalled the project for years, but with one plot now secured, design work has resumed. “We held a wonderful exercise,” says John. “Five architect teams were invited to submit proposals. After a quick-turnaround evaluation, we selected the design of PATH Architects, an Auroville architecture and planning studio led by Lalit and Shailaja, that best met our criteria. It’s now in development.”

The bridge will be elegant, pedestrian-only, with access for emergency vehicles. Tourists not registered for meditation or garden visits will be restricted to the viewing point.

Accessibility improvements

Improving access for the elderly and disabled has been a long-standing goal. The current system — four people carrying a visitor in a sedan chair — is inadequate. “We considered a glass elevator tube from outside but rejected it for aesthetic reasons,” says John. Handrails have since been installed on the main pillars, and a stair-climbing wheelchair has been ordered.

Technology and structural upgrades

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras is working on reviving the long-planned automatic doors for the Matrimandir’s four entrances. The original ‘spaceship’ doors from the late 1990s were abandoned over safety concerns, but IIT is now engineering a safer version.

They’re also tasked with upgrading the heliostat — the double-mirror system that channels sunlight into the Inner Chamber. The current setup works, but is prone to failure due to outdated software and mechanical parts. One new design under consideration eliminates moving parts entirely, using a mirrored funnel beneath a dome to guide sunlight.

And the crane?

What of the long-idle stainless-steel crane atop the Matrimandir? “That depends on who you ask,” laughs John. “Some want it removed entirely. Others say it will be useful for future major repairs. But it’s in poor shape — its plastic parts, electronics, and hydraulic seals have deteriorated. We might not need it anymore. The crane used for removing the Lego blocks had a very long boom — it could perhaps do the job too. But for now, it’s not a priority.”

Looking ahead

The current executive team was appointed four years ago with a four-year work plan. Are they on track? “It has become a six-year plan,” says John with a smile. “We’re now aiming to complete everything we can, or have it well in motion, by 21 February 2028 — Mother’s 150th birth anniversary.”