The City of Dawn: A large village or a Galaxy?

Editor’s comment — Words by Editors

A model of the Galaxy

Throughout those difficult years, each person kept, well hidden deep in the heart, the dream of a luminous, spiritual and harmonious city; a flaming torch.

Envelope cover, Issue 2

“Auroville wants to be the bridge between the past and the future. Taking advantage of all discoveries from without and from within, Auroville will boldly spring towards future realizations.”

(Third paragraph of the Auroville Charter presented to the world on 28th February, 1968.)

Between 1968 and 1972, a whole team worked on the plans of the city of which Mother dreamt. Mother directed the research, accepting or rejecting the proposals. The work progressed step by step. Then a model was constructed and presented to the world: the Galaxy.

Funds began to arrive. The construction of Promesse, Last School, Sanskrit School and Auromodèle was begun.

In 1973, Mother left her body, leaving Auroville an orphan. Disagreements started between Aurovilians and the SAS. The latter cut off the funds and Auroville was forced back upon itself to survive. A village rather than a city came naturally into existence.

The years went by. In 1985, ARC (the Auroville Resource Center) took up coordinating the development of the town. Sporadically during the past two or three years, the construction of the town was reconsidered. In any event, necessity made the development of a solid infrastructure more and more indispensable.

In September 1988, the Central Government, in order to assist the development of Auroville requests in the Auroville Foundation Bill a ‘Master Plan’.

A team spontaneously forms around Roger Anger, who has returned from his voluntary exile. All of us feel that a town, however perfect, not only consists of cement, bricks and a functioning electrical system or an exemplary form of water distribution; above all it is made up of human beings with their hopes, their dreams and their aspirations.

But actually, what is the Galaxy? Are we ready to make it a reality? Do we prefer to grow organically according to our immediate needs, following a process of progressive transformation? Auroville Today does not try to provide the answer, but offers an overview of the different approaches and actual difficulties.