Issue Nº341

As a prelude to next year’s Golden Jubilee, a series of events took place in the nation’s capital in November to create awareness of what Auroville is, has achieved and aims to become.

“In this place, children would be able to grow and develop integrally without losing contact with their souls; education would be given not for passing examinations or obtaining certificates and posts but to enrich existing faculties and bring forth new ones.”

Roger Harris was a founding member of Auroville Today and for many years attended its weekly meetings. It was an interesting experience for all of us.

Vikas Vickers of AVI UK has selected 50 poems by 21 poets as a gift and tribute to Auroville on its 50th birthday. This collection is the only the second collection of Auroville poetry, and the first in over 30 years.

I’m not a big fan of ‘How to’ books. I find they either talk down to me, oversimplifying to the point of absurdity, or, conversely, they assume such a high degree of knowledge that I am floundering after the first few pages (I’m particularly thinking of computer manuals here).

From comments on Auronet and casual conversations, it is evident that quite a number of Aurovilians are not looking forward to the 50th birthday celebrations.

The population table published in the previous edition of Auroville Today contained a serious mistake. At the end of the population table on page 7, column 1 was mistakenly copied into column 3.

It was 1985, and I had gone with my mother to seek admission in the Ashram school. Parudi, the Registrar, looked at me and said, “Mother had said that after the age of 14 we do not admit students because their mental formations are already made.”