Issue Nº374 – In Memoriam

Long-term Aurovilian Hervé Millet left his body on August 19th at Marika Home at the age of 75, due to complications of cancer which he had been battling since several years.

Hervé was one of the French pioneers, a Breton, who joined the caravan that left Paris in 1974 for overland travel to Auroville. From the moment of arrival at the end of that year, he wholeheartedly plunged into a wide range of work activities and services which characterised him throughout his life in Auroville. It started with construction work with Pierre Elouard, building the houses in Auromodèle, during which time he was also active at the then emerging Pour Tous service in Aspiration. During Auroville’s survival struggles of those years, Hervé, along with others, was jailed twice, first in Tindivanam and later again in Villupuram.

When things got quieter, Hervé began planting trees in Révélation, looked after SAIIER’s transport, worked at Maroma, and spent several years at Mira Aditi’s book distribution service in Karnataka, and later on with Satprem in the Nilgiris.

After an intensive time in the mountains, he returned to Auroville in the mid-nineties where he was welcomed by the Auroville Press team and, soon after that, he participated in the creation of Auroville Papers of which he later became executive. It was here that he found his true element, doing all kinds of experiments for different kinds of new-look and new-feel papers, using a great variety of leaves, flowers and colours, and became skilled in giving paper-making workshops. Hervé was never happier than when showing a child how to make paper or help in the unit. In an interview by Auroville.com, Hervé said: “Living in Auroville means everything to me, and the Mother takes care of me, she really takes care of me. I feel like I am walking the wire with no net under to catch me, but Mother will not let me fall. When I arrived here, I had no money, and she gave me everything. Everything that I have has been given to me... I give my work to the Mother, and I can’t be deceived, because she knows what I need.”

Hervé’s remains were cremated at the Auroville cremation and burial grounds in Adventure community on August 20th. As per COVID-19 government instructions, only his closest friends could attend.

Giorgio Molinari peacefully left his body on Monday August 10 at the age of 83 in his Arka apartment, succumbing to heart problems that had been plaguing him for years.

Born in Milano, Giorgio was involved in photography from an early age onwards, while also developing interest in oriental philosophy. As a young man during military service he functioned as a ground assistant for aerial photography, after which he entered the world of advertisement agencies, freelancing for record companies, theatre productions, architectural designs, often working with big names in the field. In 1980 he made an architectural photo study of Chandigarh, from where he visited Auroville and the Matrimandir and the first true contact was made.

Then came the ‘Auroville 35 years’ festivity in UNESCO’s Paris centre in 2003, during which he learned more about Auroville and met several Aurovilians. His decision was made. Even though he was stricken with cerebral hemorrhage and right-side paralysis during the preparations to come here, he managed to fly in October 2004 to Auroville where he could convalesce in Arka. In December 2006 he became Aurovilian.

From the very onset Giorgio was generously involved in the upgrading of Arka’s infrastructure and lived there as well. From there he did extensive photo studies of Savitri Bhavan, Matrimandir, and we saw him time and again during our meetings, at special events, in schools and at village occasions, cautiously but persistently negotiating the spaces and making photos wherever he could, always freely giving them to Auroville. He would merrily make marriage photos of friends in the village, providing them with CDs of the footage, and the Eluciole Circus would not be the same without him. In his studio, Giorgio trained various students, and endeavoured to make Aurovilians familiar with his Chronotype technique.

Several years ago, Giorgio’s beloved sister Graziella, who often came over from Italy and stayed with him in Arka, passed away, and since then Giorgio wasn’t the same anymore. His health withered, and so did his humour and zest for life. He recently offered all his material and equipment to Auroville to constitute ‘Studio Giorgio’, currently temporarily housed in Citadines. The collection will now move to his Arka studio from where ‘Studio Giorgio’ can operate under the guidance of his closest collaborator, Piero Cefaloni.

Thank you for having been with us, dear Giorgio, we will remember you through your many exquisite photos and touching images, and for your warm hearted generosity and endearingly grinning smile.

Gorgio’s remains were cremated at the Auroville cremation and burial grounds in Adventure community on August 13thth. As per COVID-19 government instructions, only his closest friends could attend.