Issue Nº379

The Mother’s stay in Japan between 1916–1920 was not only of profound importance for her spiritual explorations, but might also have had a big influence upon the development of Auroville.

A couple of months ago, a poster went up on Auroville notice boards advertising scuba diving lessons offered by ex-Special Forces soldiers of the Indian Army.

Before I had a child, I used to think that Auroville was an optimal place to raise children. There are forests to frolic in, fresh air, clean food, a kaleidoscope of colorful personalities and passions, activities from horseback riding to Awareness Through the Body, and, of course, the delicate and beautiful subtle atmosphere here.

A year ago, in February 2020, there was an attempt to survey a route through the Youth Centre and Bliss forest for the laying of a High Tension cable.

Bliss forest is a city park that is densely planted to be a forest. Aurovilians from South Korea may be familiar with a similar concept in the city of Seoul.

Twenty six years ago, the youth were looking for a new home as Ami, which had been a youth community for many years, was no longer a welcoming environment.

If we stand by the Charter of Auroville then we must consider this: in January 1968, a city plan, commissioned by the Mother, was approved. Two weeks later She wrote the Charter.

For the last two years, Aurovilian Nina Sengupta has been offering edible weed walks around Auroville. Every few weeks, participants venture out and discover parts of a hidden Auroville that are plainly in view.

In this month’s installment of our regular column about Auroville’s neighbours, we meet Rashmi Gandaki, who has been living next to Auroville for the last six years.