Auroville's monthly news magazine since 1988

Issue Nº398

Sept 2022 (38 months ago)
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August 15, 2022

Event review

The traditional bonfire at the Amphitheatre

The 15th August is always a special day in Auroville, but this 15th was particularly so as it marked the 150th anniversary of Sri Aurobindo’s birth and 75 years of India’s independence.

Landmark Judgment of Madras High Court

Feature

Aerial view of the Madras High Court

Under the Auroville Foundation Act, there are three statutory authorities who jointly administer and manage the Foundation and they are a) Governing Body, b) International Advisory Council and c) Residents Assembly and all the three are having well defined powers and one cannot override the power of the other. – Excerpt from the discussion section of the judgment

Reading Sri Aurobindo

Book review, By Carel

Reading Sri Aurobindo - bookcover

On the occasion of Sri Aurobindo’s 150th birth anniversary, Penguin India has published Reading Sri Aurobindo, a book that introduces in 31 chapters each of the works of Sri Aurobindo through the words of 21 contributors.

The Galaxy model is revolutionary

An interview with David Nightingale, By Alan

David Nightingale

The planet desperately needs a collective second-tier solution, and Auroville could provide this. It’s a fascinating time. We are facing a very serious, even existential, threat at the moment, and the outcome is uncertain.

A statement to members of the AV Residents’ Assembly from the Dreamweaving inititative

Feature, By Omar, David Nightingale and Mona Doctor-Pingel

Since the final report of the Dreamweaving process was sent to all the participants and made available via Auronet, we have since published only one brief note in News & Notes (# 924 on May 28th, 2022) to update Aurovilians in regards to developments on our side.

12,000 new Aurovilian by 2025?

Feature, By Gilles Guigan

The Auroville Town Development Council appointed by the Secretary of the Auroville Foundation Office plans for the addition of 12,000 new residents by 2025.

The challenge of diversity

Reflection, By Alan

One of humanity’s oldest fears – perhaps, the oldest fear of all – is fear of the unknown: of how the world was created, why the sun disappeared every night, why winter followed summer etc.

A ‘more welcoming’ Entry Process?

An interview with Alain Bernard, By Carel

The minutes of the 57th meeting of the Governing Board held in December last year mention the need for a more welcoming Entry Process to allow for a speedy growth of Auroville’s population to 15,000 by 2025.

Art for Land

Feature, By Peter

Pyrographic artwork by Christel

The seventh Art for Land exhibition was inaugurated in the Unity Pavilion on 7th August by the Secretary, Dr Jayanti Ravi. This edition moved from its usual February slot to August due to the corona wave and to coincide with the 150th Sri Aurobindo birth year celebrations.

The Solar Kitchen is beefing up

Feature, By Carel

The morning meditation

On August 15th, the new Solar Kitchen management team celebrated one year in office. Auroville Today asked executives Harishini, Vanitha, Shakthi and Manimaran about their experience.

Celebrating breastfeeding

Feature, By Kavitha

1 Nirmala, India’s award winning human milk donor, addresses the audience

World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) began in 1992, set from the 1st-7th August, in order to promote public awareness to encourage and support breastfeeding.

Echo – an art installation

Art review, By Chandra

Bhavyo at work

“In the midst of the mountains, unable to hold onto their stillness, I was swept away. Only Silence remained. Tracing silhouettes of mountains became the mantra of my hands.”

Youth Day Fest

Feature, By Kavitha

1 A member of YouthLink displays artwork

International Youth Day is celebrated annually on the 12th August globally, and marks YouthLink’s largest annual event in Auroville. This year it was celebrated around the world, focusing on the theme of “Intergenerational Solidarity'', which it remains ever so important to be reminded of, even within the Auroville context.

Usha and the Dawns to come

Feature, By Chandra

Krishna admonishing Arjuna

On August 15th, 16th, and 17th, the illuminated fountain-pond at the Matrimandir Gardens was once again converted into a stage for a theatre presentation of ‘Usha and the Dawns to Come’.

Cultural activities There have been numerous cultural events, the majority of which have been occasioned by the 150th anniversary of Sri Aurobindo’s birth. One organizing group took as its theme for the month, Invocation-the Gnostic Festival, in a wish to invoke the various aspects of Sri Aurobindo: the revolutionary, the poet, the guide, the guru and most importantly the modern seer and greater luminary for the future.

Talks There were many talks, on topics like Sri Aurobindo and the cosmic yagna and the Foundations of Indian Culture. A series of morning conversations, featuring scholars of Sri Aurobindo, sadhaks and long-term Aurovilians were held at Savitri Bhavan, which also hosted a talk by Sri M, the spiritual guide and social reformer, on 14th July.

Exhibitions Meanwhile, in addition to the ongoing Art for Land exhibition, there was a Savitri art exhibition at Savitri Bhavan, ‘Echo’, an installation by Bhavyo at Citadines, and ‘Unexpected’, a stone sculpture exhibition by Charles Zanon at Botanical Gardens.

Performances Musically, we were privileged to host flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia and his students on 14th August, and there have been many other music performances, as well as Odissi and Bharatnatyam dance performances.

Films Film wise, in addition to the premiere of the ‘Spiritual History of India’, the fourth in the series ‘Evolution: Fast forward” (see front page), Manohar presented videos he had made in previous years dedicated to events connected with Sri Aurobindo in Auroville, as well as his video of the ‘Dawn’ performance in the small amphitheatre, and there was the premiere on a TV channel of “Sri Aurobindo: the beginning of spiritual journey” based on Sri Aurobindo’s inner and external life in the prison between 1908-1909, related in his own words.

Community matters There have been a number of community meetings, in addition to the big event on the evening of 15th August. On July 30th there was an invitation to the community to ‘Meet and greet’ the recently RA selected working groups in Unity Pavilion.

Youth Day Fest International Youth Day is celebrated annually on the 12th August globally, and marks YouthLink’s largest annual event in Auroville. This year it was celebrated around the world, focusing on the theme of “Intergenerational Solidarity”, which it remains ever so important to be reminded of, even within the Auroville context.

Auroville International The General Assembly of Auroville International (AVI) also took place on 12th August. This year, due to the 150th anniversary programmes and events, there were no special AVI programmes.

Mela Auroville Bharat Nivas held a mela, celebrating food, crafts workshops and performances by bioregion centres and schools of Auroville, including a chanting of the full Bhagavad Gita

City the earth needs exhibition On 14th August, there was an open invitation to the exhibition ‘The city the earth needs: Auroville – the vision takes shape’ in India Space at Bharat Nivas.

Community fun dance On August 25th, the community was invited to the Unity Pavilion to enjoy a ‘community fun dance’ – a way of learning Orissa folk dance.

Forest Moot On 26th/27th August, the Botanical Gardens team invited the community to a ‘Forest Moot’ celebrating, as they put it, “our journey with nature”.

Community meeting at Kalabhumi and Emergency RAD After the High Court judgment, The Working Committee selected by the Residents’ Assembly called a community meeting to discuss the outcome of the High Court case.

More Residents’ Assembly (RA) appointed groups abolished or replaced Meanwhile, more RA-appointed groups have either been abolished or replaced by nominees by the Foundation Office. The Archives team has been replaced, with the exception of one executive, the Budget Coordination Group has been replaced by the Budget Coordination Service, and Auroville Media Liaison Services has been shut down.

Both RA and GB selected working groups continue Meanwhile other groups selected by the RA – the Working Committee, the FAMC and TDC – are continuing their work and have laid out the issues they intend to focus upon.

Governing Board and International Advisory Council meet From an article in The Hindu newspaper of August 15, 2022, the community learned that on August 13th, a day after the Madras High Court stipulated consultative decision-making among the mandated bodies of the Auroville Foundation, the Auroville Governing Board and International Advisory Council met to deliberate on the steps to be taken to realize The Mother’s vision in a collaborative and harmonious manner.

Appeals against judgements On August 23rd, the Auroville Foundation filed an appeal at the Supreme Court of India against the April 28th judgement of the National Green Tribunal Southern Zone Bench [see AV Today # 394 of May 2022 ]

Other Legal Matters On August 18th, the Joint Committee appointed by the Green Tribunal in its judgement of April this year published its report. Among its findings were that:

Register of Residents The Auroville Foundation Office urged everybody who has not done so yet to fill out the Register of Residents (ROR) form as soon as possible.

Infrastructure work From the end of July, sections of the paver blocks on the Crown road have been taken up and work has begun on replacing them with new blocks by a contractor appointed by the Public Works Department of the Government of India.