Auroville's monthly news magazine since 1988

Issue Nº399

Oct 2022 (37 months ago)
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The first section of the Matrimandir test lake nears completion

Feature, By Carel

The end of the dig

The first section of the 10 metres deep and 100 metres long Matrimandir test lake is nearing completion. By the end of September, the digging was finalized, two five-metre high walls of concrete lego blocks had come up on either side of the lake, and the lake’s floor and slopes were clad with a high density polyethylene (hdpe) liner embedded between two layers of geotextile.

The Garden of the Unexpected

Feature, By Carel

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Situated at the periphery of the Matrimandir gardens is the site of the Garden of the Unexpected, a garden for children for when their parents are visiting the Inner Chamber, or for those days when the Inner Chamber is open only to children from all the schools in Auroville and the surrounding bio-region.

Exploring Roger’s city plan

An interview with Anupama Kundoo, By Alan

Anupama Kundoo

This interview with Anupama Kundoo is the third article in the series ‘city perspectives’. Anupama Kundoo graduated from Sir J.J. College of Architecture, Mumbai in 1989 and received her doctoral degree from TU Berlin in 2008.

An inner journey

Feature, By Alan and Dr Jai Singh

Jai SIngh

After completing his higher studies at Delhi University, Dr. Jai Singh joined Auroville in 1992. His wife and children joined a year later. Jai has been a member of the Auroville Council, and has also worked at SEWA, Village Action and New Creation School.

Harmonies inspired by Sri Aurobindo’s poetry

Event review, By Peter

Poetry evening | Photo Kirtan Frederic Duchamp

At a time of constant communal agitation, a little jewel of an evening slipped through and gave viewers an inspired taste of Sri Aurobindo’s creative offering.

Life education is the most important thing

Reflection, By Alan

Studying at Kuilai Kalvi Koodam

La Terrace coffee shop above the Solar Kitchen is a special place. Not only because of the quality of the food but also, perhaps especially, because of the warm welcome and excellent service offered by Sudhakar and Ramu.

Auroville 80 – The poetry of daily life

Feature, By Chandra

5 Nadia 4 small

Nadia is a photographer, geographer, and has been the president of AVI-France for the last ten years. She first came to Auroville in 1973. In mid September, she presented some of her photos of Auroville from the 1980s at an exhibition at the Centre d’Art in Citadines.

Rejuvenating the farms

Feature, By Carel

2 Ramanan explaining the principles of organic farming at Auro-Orchard

Auroville has 22 farms, ranging in size from 120 to about 6 acres. Each farm is managed by one or two farmers. Jointly, they run the Farm Group.

Dreams in times of conflict

Experiences, By Peter

Crystal Light

Our dreams at night can offer perspectives that our cognitive mind can’t reach. They are potential doorways to understanding different dimensions of what is going on in our lives individually and collectively.

Essay and film competition The Auroville Foundation has invited schools and college students to submit essays and short films in connection with Sri Aurobindo’s 150th birth anniversary celebrations.

UNESCO conference In commemoration of Sri Aurobindo’s 150th birth anniversary, an event was planned on 30th September at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. Titled ‘Sri Aurobindo’s Dream of Human Unity: manifesting at Auroville’, the central theme was to be Sri Aurobindo’s five dreams, its message of a progressive unity and the next evolutionary step, along with a presentation of Auroville.

Abri/Ami corner land update Land on the Abri/Ami corner and Evergreen which has been in the possession of Auroville and Mr. Michael Bonke for many years has been claimed by a local businessman.

Land exchange Several communities have been visited recently by unidentified people who claimed their visits were due to ongoing land-exchange negotiations.

Housing Service receives Office Order The Housing Board and Housing Service appointed by the Residents Assembly received information from the Foundation office that they had been replaced by an Office Order and a new group appointed.

Council Meeting Room Presence On 1st July the Auroville Council were sent an email by a member of the Foundation-appointed Town Hall management teams telling them to vacate the Auroville Council room.

Eviction threat Elodie and Txuma, whose bathroom is on the proposed Crown Road, received a letter signed by Dr G. Seetharaman, AVFO’s ‘Officer on Special Duty’, informing them that they are illegal occupants of ‘public premises’, and threatening them with eviction if they do not move.

Infrastructure message The ATDC appointed by the Foundation office issued a message recently reminding all residents/ groups and services of Auroville, that any work in Auroville, be it digging, fencing, demolition, building, or planting, needs the explicit approval of the Auroville Town Development Council.

Legal update Upcoming dates: 20.10.2022 – Supreme Court appeal regarding National Green Tribunal Ruling 10.11.2022 – National Green Tribunal hearing with regard to the Joint Committee report

Standing true to our values and ideals The Council issued a statement that “During this painful and deeply saddening time for us all and Auroville, our best recourse is that of standing true to our values and ideals while also aspiring for a truer and more spiritualised way of being.

Deep dialogue for harmony At the recommendation of Dena Meriam, Chairperson of International Advisory Council, the Governing Board and Secretary, Auroville Foundation, Mr.

Moving forward together The moving forward together team has announced a programme of events for October. They include walks for unity, body in light – energy healing and coaching, Tibetan mantra singing, and a silent receptivity gathering of members of the Residents Assembly.

Walk for Unity every Tuesday Community members are showing solidarity by coming together on a weekly basis. Every Tuesday evening, a ‘Walk For Unity’ takes place, starting at the Solar Kitchen at 5.20 pm.

First Aid campaign by YouthLink A First Aid Awareness Campaign by YouthLink, in collaboration with Auroville Safety and Security Team, was carried out on the 5th of August in the Solar Kitchen corridor.

Mystic beings On a lighter note, Aurovilians were surprised to learn, in a recent article on Auroville education in the Financial Express newspaper, that the aim of ‘the transition schools in Auroville’ is ‘to convert students into mystic beings’.