Issue Nº404

Mar 2023 (32 months ago)
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The International Advisory Council meets the community

Event review, By Alan

1 A community member addresses the members of the International Advisory Council

On 16th February, the Unity Pavilion was full. There was huge interest because it was the first time in the last seven years that residents had met in an open meeting with an International Advisory Council (IAC).

“I strive to pursue what is true, right and just”

An interview with Gabi Gillessen, By Alan and Carel

Gabi Gillessen qualified as a yoga teacher in 1997, and is Chairperson and Senior Tutor of the Irish Yoga Association, running teacher training programmes.

The spirit of Auroville

An open letter, By Pragna (Christian Feuillette)

Auroville International, the umbrella organisation of the Auroville International centres in Europe and the USA, had its General Assembly meeting on February 21st, 2023, at the Unity Pavilion in Auroville.

“Change has to come from within”

An interview with H P Rama, By Alan

H.P. Rama is a successful hotelier based in the U.S. He is also a devotee of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, and has founded a university – AURO University – in Surat based upon the former’s educational principles.

What have we learned? (About self & AV)

Survey

About Auroville I have learned, again, that Auroville is a Dream, and as such it can vanish and disappear unless I learn how to nourish and nurture that Dream.

The wages of fear

Reflection, By Alan

Should one read Hitler’s Mein Kampf? Carlo Rovelli, the physicist/philosopher thinks one should if one wants to understand the roots of fascism.

The Science and Spirituality summit

Event review, By Alan

In honour of the 150th birth anniversary of Sri Aurobindo, the Science and Spirituality conference took place in the Unity Pavilion between 13-15th February.

Krishna Das in Auroville

Event review, By Peter

Krishna Das is a rock star of the sacred music world, singing the chants that he first heard in Himalayan temples over fifty years ago. On 12 February, his performance at the Matrimandir Amphitheatre opened the Science and Spirituality conference.

Within Without – A Pottery Exhibition

Art review, By Chandra

‘Sharing this series is my way of taking a pause and evaluating my own journey, allowing myself to touch upon the core of my experience. In this collection of my latest work, several forms have emerged that reflect the serene atmosphere that surrounds my studio.

News in Brief

Leave India Notice The community was deeply shocked to learn that a young Aurovilian and member of the Residents Assembly Working Committee, had been served with a Leave India Notice on 15th February.

Appeals to the Prime Minister Two long-time Aurovilians have written letters to the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, in response to the Leave India Notice, appealing to the P.M. to intervene in the ever-escalating situation, for “Auroville is in great danger” as the “core values” of the experiment are being threatened.

Organisation research Organisation research Responding to a call from the Auroville Council, a group gathered every week from mid November onwards to try to answer a “call for organisation”.

News and Notes letter For some weeks, the News and Notes editors have not been publishing reports from the main Residents Assembly working groups. A group of concerned Aurovilians drafted a letter to the editors saying, “We request you to publish announcements and reports from the working groups selected and endorsed by the Residents’ Assembly.

YouthLink work survey YouthLink has initiated a survey to understand Auroville youths’ relationship to work. They write, “Throughout the years we have heard many allegations, statements, and comments, ranging from ‘Auroville youth are lazy’ to ‘youth want to work but there is nothing to do in Auroville’.

Tree marking As part of a survey of the Galaxy Master Plan, the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), Government of India, has been marking and numbering trees.

Tree puja The Secretary, together with Dena Merriam and some participants in the Science and Spirit conference, held a tree puja in Darkali to pray for the spirits of the many trees which may be cut to make the Crown Road.

New road study Work is now going on apace to finish the Crown road, using RCC slabs rather than the paver blocks which were first experimented with. However, a study by the Auroville Earth Institute concludes that “The new road surfacing design approved by the Auroville Town Development Council appointed by the secretary for the surfacing of this road does not follow any Indian standard.

Home care expenses The FO BCC reports that the overall costs for home care, including the care of Aurovilians (above the age of 60 years) at care homes and their residences, as well as the transport costs for hospital treatments, have increased by 44% at the end of the year.

Gaia work The FO ATDC points out that most of the residences in the Gaia community are in the designated Mahalakshmi Park, even though one of these residences received building permission in the recent past.

Integrated Information System The FO FAMC is setting up an Integrated Information System as a digital memory for the collective. The AIIS office will be responsible for securing a fully integrated, updated data system with all the core data of the Auroville administration, and making it available to working groups as well as Foundation office.

Closing small scale activities At the beginning of November 2022, the AVFO’s ‘FAMC’ sent an email to several Activity managers whose annual turnover does not exceed 2 lakhs.

Considering multiple perspectives The RA TDC is moving forward with setting up a participatory planning process which is open for all to contribute to; the only rule of the game is for each to bring their goodwill, expertise and diversity into a shared approach and be ready to meet respectfully on middle ground.

White paper on the future The Wednesdays for Auroville meeting is planning to issue a ‘White Paper’ on Auroville’s way forward. A couple of papers have already been prepared outlining what has been realised in Auroville since its inception, and what is being planned on the foundation of these achievements.

Legal update The Ami/Evergreen land dispute case was heard in Tindivanam on 15th February, but the lawyers for the Land Board and the Auroville Foundation did not appear.

WaterFest ‘23 Between 2nd February – 22nd March a festival focussed on stewardship for water and biodiversity is taking place as a call to action in the bioregion.

Endangered Craft Mela This is a yearly event organised by the Fertile community that aims to bring together local crafts people with the children of the Auroville bioregion and Tamil Nadu.

Overcoming Apartheid On 26th February, there was an informal community gathering with the South African activist and former minister, Jay Naidoo, in the Unity Pavilion.

Auroville’s birthday As usual, there was a collective meditation with dawn fire in the Amphitheatre on Auroville’s birthday. Later, people enjoyed listening to Savitri music as the sun set on the same afternoon.

A cultural bonanza Late February is the busiest time of the year in Auroville’s cultural calendar. This year there was an ‘Auroville Festival’ which took as its theme the first quality of the Mother’s symbol – Sincerity.

In Memoriam

Eva

In memoriam:

On February 11th, Eva passed away in her apartment in Citadines after a brain haemorrhage. She had just celebrated her 77th birthday on February 8th with her fraternal family in Citadines community, full of joy and deeply happy.

Cristof AlwardPitoëff

In memoriam:

Cristof Alward-Pitoëff, who met Mother in 1969, passed away in the Sri Aurobindo Ashram on 28 February. In the early years, Cristof stayed in Auroville for a short while after which he went to live in the Ashram for good and functioned as head of the French section of the Ashram Press, SAICE professor, translator and theatre director.

Mahalingam

In memoriam:

On February 3rd, former Indian Independence fighter and Auroville’s oldest resident Mahalingam Sangukrishna left his body, at the age of 103.

Ulf Meuller

In memoriam:

On March 1st, 2023, Ulf Meuller, passed away in Auroville. Ulf was a well wisher of Auroville ever since he first came in 2001 together with his wife Birgitta.

Ellen Tessloff

In memoriam:

On February 19th Ellen left her body in her Arati apartment. She would have been 95 in April this year. After a career as a hatha yoga teacher in Germany, Ellen arrived in Auroville in 1996 and was accepted as an Aurovilian the year later.