Auroville's monthly news magazine since 1988

Issue Nº407-408

Jun 2023 (29 months ago)
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New experiments at the Matrimandir Lake

The Lake on the hill

While preparatory work for the expansion of the Matrimandir Lake has started, two new experiments involving the Lake are underway. One is pumped hydro; the other, underwater water storage.


Ekattva Maarg inaugurated

Map of Ekattva Maarg - 'Discovery Path'

On May 27th, Bharat Nivas inaugurated Ekattva Maarg [meaning Discovery Path], a Unity Path to discover Auroville. The pathway comprises the loop that starts at the Visitors Centre and passes through Bharat Nivas, Unity Pavilion, Savitri Bhavan, the Matrimandir Viewing point and ends at the Visitors Centre.


The Entry Board: an interview with the interviewers

The Entry Board members, From left: Lakshmanan, Matilde, Grace, Swadha, Alain, Jayanthi, Sonja and Sara

One of the powers of the Residents' Assembly, says the Auroville Foundation Act, is to allow the admission or cause the termination of persons in the Register of Residents in accordance with Regulations.


Accountancy today is highly complex

Palani in his office

The Auroville Foundation has 37 management trusts which together hold 600 units and activities. Palani, the executive of the accounting unit Omega, gives his views.


Prioritising RA decision making

In order to prioritise the upcoming decision making events of the Residents’ Assembly, the Auroville Council organised a poll asking Aurovilians to express their priorities from a list of ten topics. 132 submissions were received online, by mail or on paper.


My life in Auroville at the Service of Truth, by Mallika

Mallika

“Once upon a time ..” is how we begin telling stories, and here’s mine. Once upon a time exactly 50 years ago, there was a report about Auroville shown on French television and, quite by accident, I turned on my TV that evening to that channel!


The value of youth

Cheenu at work

On a sultry May summer’s evening, after one of its communal and tasty pizza nights, the Youth Centre (YC) premiered a documentary simply titled ‘The Youth Centre’.


My journey of perseverance and growth

Vigneshwaran

Yuvabe team member Vigneshwaran writes about striving for personal growth despite challenges posed by a flawed education system.


The Auroville Youth Integration Programme

Top from left: Viknesh, Satyavan, Ankita, Mahana, Leela, Asia, Madhu, Tenzin, Yolane, Arav. Bottom: Zohar, Namu, Gwjwn, Yam, Neha, Aurore, Gautam

A new Auroville Youth Integration programme has been developed by the YouthLink team for ‘Children of Aurovilians’ between the ages of 16 and 25.


Participants’ experiences - Auroville Youth Integration Programme (AVYI)

Auroville Youth Integration Program logo

AVYI was an amazing experience. I learnt so much more than I expected. All the organisers and participants were amazing, and I had so much fun.


Integral Youth

Youth Center Treehouse, artwork by Lucrezia Fassi

Recently, Jay Naidoo, an ex-freedom fighter from South Africa, visited Auroville and addressed an important question to the youth: “You say you are open to everyone and invite people from all over the world, but have you actually created an environment where African people can integrate into the community?”


YouthLink, my University of Life

Gwjwn

Gwjwn Daimari first heard about Auroville while he was working on his B.Sc. in Physics at Pondicherry University. He returned to his native Assam after completing his degree but came back in 2022 to explore Auroville.


An Abundance of Love

Lucrezia

Over the past seven years, Lucrezia Fassi has been involved in various youth initiatives and projects including the Youth Center, Aura App, and Disha.


Embracing the Melody of French

Nivetha

Bonjour! My name is Nivetha Narayanaswamy, and this is the story of how I came to master French. Growing up in Auroville, I never could have guessed the journey I would be taking when my father expressed his desire for one of his daughters to speak French.


Home

I came to Auroville as an angry, friendless twelve year old who refused to go barefoot and hated the red soil, the stains it left on my clothes.


Free expressions

Artwork by Gauri

Towards Auroville: A journey of dedication and resilience

Anjalai and Genevieve

Anjalai is an Aurovilian who has worked in Auroville for the last 50 years. She grew up in Kuilaypalayam and has been living in Auroville since about 2000.


Embark – come what may

Anonymous

In April word spread that Frederick was seeking personal testimonies of what drew us to and kept us living in Auroville. He wrote, “In Delhi a senior friend and supporter of Auroville asked me: ‘What brought you to India 60 years ago?’


The view from next door

V

Arun Kumar (age 24) and V. Vignesh (age 22) are both Kottakarai village youth who grew up in and around Auroville. Here they share some of their experiences and perceptions of Auroville the community, the project and the Dream.


Divine Love and Amazing Grace

14 Sehdev Kumar

Few are those from whom the Grace withdraws, but many are those who withdraw from the Grace. Sri Aurobindo


Scorching summer In May and June, the Indian Meteorological Department recorded temperatures in parts of Tamil Nadu of 2 to 3°C above normal. Temperatures were in the range 35°C to 41.5°C in the plains of north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal areas.

Unexpected rains The early weeks of May brought unexpected rains that broke all records. Normally, at this time of the year, Auroville is lucky to get a 5- or 10-minute thunder shower, which will cool off the evening and water the surface of the ground.

Leave India On June 19th, an Aurovilian who has been residing and actively contributing to the community for more than 34 years, was informed by the Foreigners Regional Registration Officer in Chennai that the Secretary, Auroville Foundation, had revoked his visa recommendation.

Monitoring plantation programmes The Auroville Botanical Garden reported that it is now involved in the scientific monitoring of their plantation programmes. Supported by the Ramco group, Ecosia, and the Franklin Foundation through a Botanical Gardens Conservation International project, they have completed the first of this year’s surveys to check the health and growth of its plantations planted in and around the bio region in colleges, schools and government compounds, as well as within the green belt areas of Auroville.

Planting a coastal forest The Auroville Botanical Garden has completed the coastal zone plantation programme of a 50 acre site, recreating a coastal forest with local plants adapted to the sandy and salt conditions.

Land purchase Two plots of lands of in total 2.2 acres, north of Certitude and bordering Prarthna community, have been bought at a cost of more than 1.77 crore per acre, resulting in a steep increase in land purchase price

New email system: @auroville.community As the security and accessibility of the @auroville.org.in email system has been compromised for a year, the Working Committee of the Residents’ Assembly (RA-WCom) has invited all Aurovilians, Newcomers and Friends of Auroville to join a new workspace and email system @auroville.community.

Residents’ Assembly Service (RAS) takeover The GB appointed Working Committee (GB-WCom) informed the community that a new Residents’ Assembly Service (RAS) has been appointed through an Office Order issued by the Office of the Secretary.

Prosperity experiment launched The GB FAMC and Prosperity Services have jointly launched a Prosperity experiment for a three month period. A group of around 100 Aurovilians and Newcomers of various nationalities, backgrounds and family situations will do a practical experiment to follow Mother’s guidelines as expressed in Her Dream.

Entry Board calls for mentors The Entry Board has called on Aurovilians to serve as mentors for Newcomers. Mentors are responsible for supporting the Newcomers by helping them integrate into the life of the Auroville community and its ideals and are the bridge between Newcomers and the Entry Secretariat and the Entry Board.

The English of Savitri XII The twelfth and concluding volume of the series The English of Savitri was released by Dr. Alok Pandey on June 4th, Shraddhavan’s birthday. The transcription of this last volume had been corrected and edited by Shraddhavan herself during her lifetime.

New Prosperity Model (Housing) The GB appointed Funds & Assets Management Committee (GB-FAMC) announced that it is proposing a new housing facility ‘Prosperity model’ “so that every working Aurovilian will be able to have a house in Auroville ''.

Auroville Safety and Security Team (AVSST) concerns The AVSST informed the community that as it did not receive any information or notice regarding the recently circulated Office Order issued by the Office of the Secretary of the Auroville Foundation, which seems to include a change of executives and team members for this service, the AVSST team will continue its work.

Alleged non-compliance with NGT judgment The Town Development Council appointed by the Residents’ Assembly (RA-TDC) informed the community that over the past months it has sent out letters to the Auroville Foundation Secretary, the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) and the GB appointed Town Development Council (GB-ATDC) regarding non-compliance with the National Green Tribunal judgment as it considers that works being done along the Crown Road and in other places in Auroville disregard the NGT judgment.

Before passing away The RA-WCom has advised all Aurovilians to plan ahead and make a living will in the event that one is unable to communicate one’s wishes when medical care is needed.

Register of Residents The accounts officer of the Auroville Foundation informed the community that the Register of Residents “will become the official central database repository that will provide linkage to all information pertaining to Auroville residents, place of work and other working groups”, and that “all persons to be entered into the Register of Residents will provide a @auroville.org.in official contact email only.

@auroville.org.in The accounts officer of the Auroville Foundation informed the community that “all residents when contacting any working groups for work related queries will use their @auroville.org.in email address in order to have a proper response and have it archived for future reference” and that “all trustees, units, services managers are to only use @auroville.org.in to correspond with other Auroville entities within Auroville or other outside entities” and that “all communication with regard to their work should be using the email address domain auroville.org.in as “this allows for proper communication and archival needs.”

Kalabhumi borewell The GB-TDC has been served a legal notice in response to its email to users of the Kalabhumi borewell, which includes the residents, the Music Studio, CRIPA hall and Aurofilm.

Alleged low quality Crown Road work In a two-page report, the RA-TDC informed the community that the Crown Road work undertaken by the CPWD as per the designs of GB-ATDC has been substandard.

Sensory garden in Deepanam school Deepanam School now has a new Sensory garden for the children to engage with nature. This initiative of Patrizia and Natascha was brought to life with help from the Auroville Botanical Gardens.


Deborah Lawlor

Deborah Lawlor

On May 2nd, Deborah Lawlor left her body in Los Angeles, California at the age of 84. Deborah and her husband Robert started Forecomers community in 1968, where, on the barren fields and baked, eroded red laterite earth, they had built two huts, one for living quarters and one for a dance and painting studio.

Volkher Eike Riech

Volkher

On May 11th, German Aurovilian Volkher Eike Riech left his body in his Mahalakshmi Home apartment. He would have been 82 in June and had been suffering from severe rheumatoid arthritis.

Mirajyoti Sobel

Mirajyoti

On June 3rd, Mirajyoti (Jyoti Sobel) left her body at her room at Arka at the age of 94. She had dual USA/French nationality. Mirajyoti had a rather eventful life, about which she wrote some years ago:

Bernd Theilmann

Bernd

On May 11th, Bernd Theilmann passed away in his home at Hermitage at the age of 74. He had been suffering from kidney failures and other physical challenges.

Jules Arindam

On May 23rd, Jules Arindam passed away at the age of 50 in JIPMER hospital where he had been taken some days earlier. Jules was born in Pondicherry in 1972 to Dawn (daughter of Dietra) and AuroArindam, who was one of the initiative takers of Auroville International.

Padmanaban Erichappan (Patha)

Patha

Patha (Padmanaban Erichappan) of Fraternity passed away at JIPMER in the morning of May 30th where he had been taken due to liver failure. He would have been 55 this year.

Gowri Raman

Gowri Raman

On June 5th, Gowri Raman of Service Farm (next to the Promesse community) passed away in JIPMER hospital due to kidney failure at the young age of 48.

Leonard Meakin

15 tony

Leonard Anthony Meakin, better known as Tony, left his body at his Sincerity apartment on June 17. He would have been 86 in a few days’ time.

David Nagel

David Nagel passed away in his Aurodam home on June 23rd. He had been struggling with health issues since a number of years, and had just this year become 80.

Mallika

On June 24th, Mallika left her body at the age of 86. Mallika (Claude Leandre) was born in French Guyana in 1936. She grew up in France, living and working there until a chance viewing of a television program featuring Auroville called her to come and join in the “adventure of consciousness”.