Auroville's monthly news magazine since 1988
Sept 2024 (13 months ago) Download PDF (free download)
Feature — Story by Carel
The gradual erosion of the Tamil Nadu coast is a well-known phenomenon. Erosion happens when the shoreline is worn away by the movement of sand and waves. In Tamil Nadu, for about eight months, the wind and the sea current flow from the south to the north, carrying sand along with them. During the northeast monsoon, for about four months, they reverse their direction.
A Q&A with Torkil — In dialogue with Alan
Torkil Dantzer joined Auroville in 2010. In 2011 he created the woodworking unit Prakrit after Cyclone Thane to create value from the fallen trees. With a background in economics and development, he has also been part of groups which have explored ways in which the Auroville economy can be strengthened.
Feature — Story by Matthew Andrews
I first visited Auroville in 2000 as a student in the Living Routes programme. After I came home, Auroville lived inside me. I dreamed about it and imagined myself there, but I didn’t go back for 13 years. In 2013 I had a sudden inner calling, an immediate need to be there and touch the earth, eat the food, drink the water, and breathe the air. I saw The Mother’s face and felt her presence calling me.
Feature — Story by Julietta
It is 10 am and I hear the joyful pitter-patter of toddlers running for their snacks. I am not at Summer Camp, but it feels like I’m on holiday, nevertheless. I am at the Auroville Pre-crѐche and tea is ready to be served.
A thoughtful note — Reported by Maël
In the magical city of Auroville, there lived a boy named Surya. He loved his home, with its lush forests, colourful buildings, and friendly people from all over the world. But lately, things weren’t quite right in Auroville.
On art and form — Written by Alan
Hufreesh has had many exhibitions of her work in Auroville, but perhaps this is the most evocative so far. The paintings, in their swirling lines and simple colours, seem to strip away surface inessentials to reveal something deeper, something more inwardly ‘vibratory’ than the simply pictorial.
Feature
On Sri Aurobindo's birthday, August 15th, the Garden of Light, one of the twelve gardens of the Matrimandir, was declared open for all.
Slew of complaints referred to investigation agencies The newspaper The Hindu reported on August 7th that the Minister of State for Education, Shri Sukanta Majumdar, replying in Parliament to a set of questions about Auroville, had said that the Central Government has referred a range of complaints, including dubious land exchanges, encroachment, cybercrime and money laundering in Auroville, to the appropriate bodies / agencies...
No news about new Secretary No news has been communicated to the Auroville community about who will replace the former Secretary to the Auroville Foundation, Dr...
Governing Board minutes The minutes of the 67th meeting of the Governing Board held on May 31st have still not been published...
RA-WCOM objects to Auroville services reorganisation The Working Committee appointed by the Residents’ Assembly (RA-WCom) informed the community that it had written to the Governing Board objecting to the reorganisation of Auroville service structure without proper consultation...
Rabies outbreak The rescue team of the Auroville Dog Shelter caught inside Transition School a black female dog that acted extremely aggressively and displayed signs of a possible rabies infection...
Accommodation for 1000 beds The RA-WCom informed the community that the 100 crore loan request to the Indian Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) for the Governing Board’s proposal to build 1,000 beds had not been approved by the Ministry of Education...
Free Service by Pour Tous Water Pour Tous Water (PTW) has become a free service, following the decision made by the Residents’ Assembly in January 2014...
RA News & Notes calls for support The Residents’ Assembly News & Notes editors reached out to the community as the community edition of the News & Notes (aka RA News & Notes) is in financial difficulties and needs help...
A tribute to
Agia Ram Lamba, the father of former Working Committee member Hemant Lamba, passed away in his house in Aurodam community on August 2nd. He was 87 years old.
Danielle de Diesbach, a friend of Auroville who for more than 20 years has been coming to Auroville for six months a year, left her body on the night of August 18th in her home in the south of France. Danielle had made the Center Guesthouse her second home, each time leaving a few more bags for ‘the next time’. In France she had been working as a photographer and in the fashion industry. It was during one of her trips to Pondicherry that Danielle came across the Auroville Boutique. She asked to meet the designers who made the clothes. And that was how the Auroville virus took hold of her. Her passion for the people she photographed and talked with led her to making documentaries, such as ‘Conversations with Death’, ‘What you contribute to Auroville’, ‘What you will say to Newcomers’, ‘Diversity and Unity’, and ‘Women's Day’, which are now all available on YouTube.
Yuval (Govert Jan van den Eijk) left his body on August 25 at the age of 77, at the Mahalakshmi Home for the elderly, surrounded by members of his family. Yuval came to Auroville from the Netherlands as a volunteer and joined Auroville in 2008. He lived in Utility and, lately, at the Mahalakshmi Home. At heart, Yuval was first and foremost a pioneering adventurer. Born in the Netherlands, he embarked on his first adventure at the age of 19, when he left for Israel, later moving to Egypt, Copenhagen and Istanbul and finally coming to Auroville in 2004. Yuval contributed to many projects around Auroville but was best known for his work in the field of Family Constellations, where his intuitive and humble way helped people reach deep realisations. As Yuval struggled with Parkinson's disease in the last years, his optimism and positive outlook were an inspiration to others around him. He was loved and respected by many and the outpouring of appreciation and love has been overwhelming. Yuval’s remains were buried at the Auroville burial grounds on August 29th.
Kuppammal, a long-time resident of the Grace Community, passed away on August 3rd. She had been living and working at the Grace Community for over 40 years along with her husband, Janarthanan. She was 62 years old. Kuppammal’s remains were cremated at Aprampet village the next day.
