Auroville's monthly news magazine since 1988

Issue Nº427

Feb 2025 (9 months ago)
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Editorial

Editorial

Over the past three years, Auroville Today has reported extensively about the changes brought about by the new Governing Board and its Secretary, in collaboration with Aurovilians who were frustrated by the pace of Auroville’s development.

Auroville in crisis: The way forward

Feature, By Peter

Bay of Bengal at dawn

“In this as in all great human aspirations and endeavours, an a priori declaration of impossibility is a sign of ignorance and weakness. For by the doing the difficulty will be solved.”

Time for integration?

An interview with Divakar, By Alan

Recently longtime Aurovilian Divakar circulated a paper entitled ‘Auroville and its destinies’ in which he suggested a possible way forward which seeks to integrate the present reality as a way of continuing our collective progress.

Bhumilucis: earth, spirit & Auroville youth

Art review, By Chandra

Mandala made by the children

Aurodeva is an artist and art therapist born and raised in Auroville whose work displays a rich blend of creativity, introspection, and connection to his roots.

Priya’s “Inner Landscapes”

Art review, By Alan

Dragon Play, glazed ceramic tile painting, 140 x 60 cm

The first thing that strikes you about any exhibition of Priya Sundaravalli’s is the sheer fecundity and variety of her work which makes it impossible to classify her.

Brushstrokes of belonging

An interview with Nathalie, By Chandra

Nathalie

Born in Paris, Nathalie grew up surrounded by the evocative scents of her grandfather’s painting studio. At the age of seven, her life took a profound turn when her family moved to India, eventually settling in Auroville.

Commemorating the second caravan

Feature, By Alan

Departure from Paris on 10-10-1974

Last December, there was a photographic exhibition in the Tibetan Pavilion which celebrated the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the second caravan in Auroville.

AVFO enters new agreements without RA involvement The Auroville Foundation Office (AVFO) continues to enter into institutional agreements without consulting or informing the Residents' Assembly (RA).

Gross negligence in urban planning alleged On January 10, the members of L’Avenir d’Auroville, the Town Planning Council appointed by the Residents’ Assembly (RA-TDC), informed the community that it had sent a letter to high government officials addressing critical concerns about ongoing developments in the Auroville project area.

GB-WCom membership questioned The membership of the Working Committee approved by the Governing Board (GB-WCom) continues to be questioned. An email from the GB-WCom dated January 2, 2025, welcoming Newcomers and Volunteers and inviting them to weekly sessions on “Auroville the Dream”, was signed by six ‘members’, including one member who had publicly announced her resignation a few months ago.

Road construction update Road construction continues across Auroville, with at least 9 sections of road currently being built. Most of the construction work is being completed by CPWD; Michael Bonke’s team is building one section of the Crown, which starts at Savitri Bhavan and goes towards the PTDC.

Report on Darkali bridge construction A detailed evaluation report published in November 2024 by Satprem Maïni, Director of the Auroville Earth Institute, highlighted several concerns regarding the ongoing construction of a bridge at Darkali for the Crown Road project.

GB-FAMC halts allocation of some donations The GB-FAMC has recently halted the transfer of some donations received by Auroville to the beneficiaries, in some cases stating that “there are few concerns that should be clarified with you, based on proven feedback.”

Evergreen Land Situation Following a court ruling of the Tindivanam court on October 25th, the disputed land area bordering Evergreen community which had been in Auroville's peaceful possession for over 32 years has now been cleared of all vegetation.

Gratitude farm project terminated early The Auroville Farm Group reported that the Gratitude experimental Demo Farm project, launched in October 2022 by the GB-FAMC as a two-year initiative to develop natural precision farming methods in Auroville, for which half an acre was set apart and which was developed by a few non-Aurovilians with a subsidy from the Auroville Foundation of 4.75 lakhs [see AVToday # 399 of October 2022], has been abruptly terminated after 1.5 years and that its half-acre of land was handed back to the GB-FAMC.