Auroville's monthly news magazine since 1988
Sept 2025 (1 month ago) Subscribers-only download Download PDF
A long read — Written by Carel
On 13 August, the managers of Annapurna Farm received an email signed by three working groups constituted by the Governing Board – the Funds and Assets Management Committee, L’Avenir d’Auroville (Auroville’s Town Development Council) and the Farm Service – stating: “It has been decided to allocate 100 acres of Auroville land at Annapurna for the IIT [Indian Institute of Technology, eds.] Sustainability Campus project. Consequently, Annapurna Farm will need to relocate its operations to the western portion of the land parcel, comprising approximately 34 acres.” Six days later, the managers were verbally informed that there had been a change of plans: the entire 135-acre farm would now be required for the IIT project, and Annapurna would need to relocate to somewhere in the Auroville Green Belt, to be added on to an existing, struggling Auroville farm.
In discussion with Dr Karan Singh — Conversation led by Carel
On 14 August Dr. Karan Singh, who has been Chairman of the Governing Board of the Auroville Foundation for more than 20 years, briefly visited Auroville. The day before, he met with a small group of Auroville residents on the terrace of the bungalow of the Ashok Beach Resort hotel in Pondicherry, during which he agreed to give Auroville Today an interview at his residence in New Delhi on a later date.
In discussion with Amrit (Howard Iriyama) — Conversation led by Carel
In 2018, Amrit published ‘Children of Change’, a memoir recounting his early life and the difficult years in Auroville when he and others chose not to take sides in the bitter conflict between the Sri Aurobindo Society (SAS) and the then-dominant Auroville collective. Branded as “neutrals”, they faced hostility, ostracism, and sustained disrespect. In this conversation, Amrit reflects on how today’s challenges mirror those past experiences and whether Auroville is facing the weight of its collective karma. He also proposes a way of healing.
In discussion with Chali — Conversation led by Carel
Chali reflects on the fractures within Auroville and on the possibilities of restoration.
In discussion with Deven — Conversation led by Alan
Heartweaving is quietly bringing together Aurovilians with different perspectives to manifest possible ways forward through sustained inner work.
In discussion with Dan Capdeville and Svenja — Conversation led by Alan
In October 2024 we interviewed Dan Capdeville who launched the “Seeking Our Inner Being” project in January of that year. Now, one and a half years later, he has decided to formally close it down. What was the purpose of the project, what did it achieve, why is it being terminated, and what are the next steps envisaged by Dan and his partner, Svenja, who participated in the running of the project?
A look at the exhibition — Story by Alan
Auroville has a striking new art gallery – Maji. Located in the compound of Maroma, which is sponsoring the initiative, the first exhibition, ‘Petals’, opened in February 2025 and featured artists from the project’s first ceramics residency. The second show, ‘Touching the Sublime’, opened on 14 July, and featured artists from Auroville and Pondicherry. As the curator, Supriya Menon Meneghetti, put it, “the exhibition brings together diverse artistic voices rooted in sustainability, spiritual inquiry, and cultural harmony”.
John Mandeen passed away just over a year ago. John was a photographer who worked for many years with the Ashram Press, but he also extensively documented life in Auroville from the early 1980s, including important stages in the construction of the Matrimandir. Recently, Centre d’Art staged an exhibition of the photos he took in Auroville between 1980–2020. Titled ‘Capturing Life’, they showcased his purity of line and composition—for he was a perfectionist—as well as his ability to capture what Henri Cartier-Bresson, one of his inspirations, termed the “decisive moment”, that instant when everything in a scene momentarily coheres to create something magically memorable. John’s integrity and his ability to capture such moments on film make his photos an invaluable archive not only of the physical developments but, above all, of the spirit of those earlier Auroville years.
VIP visits Lt General Dhiraj Singh, General Officer Commander-in-Chief, Southern Command of the Indian Army, visited Auroville on 17 August and interacted with the Secretary, Auroville Foundation, and other Auroville representatives...
Save Annapurna Farm petition A petition calling upon local authorities and decision-makers to save Annapurna Farm from conversion to an IIT campus in an ‘unjust transformation’ had received 13,780 signatures in support by 30 August...
A4A stepping into its 12th Year Acres for Auroville reminded purchase lands for Auroville...
Request to stop land exchanges Through a 12-page letter to the Prime Minister and Minister of Education of India dated 31 July, Shri R Sarvesh Kumar, General Secretary Namo Peravai, Tamil Nadu, drew attention to large losses suffered by Auroville in recent land exchanges...
Discipline lands lost The Discipline community has lost 2...
Legal updates The Working Committee constituted by the Residents’ Assembly informed the community that the case concerning the Admission and Termination Regulations (published by the Secretary in the Gazette of India in January 2024) was heard in the Madras High Court on 31 July, in front of a Divisional (Appeal) Bench...
Matrimandir progress The August 2025 Newsletter of the Matrimandir highlights the work done in the Garden of Bliss, where the five bowl-shaped fountains are being illuminated, and the work for manifesting the Garden of Youth is underway...
Road diversion To enable the development of the Western portion of the Matrimandir Lake the road between the Matrimandir viewing point entrance and Town Hall has been closed from 4 August...
Master Plan implementation L’Avenir d’Auroville, Auroville’s Town Planning Council constituted by the Governing Board, informed the community that it is “taking decisive steps in the implementation of the Auroville Master Plan, which has been extended [by the Governing Board] to 2035 to allow for the complete realisation of the township as originally envisaged”...
Auroville Tomorrow On 20 August, the community was informed through mass bulletin that the last five issues of Auroville Tomorrow, a newsletter published under the Auroville Media Interface of the Auroville Foundation and focusing on Auroville’s life, activities, developments, and present and future projects, are now accessible...
Dalai Lama and Auroville exhibition On the occasion of the 90th Birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Pavilion of Tibetan Culture presented an exhibition on “Dalai Lama and Auroville—Three Memorable Visits (1973, 1993 & 2009)”...
Film Premiere: Sri Aurobindo - A Call to New India The premiere of the 12-minute animation film Sri Aurobindo: A Call to New India, dedicated to sharing Sri Aurobindo’s transformative vision with young people across the world, took place at Cinema Paradiso on 15 August...
Dominique Darr Grant exhibition The Dominique Darr Grant was launched this year to enable young photographers to exhib at Centre d’Art...
Audiobook rendition of The Life Divine PRISMA announced in its August 2025 Newsletter that in collaboration with many people and with Auroville Radio, it has released an audio version of the first 15 chapters of Book One of Sri Aurobindo’s Magnum Opus The Life Divine...
Auroville Dog Shelter update The Auroville Dog Shelter has warned that rabies continues to be present in the Auroville area...
69th Governing Board meeting further updates In the last Auroville Today, we reported that the 69th Governing Board meeting had taken place and we noted some of the major decisions which had been taken...
Remembering
Ricardo Martinez Delgado (New Creation) left his body on 26 July in Paris. He was 71. He will be remembered as a fine healer in kinesiology, joyfully serving the Spirit of Auroville.
Conductor and composer Eugeen Liven d’Abelardo passed away in Laren, the Netherlands on 18 August at the age of 75. Along with his impressive musical career, he was also known to be an enjoyer of life.
Colleen, partner of Jean from Two Banyans passed away at Marika home in Samasti, on 26 August.
Vijay (Vittorio Gresele) passed away on 30 August at his home in Baraka.
Nadine Fabret passed away in France on 7 August 2025 at the age of 59. A valued member of the Sve Dame community and a unique spirit, she could be warmly social yet also deeply comfortable in her own company. She was a strong woman with a big, infectious laugh, which she shared with all who knew her. Nadine cared passionately about learning. In recent years, she shared her gifts by teaching French at Transition School and lending her support in the school library. She also brought healing and care to the Auroville community through shiatsu sessions and hypnotherapy. A funeral service to honor her life was held on 14 August in Vidauban, France.
