AuroOrchard farm

The relocation of Jasmin and Aravinda's house in AuroOrchard has at last been completed after a series of technical challenges. The move was necessitated by the AVFO’s land exchange in November 2023 that placed their residence as well as several major and vital infrastructures of AuroOrchard on the property now claimed by a new landowner.

On November 11th, an article in the Times of India mentioned that the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (All India Anna Dravidian Progressive Federation - AIADMK), currently the main opposition party in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, which has great influence in the state of Tamil Nadu and the union territory of Puducherry, demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), India's primary domestic crime-investigating agency, into the alleged irregularities in land exchanges at Auroville.

In light of an interview published in Auroville Today’s October issue that presented a perspective on Auroville’s current governance situation, we feel it necessary to offer a different view that more accurately reflects the experiences and concerns of many in our community.

Anshul joined Auroville in 2019 and works at AuroOrchard. His journey with farming started in Auroville ten years ago with his intention to grow his own food.

The RA-WCom informed the community that a critical situation has been unfolding at Auro Orchard. On 18th July, employees of the buyer closed fences, cutting off access to the home of two residents and members of the farm.

In the beginning of May, the Auroville farmers published a report in the community edition of the Auroville News and Notes questioning the results of the imposition of the fruit harvest auction by the Auroville Foundation Office (AVFO).

“Enhance Auroville food production to meet the needs of Auroville...” – View point of the Governing Board as recorded in the minutes of the 57th meeting.

Land exchange is very much in the news at present, with Auroville land being exchanged for privately-owned land in AuroOrchard and mooted as a possibility in places like Forecomers and Pebble Garden.

The Working Committee of the Residents’ Assembly (RA-WCom) has sent its concerns and a rebuttal of the recent land exchange involving Auro Orchard land to the Governing Board and the International Advisory Council.

On November 29th, the AVFO Working Committee shared a letter received from the Special Officer of the Auroville Foundation which stated that the Foundation has exchanged 10 acres of unutilised land in the Auro Orchard and Hope communities for 15 acres of land owned by a private developer in the city and greenbelt area.

The 5th Tamil Nadu Young Thinkers Meet was organised between 3rd and 5th November in Auroville’s Savitri Bhavan. The community was not informed of this closed event.

Manoj Pavithran is an integral yoga practitioner, educator and filmmaker. He was drawn to Sri Aurobindo in 1989 and eventually joined Auroville in 1995.

Auroville’s Centre d’Art in Citadines hosted two photography exhibitions concurrently in October, with photographs by Auroville’s Eric Chacra and Chennai-based photographer Arun.

By all accounts, the new Secretary of the Auroville Foundation, Dr. Jayanti Ravi, has shown remarkable zeal and persistence in trying to resolve long pending issues.

What does Auroville represent to its immediate neighbours? To the average person in Pondicherry? To the average tourist? Despite it being a popular sightseeing destination on the Pondicherry itinerary, how is this town and its inhabitants viewed and understood by many Indians?

Money, in any of its forms, stipulates a hierarchy of values, which creates separations between people as well as between humanity and the environment.

As early as August 1970, the Administrative Committee of Auroville, which reported to The Mother, agreed that Auroville, like the Ashram, would have a poultry farm.

Manas discovers in Auroville the educational experiment he dreamed of years ago.

Under this programme, over the past eight years 122 young German volunteers have come to work in Auroville, generally for a period of one year.

Jeff has been managing Discipline Farm for the past 23 years. He is also a coordinator of the Auroville Farm Group. Here he talks about the particularity of Auroville farming, the challenges facing our farmers and how they can be overcome.

Auro-Orchard, one of Auroville’s biggest farms, took the decision to go organic in October 2012. How have they done? And how optimistic are they about the future of food production in Auroville?

Auroville has a few farms and communities that keep chickens ‘the natural way’. The largest is AuroOrchard, which is supplying approximately 5,000 eggs a week.