General Meetings

On 18 April, the RA-WCom responded to the 11 April 2025 circular sent out by the Auroville Foundation Office. The RA-WCom noted that, once again, the Foundation Office and the groups and individuals who are recognised by them are attempting to erode the sense of community and spirit of unity by sowing confusion and fear.

Recently, as there was widespread concern about what was happening with the Matrimandir lake excavation, a task force was created at a General Meeting to prepare a design brief that would frame the aesthetic, environmental, functional and technical parameters to undertake the preparation of an alternative concept design.

The RA-WCom has invited residents for a General Meeting in Kalabhumi on April 30th, regarding formulating draft regulations about the constitution and function of the Town Development Council (TDC).

The ERC, which has been meeting on a weekly basis since its formation in January 2024, reported that a positive and harmonious group dynamic has been established and that the group has focused on studying the Exit Review Policy which was drafted a few years ago but which was never approved by the RA.

In our July issue, we reported on recent developments on the site of the Matrimandir lake. These included the excavation of section two of the lake, which will be 250 metres long, more than twice the length of the existing test lake.

Since our last issue, which focused upon the controversy over the manifestation of the Crown, there have been significant developments and activities regarding this topic.

A year ago, in February 2020, there was an attempt to survey a route through the Youth Centre and Bliss forest for the laying of a High Tension cable.

The term ‘community’ is used in a very loose way in Auroville. Sometimes it refers to the settlement where people live, sometimes to national sub-groups, sometimes to the residents as a whole, and sometimes to an idealistic or occult aspect of Auroville.

Many residents have come to know Sathish Arumugam through his work with the Residents Assembly Service (RAS) and his recent chairing of General Meetings.

Some time ago the Residents Assembly Service received a petition signed by 93 residents calling for a Residents Assembly to discuss and decide on the next steps for choosing the manner in which members for Auroville working groups are selected.

Shortly after a General Meeting held on the topic of these Regulations on 12th April, 2019, the Working Committee updated the Governing Board about this meeting and informed the Board about a section in the Form I of the 2019 Regulations stating that “[...]

I am now 28, born and brought up as a third generation in Auroville. My grandparents are of Indian (Kuilaypalayam) and European (Dutch/German) background... my grandparents having worked for Auroville at its very start.

I have been in Auroville for 20 years since the age of 10. I worked as a teacher in Future School, a writer for the Auroville Today and Auroville Village Action Group, and served a term in the Working Committee.

Looking at some of the old issues of Auroville Today, it’s fascinating to see how some of the articles could have been written just last week.

On February 28th 2018, Auroville will celebrate the anniversary of its 50th year. The occasion presents an unprecedented opportunity to honour the birth and vision of Auroville, to increase the recognition of its relevance for India and the world, to attract people of all ages from India and abroad to visit Auroville and participate in the events, and to document and share its journey of 50 years.

On September 23, 2017, a revised Entry Policy was ratified by the Residents Assembly. Of the 222 Residents who participated in the decision-making process, 85% agreed with the new policy.

The last several months have seen a major churn in the Entry Service with heated policy debates, multiple General Meetings and frequent team turnover.

On the 3rd of March this year, Varuna presented their plans for a solar energy plant in a General Meeting (GM). Auroville Today reports on the meeting and looks at the wider issue of solar power in Auroville.

Alain Bernard first came to Auroville in 1972. Since then, he has been involved in many key areas, including the economy, education, the Press and, most recently, Village Action and the Sustainable Livelihood Institute.

Food is very much in the news these days. Recently, the Joy of Learning team presented two sessions on farming in Auroville, where the issue of Aurovilians’ food tastes, and how this impacts the farmers by determining what and how much organic food they grow, was an important topic.

The Residents’ Assembly Service (RAS) facilitates the decision-making process of the Residents’ Assembly (RA). The current team is the third since it was set up.

Auroville is created to realize the ideal of Sri Aurobindo who taught us the Karma Yoga. Auroville is for those who want to do the Yoga of work.

After a delay of more than a year, the Auroville community has finally managed to select the members of a new Working Committee.

Dear Editors, Auroville Today is really bright – thanks for it.