Matrimandir construction

Vladimir, who was living in Grace and working at the Matrimandir, passed away on 30 August at the age of 69. Vladimir was born in St Petersburg, Russia and joined Auroville in 1995.

Judith joined Auroville in 1971. Here she talks about her journey.

“Once upon a time ..” is how we begin telling stories, and here’s mine. Once upon a time exactly 50 years ago, there was a report about Auroville shown on French television and, quite by accident, I turned on my TV that evening to that channel!

Shraddhavan, the executive of Savitri Bhavan, left her body on July 19th, 2022, aged 80 years.

Born in Tunis, Tunisia, on the 4th October 1946, Bernard Borg moved in 1961 with his family to Marseille, in France, while he was still a young boy of 15.

Long term Aurovilian Menaig passed away on March 26th at the intensive care unit of the Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences due to multiple organ failure leading to cardiac shock.

Fifty years ago the Mother described her visions of the Inner Chamber of the Matrimandir. A seed was planted, a Divine impetus was sent forth… The Lotus that is the Matrimandir would soon begin its slow emergence from the deep red earth of Auroville.

Francis was one of the first settlers on the Auroville plateau. Since then, he has been involved in many activities in the community.

Gérard Maréchal, one of Auroville’s early pioneers, left his body in his Sukhavati home on January 2nd due to a fall caused by a heart failure.

In November this year, Aurovilian Dr. Mira Aster Patel, in recognition of “her invaluable contribution in developing Auroville”, was awarded the Auro Ratna award from the Overman Foundation in a ceremony in the Hall of Harmony of the Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram.

Paulette has been a particularly energetic contributor to the 50th anniversary celebrations. She has put up two photographic exhibitions and released a book.

Dominique Darr left her body on December 25th in her apartment in Citadine at the age of 84. The cause of death, most probably, was diabetic coma.

Tapas Bhatt has long been associated with supporting the arts in Auroville and, in particular, with connecting Auroville to the world and the world to Auroville through the arts.

The second part of the interview with Piero Cicionesi has been released. Both parts have been posted online and can be seen at YouTube. The interviews record for future generations the true history of the construction of the Inner Chamber, from Udar’s first drawing under the direct instructions of the Mother, to the installation of the Crystal.

On August 28th, the one hour film The Matrimandir: Honouring Piero Cinconeci (Part 1) was shown in Cinema Paradiso. The film is about Piero’s work for the Matrimandir which, say the film makers, would never have been built without his quiet and unceasing efforts, day after day, for twenty five years.

On 17th December, Prema (Adelina Intanno) passed away. She was 68 years old and had been fighting a terminal ailment for two years. Prema, who was born in Argentina, came to Auroville in 1979.

The name of Dominique Darr is indissolubly connected to the early days of Auroville. Who in Auroville doesn’t know her photo of a lone granite stone with the letters AV painted on it, marking Auroville land?

Many months of work in the merciless sun led up to two all-night concretings this summer on the cap of the Matrimandir. The cap is a protective platform that crowns the top of the structure.