Auroville's monthly news magazine since 1988

Mohanam Village Heritage Centre

Svaram’s new milestone

From left: Shankar, Karthik and Aurelio

On 29th February, Svaram inaugurated its new Sound Garden at the allocated 2-acre site for its projected campus in the Industrial Zone of Auroville, in the presence of Special Guests of Honour, Thiru R.N.

Pongal celebrations

The three-day Pongal festivities began with a colourful celebration at Alankuppam on Monday, January 15, 2024. This was organised by the Mohanam Village Heritage Centre, who put on this festival every year to introduce the traditional practices of the Tamil population living in the villages surrounding Auroville to those unfamiliar with these customs.

A Tamil Youth Story

1 Madhu

I grew up in Sanjeevinagar village next to Auroville. My father worked as a builder in Auroville. My first impression of Auroville was from my father.

Bamboo tower

Mohanam and the Auroville Bamboo Centre are collaborating to create a unique helical designed 50 feet high bamboo tower as a tribute to 50 years of completion of Auroville.

In memoriam - Luise Hansen

A few weeks before her 100th birthday, Luise Hansen left her body on April 21st in Kobe, Japan. Luise, originally from Linz, Austria, had come to Pondicherry in the late sixties and had some personal darshans with The Mother.

Celebrating Tamil culture

Women running the stalls

Auroville recently hosted a two-day festival to celebrate Tamil heritage and culture, a first of this scale and vision. The brainchild of Balu from Mohanam Cultural Centre, and Meenakshi from Auroville’s Tamil Heritage Centre and Ilaignarkal School, the festival brought together artisans, performers, farmers, VIPs and visitors for festivities on Auroville land.

Village Heritage Festival and So Much More

Waiting their turn for the performance

On the weekend of Mother’s birthday, February 21-22, the Puducherry Village Heritage Festival was held in the neighbouring village of Alankuppam.

World Bamboo Day in Auroville

Participants of the Auroville World Bamboo Day in front of the prototype bamboo toilet

In 2009, the World Bamboo Congress in Thailand declared the 18th of September to be World Bamboo Day (WBD). This day is intended to raise awareness of bamboo, one of the best renewable resources, as one possibility for meeting the growing needs of our global population.