Pitanga Cultural Centre

It’s easy to overlook the bark of a tree – especially here in Auroville, where trees are everywhere and we pass them daily, often without stopping to truly see.

Set within Pitanga’s tranquil backdrop, this exhibition invites visitors to explore the interplay between natural material and artistic expression.

The first thing that strikes you about any exhibition of Priya Sundaravalli’s is the sheer fecundity and variety of her work which makes it impossible to classify her.

In February, Auroville’s Centre for Research in Performing Arts (CRIPA) – a constantly-in-use and free-to-use performance and rehearsal venue – and the Pitanga Cultural Centre, were informed by the GB-FAMC that their funding would be reduced to partial or zero support from April 1st, 2024.

Pitanga's much loved hatha yoga teacher Tatiana Tolochkova left her body in JIPMER in the first hours of the New Year. She was 54 years old.

A ceramics art exhibition by Priya Sundaravalli. Priya’s fifth pottery exhibition, set against the backdrop of the gallery space at Pitanga, was a breathtaking confluence of artistic skill and poetic sensitivity.

Sriman Kota and Anupama Jagadeesh both arrived in Auroville four years ago and happened to meet some time later at STEM Land while exploring how they could best contribute their energies and skills to Auroville.

Since the shocking events of early December, a few people have been working to transform and facilitate the trauma and emotions that were triggered.

Saraswati Helene Champaloux, an early Aurovilian, passed away on February 5th 2022 in France after a long struggle with cancer. She was 75 years old.

During the afternoon of May 17, long-term Dutch Aurovilian Nolly Senden passed away at the JIPMER hospital due to a stroke. She was 85. Nolly was temporarily residing at the Mahalakshmi Home to recover from a leg injury when she became unwell and started experiencing COVID symptoms.

Dance practices are even older than the invention of written languages. Archaeological evidence indicates that, for centuries, dance has played a major role not only as a performance art, but also as a form of storytelling and communication.

Flashback to 30 years ago: A 10 year old Auroville child comes across a haiku in a book of poems that describes the moss temple of Japan. It sounds so beautiful and the little girl imagines that this must be a place in a fairytale where everything is possible …

I left hatha yoga classes because of pain. I was doing (or rather, attempting) one of the most basic poses of hatha yoga, ardha-mukha-svana-asana (downward facing dog), and I was in pain.

Marika Clerici-Bagozzi of Samasti community passed away on June 30th at her house in Samasti at the age of 79. She had been unwell for some time.

“The subtle abstract art makes me stop in my tracks, and I stand still, quietly observing and letting the glow wash over me. There are blue and yellow hues, intermingled with crimson red and violet.

On April 20th, Francoise Arati passed away in her home country, France, after an enduring battle with cancer. She was 66 years old. Françoise was an architect by profession and active in urban affairs for years in Mayotte, just off the coast of South East Africa.

As part of Auroville’s integral approach to education, sports plays a large role in our lives. Different programmes in Cripa, Certitude, Pitanga, La Piscine, Dehashakti and New Creation Sports Ground support physical education from a young age with the aim of promoting sportsmanship as well as athleticism.

On December 15th, surrounded by friends, Ursula Mack left her body in her house in Samasti after a long period of gradual and peaceful withdrawal.

Auroville is not short of doctors and therapists. They work not only with the body but some work also with subtler levels of the being. A number of therapists work independently from home, others practise in one or more of the five major health and healing centres.

Bridget, currently the only Irish Aurovilian, has been involved in many activities. These range from town planning to village work to helping to take care of Pitanga Cultural Centre.