World history

“What to make of French writers, who, to stay on the right side of the occupation authorities, decide to write about anything but the one thing all French people are thinking about, or worse still, who, out of cowardice, bolster the occupants’ plan to make it appear as though everything in France continues as it did before?”

The traditional origins of Tibetan medicine stretch back three thousand years.

Jay Naidoo, former leader in the South African struggle against apartheid, and former minister responsible for Reconstruction and Development in the country’s first democratic government, where he worked closely with Nelson Mandela, recently visited Auroville.

On 26th February, there was an informal community gathering with the South African activist and former minister, Jay Naidoo, in the Unity Pavilion.

The Mother’s stay in Japan between 1916–1920 was not only of profound importance for her spiritual explorations, but might also have had a big influence upon the development of Auroville.

Debashish Banerji is Haridas Chaudhuri Professor of Indian Philosophy and Culture and Doshi Professor of Asian Art at the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS).

In September 2017, the Chinese Ambassador to India Mr. Luo Zhaohui visited Auroville and the Sri Aurobindo Ashram. Addressing a gathering at the 68th anniversary celebrations of the People’s Republic of China at New Delhi soon after his visits, Ambassador Zhaohui remembered Hu Hsu.

Roger Harris was a founding member of Auroville Today and for many years attended its weekly meetings. It was an interesting experience for all of us.

Interestingly, when the French soldiers of the “Garde Républicaine” carried away the coffin bearing the mortal remains of Mrs. Simone Veil, the Holocaust survivor, they chanted a German song: Das Lied der Moorsoldaten.

Did you ever notice that the island of Sri Lanka was included (with Pakistan, Bangladesh and Burma) in the map of the “true India” that the Mother once drew?

François Gautier has lived in Auroville since 1969. He works in Pour Tous, teaches at school and assists with the childrens’ sports programme.