Auroville

Overview

Auroville is an experimental universal township in South India, located mainly in the Viluppuram district of Tamil Nadu, with parts extending into the union territory of Puducherry. It was founded in 1968 with the aim of realising human unity and creating a community where people of all countries could live together in peace and progressive harmony, transcending creed, politics and nationality. Auroville draws inspiration from the spiritual philosophy of Sri Aurobindo and was conceived by Mirra Alfassa, known as "the Mother", a close collaborator of Sri Aurobindo at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Puducherry.

Key facts

Background

The idea of a universal town was articulated by Mirra Alfassa during the 1960s, building upon Sri Aurobindo's vision of an evolutionary spirituality and integral yoga. The project received international attention when UNESCO, in 1966, passed a resolution commending the project and inviting member states and international non-governmental organisations to participate in its development. Subsequent resolutions in 1968, 1970 and 1983 reaffirmed this support.

The township was planned on the model of a "galaxy", with concentric zones designed by the French architect Roger Anger, who served as the chief architect. The four functional zones around the central area are the Residential Zone, the Industrial Zone, the Cultural Zone and the International Zone, surrounded by a Green Belt intended for ecological regeneration, organic farming and forestry.

Inauguration and the charter

Auroville was inaugurated on 28 February 1968 in a ceremony attended by representatives of 124 nations and all the states of India, who placed a handful of soil from their respective regions in a lotus-shaped marble urn that stands near the Matrimandir. On the same day, the Mother gave the Auroville Charter, a four-point text which describes the township as belonging to nobody in particular but to humanity as a whole, and as a place of unending education, constant progress and material and spiritual research.

Matrimandir

At the centre of the township is the Matrimandir, a large spherical structure clad in golden discs, conceived by the Mother as a place for individual concentration. Construction began in 1971 and the inner chamber was inaugurated in 2008. The Matrimandir is surrounded by twelve gardens and a banyan tree that marks the geographic centre of Auroville.

Governance

Until 1988, Auroville was administered by the Sri Aurobindo Society, which had been associated with the project since its inception. Following disputes over administration, the Government of India enacted the Auroville (Emergency Provisions) Act, 1980, taking over management of the township. This was succeeded by the Auroville Foundation Act, 1988, which created a statutory body, the Auroville Foundation, to hold its assets and oversee its functioning. The Foundation has three authorities: the Governing Board, the International Advisory Council and the Residents' Assembly. It functions under the Ministry of Education of the Government of India.

Population and community

Auroville is home to residents drawn from a wide range of nationalities, alongside a substantial Indian population. Residents are referred to as Aurovilians, and the community engages in activities ranging from afforestation, organic agriculture and renewable energy to education, handicrafts, architecture, information technology and the arts. The Bharat Nivas pavilion in the International Zone represents India, and several other countries have established or planned national pavilions.

Ecology and afforestation

The land on which Auroville stands was a largely barren, eroded plateau when the project began. Over the decades, residents have planted millions of trees, restored the local Tropical Dry Evergreen Forest ecosystem and developed water-harvesting structures. Auroville's experiments in sustainable living, appropriate technology, soil and water conservation, and renewable energy have drawn researchers and practitioners from across India and abroad.

Education and research

Auroville hosts a number of schools and learning centres practising integral education, as well as institutions in fields such as architecture