Puducherry: “Auroville belongs to nobody in particular. Auroville will be the place of unending education, of constant progress, a youth that never ages. Auroville wants to be the bridge between the past and the future. Auroville will be a site of material and spiritual researches for a living embodiment of an actual Human Unity.”, Auroville Chapter 1968.
Auroville, the “City of Dawn”, an experiential spiritual community set up with the objective of human unity celebrates its 50th anniversary this February when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to join the celebrations.
Auroville, which celebrates 50 years of its founding on February 28, 1968, sees the occasion as presenting “an unprecedented opportunity to honour the birth and vision of Auroville, to increase the recognition of its relevance for India and the world, to attract people of all ages from India and abroad to visit Auroville and participate in the events, and to document and share its journey of 50 years.”
A look at its history
Mirra Alfassa (born Blanche Rachel Mirra Alfassa), known to her followers as ‘The Mother’, the founder of Auroville, was the spiritual partner of Aurobindo, philosopher, yogi, guru and a leader of the independence movement.
The concept of Auroville - an ideal township devoted to an experiment in human unity - came to the mother as early as the 1930s, says the official website.
In the mid 1960s the concept was developed and put before the government of India.
UNESCO passed a unanimous resolution commending it as a project of importance to the future of humanity, thereby giving their full encouragement.
On February 28, 1968 some 5,000 people assembled near the banyan tree at the centre of the future township for an inauguration ceremony attended by representatives of 124 nations, including all the States of India. The representatives brought with them some soil from their homeland, to be mixed in a white marble-clad, lotus-shaped urn, (Matir Mandir) now sited at the focal point of the amphitheatre.
At the same time the Mother gave Auroville its 4-point chapter that was read out in multiple languages, which remains the guiding philosophy for Aurovilians “in their daily life, in policy development, and in decisions, big and small.”
In September 1988, the Government of India protected Auroville by passing a unique Act of Parliament, the Auroville Foundation Act, 1988 The Auroville Foundation came into existence in January 1991.
The assets of Auroville were vested in the Foundation on 1st April , 1992. The soul of Auroville is Matrimandir, a large golden sphere which seems to be emerging out of the earth, symbolising the birth.
The population of the area currently stands at around 2,700 people, of whom approx one-third are Indian.
The residents include writers, artists, painters, engineers, designers, thinkers, and world-class chefs. There is ceaseless experimentation in technology, engineering, and alternative commerce, energy, and organic farming at Auroville.
PM likely to join celebrations
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to visit Auroville in February in connection with the golden jubilee celebrations of the universal township. Lt Governor Kiran Bedi on Saturday said that Puducherry Chief Secretary Ashwani Kumar, who is in Delhi, would hold discussions with the Prime Minister’s office to finalize the date.
As the golden jubilee of its formation draws near, Auroville has chalked out a series of local, national and international events to celebrate the occasion since November last year. An Auroville release says that residents and well-wishers worldwide have begun to plan and organise events and activities around the theme of Auroville’s raison d’etre.
An update meeting held at Bharat Nivas in Auroville on December 29 had decided to conduct ‘Water Cerem-ony’ at the Matrimandir on February 28, echoing the earth ceremony at Auroville’s inauguration, 50 years ago to the day, in 1968.
Joining the waters of Auroville with those of India and our international community, this ceremony will be a symbolic expression of human unity, as well as a prayer for water for everyone, everywhere, an official communication said.
The proposed ‘Auro Sangamam’ festival would be the biggest ever gathering of the neighbours from the bioregion inside Auroville, as 5,000 to 6,000 people are expected to attend this day of celebration at the old football field. , ‘The Bridge’ a week-long programme of events would be organised by Aurovilian youths in which 20 international researchers and practitioners in various fields to visit and to share and exchange ideas with their peers in Auroville.
Bridging concepts such as the old and the new, the inner and the outer, eastern and western, this interdisciplinary series of events is designed to bring forth new ideas for humanity as a whole, from February 22 to 27.
‘Fifty years of Auroville’ an exhibition showing the journey of Auroville over the years would be held at Pitanga in Auroville from February 9 to 24. Other events include complete and continoud reading of Sri Aurobindo’s ‘ Savitri ‘ on February 19 at Savitri Bhavan , divine flower show, inauguration of European house at Auroville on February 17.
Auroville hosted several events in the national capital also to celebrate the golden jubilee of the founding of Auroville namely exhibitions, panel discussions, display and sale of products, talks by eminent personalities and offering of delicious cuisine
“The programme is yet to be finalised. The discussions are on. The golden jubilee celebration would be the biggest ever gathering to spread the spirit of Auroville,” an Aurovillian said.
