What is Auroville?

   Auroville is the community where I am staying and volunteering, in the region of Tamil Nadu in Southern India. It is known as the “City of Human Unity” which is the epitome of community. There are over 35 countries represented in this entirely unique part of India.

    What makes Auroville such a community amidst such diversity? That is part of the magic I am still trying to figure out. During one of our Skype sessions with Jacquee (UW Student), Sathiya, and Shanthi (both teachers at Aikiyam) I heard a definition of community that has become quite real. The idea of togetherness is a repeated theme: eating together, sharing, meeting together, teaching and learning together. Students working with teachers, teachers working with teachers, and teachers working with students is commonplace at this school. Teachers and students and volunteers have snacks (and tea for the adults) together everyday for half an hour. Many teachers eat lunch beside students at the same time each day. Rajaveni, the woman who owns our caretaker, recently echoed the importance of eating together. She prepares us breakfast each morning, with breads with fresh butters and jams, fresh fruits (papaya, tiny bananas that are so sweet, guava, apples, and mangos), porridge, and eggs or cheese), whether or not we’re “hungry.” One night Jean, Alia, and I had ordered pizza delivery. We asked if she’d like any and said no, that she wasn’t hungry due to having a big lunch. The next night, Ravaveni was cooking and asked what we were having for dinner. We commented that we had left over pizza and some other snacks, and she insisted that we eat what she was making. After trying to explain that we did not want her to work harder, she said that she feels bad that she cannot eat with us because the pizza we ordered was too overpriced. She asked if we could just contribute to the protein (that night it was fish freshly caught in Auroville), not the ingredients or vegetables, and have dinner with her, which we of course agreed (quite thrillingly). It was important to her that we share food together; have that time to talk and share. At Rajaveni’s house, it’s uncommon for family members and relatives NOT to drop by unannounced upon which more food is plated and shared. Her brother-n-law and sister-in-law and nephews (I think) stopped by to have some of the fish and side dishes on this night. The generosity and togetherness exemplified by the people of Auroville warms my heart. Aurovillians are not trying to nickel and dime foreigners , but to welcome them into their community and build friendships.

   Just in the little time I have spent at Aikiyam School in Auroville (Aikiyam means unity), I can see the diversity of Auroville come to life, although not always in the students. Most everyone speaks Tamil, is learning or has learned English, and many another language. The staff has come from all over India and/or other parts of the world. Many people have moved to Auroville and applied for citizen ship because of the philosophies and principles it was founded on still thrives on.  While visiting an Aurovillian grocery store, Pourtouse,  Jean and I met a woman from California who had moved to Auroville after 9/11 to escape what she referenced as corruption. I believe she said something like: “People still haven’t woken up, huh?” in regards to the fact that most Americans have not up and left. Many others, like B, from the American Pavillion, moved to Auroville from the U.S. too; and others from their home countries, including Australia, Germany, or Tibet. I can see how the uniqueness and spirituality of the city has drawn many permanent residents.

Skype!

   The city Auroville was founded in 1968 and is named after Sri Aurobindo, who was a renowned philosopher and political activist during India’s movement toward revolution and freedom. His teachings and philosophies, as well as those by The Mother, are the veins that run to the heart of the city and its people.

Rocket bathroom

    Auroville is also known as a “laboratory fro the planet” and is known throughout the world for it’s renewable energy, recycling efforts, building technologies,  soil and water conservation, and dedication to local Aurovillian farming, fishing, and businesses. I have seen this all over: in the architecture, the food, the culture. For example, the architecture and construction of the buildings at Aikiyam are shaped in such a way that pulls the heat out and away from the classroom. The roof extends out over the walls of the room and there is an opening (which looks like a moon roof with a hat) that allows the rising heat to escape. Openings in the walls allow fresh air to come in, air constantly cycling through. Despite it being in the mid- to upper-nineties, working in the classrooms is quite comfortable at Aikiyam. The American Pavillion shined another light on the environmental suaveness of Auroville. The structures were made from all recycled and renewable materials including solar panels, petrol pipes, soy milk containers, broken mirrors and glass, recycled aluminum cans, glass bottles, and fallen palm trees.  The LED lights and water system are entirely operated by renewable energy. Throwing away garbage is a bit of a challenge here in Auroville, as it is in my experience in other parts of India, but in a different way. In other parts trash receptacles were easy to find and usually overflowing. Trash littered the streets and its presence on the ground was more abundant than grass or plants. Here in Auroville, trash receptacles are few and far between. Food waste is composted; materials reused and recycled. Alia and I have talked about how we can’t seem to find a single trashcan to put some of our wrappers and waste.  Everyone carries reusable water bottles which are refilled by jugs resembling water coolers. Last time I was in India, I purchased up to 4 water bottles again, which I discarded wherever I found a place. I thought Seattle had environmental conservation methods down. Talk about an awakening to our environmental footprint. I will definitely be more cautious back at home!

Classroom at Aikiyam

Materials used on American Pavilion housing 

  The Dalai Lama, who has visited Auroville (and specifically, the Tibetan Pavilion) stated: “We are deeply impressed by the spiritual aim behind the building of an international city called Auroville. The importance of the effort to achieve human unity and international cooperation by the creation of such a city cannot be overemphasized, nor can we neglect the immense benefit to be acquired from it.”