Myths and Facts about the Auroville Township

There is a lot of misleading information being spread about the central circle in the Galaxy Plan ( called the Crown),the Master Plan,the purpose of Auroville etc.both inside and outside Auroville.Friends in Delhi have reported having received letters with such information.At the risk of repetition some of us have compiled the facts as we know them to help anyone who wants to verify  what is being spread around.

Myth

In Auroville we must achieve human unity and spiritual growth before the township gets built. The material township must be the outer expression of the spiritual growth of the present residents.

Fact

The Mother made it clear in 1971 that there is no such division between spirituality and material life. She wanted disciplined workers to build her town. Please see below.

Q: To what extent does the building of Auroville depend on man’s acceptance of spirituality?

“The opposition between spirituality and material life, the division between the two, has no meaning for me, for in truth life and the spirit are one and it is in and by physical work that the highest spirit must manifest”. [19-04-1968]

“Auroville is in the construction stage and disciplined workers are needed.

Those who do not want or are not able to follow a discipline should not be here at present.

Good will, sincerity and discipline are indispensable qualities for those who want to be Aurovilians”. [23-04-1971]

Comment

Auroville could not even have started if “spiritual growth first” would have been a precondition. Spiritual growth and the growth of the township go hand-in-hand. There is no “first” and “after”. The township is meant to become a “laboratory of evolution”.

The statement “spiritual growth and human unity first” displays a culture of double standards. Persons who make these statements do so after theyhave comfortably settled in Auroville, when the houses in which they live and the roads leading to these houses have been built and after electricity, water and internet have been provided to them. To bring up the precondition of building the city only after one has been taken care of, is applying double standards. Essentially one says that now that we are comfortable, the door for others is closed. “Do not disturb us in our comfort” is the message.

The disciplined workers who the Mother had called for seem to have become undisciplined land lords with double standards and high levels of hypocrisy.

Myth

Auroville is meant to grow organically. No (detailed) plans must be prepared now. We shall see how Auroville unfolds.

Facts

The Mother appointed Roger Anger as the Architect of Auroville to prepare detailed plans. Please see message below.

“Now I have my overall plan, I am waiting for Roger to draw the detailed plans, for I had said from the beginning: “Roger will be the architect”, and I wrote to Roger”.

The Mother wanted the architects and engineers to stop discussing and questioning the town plans and instead help with the building of the town. Please see message below.

Myth

The Mother did not approve the Crown and therefore the Crown and the Crown road are not essential parts of the galaxy plan / master plan.

Fact

The Mother did not approve separately the individual components of the galaxy plan (Crown, radials, zones, sectors, lines of force). She approved the entire plan after having worked on it for three years with Roger. When she has approved the entire plan and asked Roger to work on the details, the question of the Mother approving individual plan components does not arise. 

The Mother appointed Roger as the architect to prepare the detailed drawings. 

The galaxy plan drawings of 1968, the master plan document prepared by the Residents Assembly and the Auroville Master Plan as notified by the Auroville Foundation all show the Crown with the Crown road as a perfect circle.

Myth

The galaxy concept and master plan are outdated and does not address today’s climate change issues. 

Facts

In a note of 1965 that Roger had prepared for the Mother on the township he states the following about cars: “The reign of cars has conditioned the urbanism of the 20th century and continues to tyrannize it”.  Please see Roger’s note below with Mother’s comment written in the margin. Clearly, the Mother and Roger were way ahead of their times.

Roger: “The mobility principle in Auroville must be defined right now. Shall we allow the presence of cars! Probably in just a few years India will know, same as Europe and the US, the major urban problem the automobile is. The reign of cars has conditioned the urbanism of the 20th century and continues to tyrannize it. Although outdated, and everybody knows it, still the automobile strives at its best to create hell inside the cities and kill the outskirts. Therefore, the option to follow is to forbid and suppress the usage of this means of transportation within the town – and replace it by another, more hygienic, less cumbersome and noisy, more aesthetical, maybe newer if possible”. 

The Mother writes in the margin of the note: 

“Small size electrically powered vehicles, capable of transporting about 200 Kg at a speed of 15 km/h”.  

Plans for renewable energy were made and implemented already in the early years of Auroville. 

Auroville pioneered grid-connected solar energy systems in 2012. These pioneering efforts contributed to the formulation of the solar energy policies in several states in the country.

Auroville has implemented the first two phases of a Smart Mini Grid with distributed solar energy generation and storage, smart metering and (remote) demand side management systems. Ministry of Power (National Smart Grid Mission) of the Government of India has endorsed the project.

The electricity master plan that was prepared in 2014 (on the basis of the Auroville Master Plan) is designed to integrate distributed renewable energy generation and storage systems.

Comments

There is nothing in the Auroville Master plan that prevents the Auroville township from becoming a sustainable township. It has already been demonstrated that interconnected systems of solar energy generation and storage can contribute to a sustainable energy future for Auroville.

It has also been demonstrated that e-cycles are a viable alternative to motorcycles and cars.

The problem is not with the township infrastructure plans but with the behaviour and lifestyle of the present Auroville residents, including the residents who question the master plan:

  • Water consumption in Auroville is 400l per capita (source: the TDC). About five times the average per capita consumption in urban India and ten times the consumption in rural India. 
  • There are a few hundred private cars in Auroville and more than 1,500 motorcycles. These vehicles are used by persons who are fit to use a cycle or e-cycle.
  • The response to global warming in Auroville has not been a change to a less energy intensive lifestyle but just the opposite. Per capita electricity consumption in Auroville increased by 109.9% in the period 2012-2013 to 2019-2020. The per capita electricity consumption increased by a whopping 70.7% in that period. Auroville increasingly became a lifestyle destination rather than a place for the change of life.
  • Every year hundreds of Auroville residents travel abroad, mainly during the hot summer months. For a round trip to Europe the CO2 emission is 2.6t. For a round trip to the USA the number is 4.7t (average of travel to the USA east coast and west coast). Assuming that 300 persons travel to Europe and 300 persons to the USA every year, the annual footprint of these trips comes to 2,200t per annum. Auroville would need to install another 1.6 MW of solar PV systems to offset this emission. With the money spent on flight tickets every year accommodation for 45 youth or 900 kW of additional solar energy capacity can be built.

What does all of this say about the climate-consciousness of the present residents? Is the problem with the master plan or with the lifestyle of the present residents?

Myth

The Crown RoW (right of way) and other master plan RoWs occupy vast areas of land.

Facts

Right of WayPercentage of Master Plan land area
Crown RoW0.36%
Outer Ring RoW0.63%
12 radials + IZ loop + 1 link road0.67%
Total1.64%

Comment

Can the stewards and custodians of the Auroville township land not even manage to keep 1.64% of the master plan area free from buildings and trees?

Myth

The Auroville Universal Township Master Plan is not binding on the Auroville Foundation and the Auroville residents who may develop Auroville as they wish.

Facts

The Auroville Master Plan was approved by the Ministry of HRD on 12thApril 2001 (letter No. F.27-3/2000-UU). The Auroville Master Plan was notified in the Government of India gazette on 16-08-2010.

For the realisation of the Auroville Master Plan funds have been raised (and are being raised) and land was purchased. 

Under section 17(e) of the Auroville Foundation Act, the  Governing Board of the Auroville Foundation has to ensure that Auroville is developed in accordance with the Master Plan. 

A Decision—-Finally

A Decision –  Finally

6th Nov 2021

There have been decades of discussion of how to implement the Master Plan or even whether to implement it or not. The net result of these endless discussions is that no major town development as per the Master Plan has taken place.

There were efforts to get statutory land use protection in place since 2002. These were also blocked on the ground that there will then be  government interference. Those who blocked  these efforts have not come up, or implemented a viable alternative solution. As a result  we can see speculators surround Auroville to find how best they can make a lucrative deal for themselves. The situation has become critical so much so that the Government of India  has decided to intervene once again, as it did before in 1980.

The Chairman of the Auroville Foundation announced some of the decisions taken by the Governing Board during the meeting of the GB with the Aurovilians on 2nd November, 2021. While we await the recording of the Chairman’s speech and the minutes of the meeting of the Governing Board, here is the gist of some of the statements made:

  • The fact that Auroville has only 3,000 residents after 50 years of existence is an indicator to  many that it is a failing project. The Government will not allow Mother’s dream to fail.Sri Aurobindo’s philosophy cannot be a failed philosophy.
  • We would like to see Auroville as a magnet that attracts people with an aspiration from all over the world.Auroville does not belong to any particular group of people.   
  • On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of Sri Aurobindo let us dedicate ourselves to the building of the Auroville township and the realisation of the ideals given by the Mother.                   
  • The Governing Board is committed to the realisation of the Auroville ideals given by the Mother and the building of the Auroville township as per the Auroville Master Plan. This has to be done within a timeframe and with the collaboration of all Aurovilians.                      
  • Any trees  that are needed to be removed during the construction of the township will be planted elsewhere in the township area or in the forest areas of the Greenbelt of Auroville.        
  • Any structures that need to be replaced will have to be relocated and built elsewhere.              
  • There is an invitation for all to collaborate.

A positive decision has now been taken, putting to rest arguments and debates dividing Auroville residents in connection with the building of the Auroville Township. Let us collaborate and start a new phase in the realisation of Auroville .

Much Ado About Nothing

Just heard the interview by Sam Daniel of NDTV of Suhasini first and then Joel and Sindhuja.His conclusion after hearing both parties—Much Ado About Nothing.

It is clear that the more we go outside the more ridiculous we appear to the world outside and the more ridicule we bring upon The Mother and Sri Aurobindo who are highly respected and revered  in India and who are known as the founders of Auroville…

I appeal to all to stop running to the Media.And to stop making a spectacle of ourselves and our Gurus..

On Why a Big No to the Proposed RAD

On why a big no to the proposed RAD

The resident assembly is a creation of the Auroville Foundation Act and needs to be governed by the provisions of the act. The distribution of powers between the 3 authorities named in the act– a governing board, the resident assembly and the International advisory Council are well defined in the act. The governing board in its recent meeting has laid out detailed provisions for the implementation of the master plan. The proposed RAD wants to stop all work on the implementation of the master plan. Such an action is in clear defiance of the governing board and its role in the affairs of Auroville.

Auroville has demonstrated its ability to take on any administration that does not do what it wants. The same tactics that were used against the SAS are now being used against the office of the Auroville foundation. It consists of blocking any action on the lands of Auroville by gathering a crowd of people.The spreading of lies with half truths on the social media is a new weapon used this time. The ATDS were effectively blocked do a survey even before the new secretary took office. It is clear and obvious that there are a few people behind these actions who have no intention of allowing Mothers project to be built although they keep giving lip service to the idea that they are not against building the city but only want to take care of environmental considerations. Almost 30 years have passed since Auroville was taken away from the society and handed over to the Aurovilians. There is very little to show by the Aurovilians by way of land protection or building the township of Auroville.

I have no idea of how to deal with the hooliganism displayed at the site of the clearing of the Crown ways or in the corridors of the Town Hall. I also have no idea of how to deal with the onslaught on the social media. I have no idea how to deal with the idea that Auroville is not the Mothers project and it is for the community of those who live there to decide everything. Since in my view Auroville is Mother’s project I have faith that she knows how to deal with what is going on.

So far as this RAD event is concerned I request all Aurovilians to have a look at the Auroville foundation act and educate themselves about the limits of the powers of the resident assembly.

Let us work for the manifestation of the city of Dawn our Auroville City

By Lavkamad

Dear friends,

I am very much worried about the petition to the RA to stop all work on the crown road thus to block the development of Auroville for coming years. 

If this petition is passed by the RA than any development in Auroville will be blocked for years, since to revoke the stop, we would need another RA with an unknown outcome!

This can’t be a solution, and this is not in line with the dream of the mother and the Charter of Auroville. This would lead to another escalation between the AVF and few Aurovilians.

With this letter I appeal to all Aurovilian to be aware of the consequences such a petition would have on Auroville future!

This petition is the best way to kill the City of Dawn, experiment on Human Unity.  It would show that we have failed the test on Human Unity and the growth on the path of Consciousness! 

We have an opportunity to build the city of Dawn and a choice either to miss this opportunity and taking the path of confrontation or to take the opportunity to build the city.

I am having understanding for the feelings of the few, who are being displaced. Can’t we forget the past and what has happened and look forward! 

We all have learnt on our spiritual journey that the present moment is the only true moment. Clinging to the past leads nowhere! 

Therefore, it is essential for the future of Auroville to work on a solution now instead of going for another confrontation!

How it can be?

  1. 1st Step is to introspect our role and share in the conflict.
  2. 2nd Step is trying to understand the role, responsibility and limited degree of freedom an IAS officer have once a rule has been passed! 

·      Try to understand that once the masterplan is published in a Gazette it becomes a rule of the Govt. of India, officers are bound to follow the rules and don’t have the freedom to work around it, without being questioned! 

·      This is my personal experience while working with Govt. officers over past 17 years! We all are obliged to follow the rules of our host country i.e. India! 

·      It will take years to make an amendment to the masterplan.

  1. We should also accept that AVF secretary Dr. Jayanti and the members of GB too are  devotees of the Mother and Shri Aurobindo, thus they too had a good intention to work on the manifestation of the city as published in the Gazette. We have no reason to doubt their integrity!
  2. Pl. introspect, is it worth to risk the development of the town because someone in our community is of the opinion that a certain tree or waterbody can’t be displaced! 
  3. Can we build living or working space in Auroville without cutting a tree? Don’t we have hardly any space left without a tree! Just to remind; Haven’t been a 4 acre forest area cleaned for the Frisbee sportsground few years back? Was RA asked to take a decision? 
  1. To work on a solution let us change the perspective:
    1. The hardware i.e. buildings, infrastructure, land, buildings for educational institutions or Multiversity, Cripa, Exhibition space, forest etc. is the body of the city, which need to be manifested as soon as possible for the soul of Auroville to grow and to manifest itself! 
       
    2. We the Aurovilians are the soul of the city, we the Aurovlians brings life in the city and not the building alone through our consciousness, through our work, arts, music, R&D, education, Implementing the Philosophy of Shri Aurobindo, meditation, and work on integral Yoga! When the body is manifested, many scholars from all over the world on the path of consciousness would be able to live, stay and contribute for the spiritual growth of the city. 
       
  2. Govt. of India is ready to invest huge amount of money in the manifestation of the body of our city of Dawn. The body of Auroville was planned by the Mother and designed by Roger as per her Guidance! The Mother must have had the vision how the body of Auroville should be for the soul or the kind of spirit to reside in the body of Auroville! Do we know better how the body of the city should be and want to change the design of the body? If the body is changed wouldn’t it had an impact on the soul of the city? 

We the Aurovilians have the task to work on the growth of the soul of Auroville i.e.   consciousness i.e. the path of integral Yoga and to live the Charter of Auroville in spirit! 

Let us work on Human Unity, living without ownership, practicing detachment, accepting the other being as equal and not as an enemy, living in the presence, on unending education, on R&D on innovation in collaboration with institutions from all over the world! Let us work on the spirit of Auroville and leave the manifestation of the body of Auroville to the GOI represented by the GB and AVF! 

Let us cooperate with AVF in the manifestation of the body and concentrate ourselves on the manifestation of the soul of the city!

With gratitude we should accept, that for the 1st time in last 17 years a secretary of AVF is taking initiative and mobilizing Govt. funds for the manifestation of the body of Auroville city.

Do we all know the way Divine work to manifest ? If that has not been the Divine Will, I am sure Dr. Jyanti would not be here! Let us surrender to the Divine Mother and accept her gifts to us in whatever way and through whom it is given! 

Let Dr. Jyanti do her duty and let us concentrate on our duty to bring life in the body of the city. 

Let us unite in the manifestation of the city in trust and faith in the Divine to give us wisdom! 

Om Shanti!

Lavkamad

Let us work for the development of Auroville and forget the past

by Lavkamad

Dear friends.

As I understood, every one agrees that the galaxy model should be implemented as it was approved by the Mother!

Every one agrees to work for the growth of Auroville! 

 I believe that a city of 3-5K habitant is not sustainable, especially when we look at the current economy of Auroville! 

The current economy is Gastro and Spa economy instead of knowledge based economy.

We are not moving in the direction of unending education…. as per the Charter of Auroville!

We don’t have any institution of higher education or R&D. Education and R&D needs lot of funding.

Let us look at where do we need growth and where we are currently not moving in the right direction.

We all need infrastructure for the development, we all need housing , we all need education institutions, health care facilities, work places where we can raise our potential and consciousness, where we can practice unending education, R&D, we need economy to support our activities. 

We all know that the trees have to be cut, water bodies need to be shifted to build the city of 50000 habitant. We would need also space for Education Institutions, we would need space for R&D, we would need space for workplace or industry or for knowledge economy! 

The dream weaver is a team of experts and let them work on the detail plan! But for the detail plan they too need some fixed points such as Galaxy model, crwon road etc. If we put this in question, we are asking them to begin from the whole process from the scratch and forget all about the Galaxy etc. We all know that it may takes years to finalize and get approval of it! 

But what of City would come out of such an excercise? Would it be the right city for the place to develop consciousness? Would it be the city of vision of the Mother? 

We can’t begin again from the scratch and ask each and every one how the Masterplan should be! In my 50 years in Germany in Hamburg, I have seen that the masterplan was made by the Town  Development Authority e.g. development of the harbour area and the same may be true for the development of the London Harbour city!

Currently few are raising  questions on the ivalidty of the masterplan of 1999, which was  approved by the then RA. The detail plan is to be developed and this task has been taken over by the dearm weaver and is being supported and funded by the GOI.  I believe that this is the right approach, instead of beginning from the scratch!

Currently the Govt. of India which has its focus on the development of the country is willing to spent money to build the city on the base of the approved masterplan of 1999!

What I know is that the planned budget of 1000 Crore is for the buying the land, to build the infrastructure and for the housing. But no funds are for higher educational institutions, to build facilities to conduct R&D in Auroville,to promote entrepreneurs, for creating knowledge economy etc. 

Why don’t we ask the GOI e.g. to build an Institute of higher education based on integral education and Integral Yoga for academic and R&D in Auroville itself! Once we have such an Instution in Auroville we will be on the path of unending education R&D, innovation from within and without! Pl. understand that every where in the  world education & R&D institutions are either supported by the Govt. or owned by the private industry or financed by them. I would rather prefer institutions supported by the Govt. rather then by a private company ! 
Auroville would never have finances to run an institute of higher education and R&D! Here we would always depends on Govt. 

Instead of fighting for a diversion in the crown road or for few trees , we should fight for better facilities which would enable us to find, how to achieve human unity, how our education system should be for the consiousbeing, how our wholistic approach in R& D should be at the time of climate change, how should our green building be designed, how we can find solutions to protect environment  etc. etc. in short work on solutions for the betterment of human development and the earth as our living space!

Let us fight for the right cause and not for a diversion in crown road to save one or another tree or a waterbody!

The Issue, Part II

There are 2 more issues that I wish to highlight These are:

Decision making – the Mother, the Governing board, Aurovilians
1. For many of us the project of Auroville belongs to the Mother. She has initiated the project. She has given it a Charter. She has worked on the plan for the township with Roger the architect and chosen the galaxy plan for the township. She has given detailed instructions for the construction of Matrimandir which has been completed as per her instructions. She has given names to the 12 Gardens around the Matrimandir and these gardens are being created as per the significance of the names she has given. In various conversations and messages she has given indications of the organisation of Auroville, the economy of the township, its relations with the neighbouring villages et cetera et cetera.

It is strange for us therefore to constantly hear the argument that it is for the resident assembly to decide on everything pertaining to Auroville. In the same way the Sri Aurobindo society(SAS) claimed ownership of Auroville and therefore final decision making powers pertaining to Auroville which was then challenged resulting in the Auroville foundation act, 1988. The organisation of Auroville is now determined by this act of Parliament.

The Auroville foundation act tries to ensure a harmonious development of the township of Auroville along the lines envisaged by the Mother. I will not go into the details of the act but suffice it to say that the act envisages that the residents of Auroville would organise the day-to-day activities of Auroville and assist the governing board in carrying out its functions under the act. The act makes it amply clear that it is the governing board that is empowered to take final decisions. This has also been made clear in various opinions sought by Aurovilians from very senior advocates.

In the circumstances there should be no issue at all of who is the author of Auroville and who is the final authority in the affairs of Auroville as per the provisions of the Auroville foundation act
Freedom
2. Freedom is a basic necessity for any true creative work. I believe Auroville is attractive to people who come here because they find a freedom over here – a freedom to be who they truly are – which they are unable to find elsewhere. This freedom however is not of the ordinary kind related to outer expression of one’s being but on the other hand is a deeper inner freedom that is offered here. An example that happened during Mother’s life will suffice to explain the difference:

Someone from Auroville wrote to me that he thought he had come here to obey no one but himself(or words to that effect) but he noticed there are rules and laws. And he said,”I am not going to do any of this; I am a free man and refuse to do this.”This was reported to me, naturally so I wrote to him(I don’t remember):”one is free only when one is conscious of the Divine and conscious that it is the Divine who makes decisions in every one, otherwise one is the slave of one’s desires, one’s habits, of all conventions……” I sent him that and he kept quiet.
Mother’s Agenda volume 11 page 74

The freedom we want to realise in Auroville is not license – each one doing what he pleases without concern for the well-being of the organisation of the whole.

As for the principal that everyone should be allowed to do according to his nature, you can apply only where people do independent work by themselves; where many have to work together, it cannot always be done – regularity and discipline are there the 1st rule. Shri Aurobindo 1937.

The Issue Part I

This is an attempt to step back from the current scenarios in Auroville and try to understand the deeper roots of where our differences lie and where we are still united in our aspiration.

I am using the frame used by the Mother in the play she has written called The Ascent to Truth. This play is a short story of about 7 different types of people—a philanthropist,a pessimist,a scientist,an artist,3 students,2 lovers,an ascetic,and 2 aspirants– who all agree to discover the Truth and who agree that the Truth lies at the summit of a mountain that is nearby. They all agree to climb the mountain to discover the truth. As they climb the mountain each one of them stops the ascent at different stages of the climb till only 2 aspirants are left who reach the summit. Using this frame I see that we are all at different stages of our climb to reach our aspiration. I also see that there are a few clusters or groups of people who are at similar stages and who have at least temporarily reached a plateau and are in a state of rest where they have reached. These groups have come into conflict with those who are still in a state of movement in their aspiration and want to continue to move forward and upward in their journey to realise their aspiration. Let me straight away identify the groups that I see who have paused and are quite happy with the way things are and have joined with each other to resist change and the efforts of those who want to continue the building of the Township as per Mothers plan.

The 1st group that I see is one led by the Genius brothers. In this group Johnny is the iconic figure who represents a way of life that appeals to the idealism of many. As an observer from the outside what I see is a lifestyle that is simple, close to nature, hands-on and self-reliant, adventurous in exploring nature and probably many other qualities that I do not see. Johnny has had a strong impact as an educationist on the youth of Auroville in the late seventies onwards. Other members of the Genius brothers like Paul Blanchflower have also involved the youth in theatre productions which they all fondly remember. The annual play by the Genius brothers, the Christmas fair and the weekly pizza gathering at the YC, the Sunday dosa mornings with Johnny at Fertile are some of the elements that create a culture that unites the followers of this group. This group so far as I can see also has the Forest group as its supporters or sympathisers. This group has made it amply clear that they oppose the Galaxy plan given by the Mother for the township of Auroville. The placing of the YC kitchen on the crown road and the blocking of the development of the Crown road over the last 10 years has given this clear signal.

The 2nd group of people who I see have also reached a plateau and have settled down to a lifestyle that contributes to Auroville in some form of work which is important for Auroville and according to them that is sufficient expression of their aspiration. Most of them are now well off and outwardly follow a kind of bourgeois existence. To this group belong ex-followers of Satprem, of Kireet Joshi, and all those who have read and studied to some measure the works of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother and tried to practice the yoga but have now reached a plateau and do not have the drive or the energy to take on the task of building the Auroville Township.They include unit holders,school teachers and I too identify myself with this group though I cannot say that I am satisfied with my very comfortable life and want to do all I can to take the building of Auroville forward.. Members of this group also run most of the administrative machinery of Auroville and thereby create an administration that is conducive to maintaining the status quo rather than working to manifest in a progressive manner the higher ideals enshrined in the Charter of Auroville.

The 3rd very identifiable group of Aurovilians are those from the neighbouring villages. Their life in Auroville is particularly difficult as the culture to which they belong is right next door and the pull of this culture on them is strong contradicting the pull of the Auroville culture on them. By and large I believe they are committed to the creation of the township as Mother wanted.

While these 3 groupings are visible there are also a large number of individuals who do not fall into any of these groups but may have sympathies with one or the other of them. The need for the use of JCB’s and the police for clearing the crown has shifted significantly the sympathies of this group of individuals towards those opposing the clearing of the Crown ways. In spite of trying to see the matter from different angles I am unable to decide how we could have dealt with the situation where a small group of Aurovilians have been obstructing the clearance of the Crown Way in spite of so many discussions and in spite of so many years having been passed in this delay. The methodology used by the Aurovilians to block the work amounts to moral violence. According to the Mother this kind of violence is even worse than physical violence. If anybody has a suggestion of how we can continue together without such moral aggression I would really like to hear that. I have not been able to come up with any other way, knowing well of other instances of deliberate aggression by Aurovilians on other Aurovilians based on their belief system,again a plateau.

It may be mentioned here that all those who are blocking the clearing of the Crown ways never admit that that is their intention. Their statements always are,” we are for the galaxy concept BUT…….”,We are for the master plan BUT……” .This BUT is an invitation to endless talk and no action.

I would like to come back to the larger issue that is thrown up by this conflict. If one uses the frame that I have used then the issue simply is whether those who have reached some sort of a plateau in the pursuit of their aspiration can hold back those who want to continue the journey and work towards the manifestation of the project of Auroville as defined by the Mother. At my own level of consciousness I would say that certainly we cannot block the energies of those who want to continue on the path simply because some have decided not to continue. It is possible that the Mother has a different intention. I cannot say anything about that but have faith that she will do what needs to be done.

Auroville Residents’ Assembly Decision to pause all clearing, infrastructure laying and permanent construction work on the Right of Ways of Crown, Radials …

“To pause all clearing, infrastructure laying and permanent construction work on the Right of Ways of Crown, Radials and Outer Ring in order to enable the community to define a way forward for Auroville’s development, following:

  • collective processes,
  • the ‘Master Plan: Perspective 2025’ framework,
  • and other relevant regulations.

The outcome shall be approved through a ratified Residents’ Assembly Decision-making process, before the above specified clearing, infrastructure laying and permanent construction work resumes”.

In my view, the call to decide to ‘pause all’ is a bit lost and late. Why?

Lost because, it is calling to pause all work, which I understand, given the circumstances, but, until when? As they say, the devil is in the details. Further, it says… ‘in order to enable the community’, but doesn’t define ‘What will make the community feel adequately enabled?’ Then again, it says, ‘to define a way forward’. To be noted, not ‘to move forward’, but only to further ‘define’, which again is an ambiguous term.

Point to be noted is ATDC is already structured in a way that enables the community to participate in self-organisation. Refer the Standing Order for ATDC, 2019. The mandate and the roles are already defined in it. Why duplicate and waste our already thin community resources? Why not ‘COLLECTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN THE EXISTING COMMUNITY PROCESSES’ ?

Second, Late because, the work of clearing, infra laying and construction work on RoW of Crown has started long back, in 2009. The first work order to make the Crown Road was given then. Subsequently, work has taken place in the mentioned areas in sporadic ways. If at all, someone had apprehensions, there was a 12 year window to put forth alternate ideas, and even join ATDC to change as they wish. In fact, many protesting figureheads were part of ATDC, why didn’t they bother to correct the course, while it was still in the cold storage. Realistically, it is now almost impossible to pull back this decision, after having enacted all the drama till now. However, there is still scope to discuss the Radials and outer Ring Road. I wish we could focus our energy on the radials and outer ring, rather than the Crown. I’m ok for losing a battle to win a war.

The final para, ‘The outcome shall be approved through a ratified Residents’ Assembly Decision-making process, before the above specified clearing, infrastructure laying and permanent construction work resumes” is a bit worrisome too, as it puts a condition that work can only resume, provided we arrive at an outcome, given the undefined terminologies like ‘Collective Processes’ and ”Other’ Relevant Regulations’ – we can happily dedicate our lifetime to define what those are – we still arrive at some decision. Let’s say we decide to meander blissfully and avert the endangered Darkali. Now, the question is, will the work be stopped if Auroville loses the NGT case against the Auroville Foundation?

Let’s put this in context.

ATDC presented its plan for ‘the Crown’ to the Secretary, Auroville Foundation in August 2021. Yours truly was part of the ATDC then.

ATDC informed the Secy, AVF that the HTL of Crown is incomplete as the stewards are unwilling to allow the HTL to go through the planned circle.

Secy, AVF agreed to support ATDC in finishing the ‘long-pending’ work, and wanted to know the status of the pending roads. When it declared that it is bankrupt (which ATDC is, it depends on BCC and other willing donors) and cannot finish the work due to paucity of funds, she committed to get a GOI grant to help ATDC finish the work.

Secy, AVF believed she could take ATDC out of the logjam and went on a slew of meetings, walks, discussions, etc to find a solution to the stewards’ concerns.

Then, came October, and the new Governing Board members visited Auroville, listened to the requests of various working groups and assured support to finish ATDC’s work.

Again, many a meetings followed. Btw, there are 17 stewards on the pending crown area and almost all of the them agreed to the CRoW plan barring B, YC and D. They were asked to present their concerns and possible solutions to ensure the Crown goes as per plan. For eg. an alt space for YC or for Darkali, a type of technical solution to move the man-made water catchment area a bit, or to build bridges over stormwater flow, or transplanting trees, or anything else that they deem fit, as a solution to find a way for CRoW. However, the solutions from B,YC&D only recommended design changes to the CRoW plan itself. This was disappointing from ATDC’s point of view. Though, I think the responsibility for the misunderstanding rests on the ATDC. ATDC was ambiguous and flexible in its messaging, yet firm and quick in its actions.

In November, as requested by the Secy, AVF, it gets the necessary funding for the Crown, Radial and Ring work. And, the Crown work was supposed to be finished by 31st Dec. ATDC takes its sweet community-recognised work style and time. Honestly, ATDC was accustomed to working in hand-to-mouth mode, it did not have the wherewithal to shift gears and accelerate. We wondered, pondered and squandered the time.

Fast forward to Dec 3, the minutes of the meetings of the Governing Board are released and Secy, AVF requests ATDC to start the work immediately.

ATDC starts it on 4th Dec and ‘somehow’ continues till 10th Dec. Auroville gets a stay order from National Green Tribunal to stop the felling of trees until further notice.

As of today, the 17th Jan, the stay continues. If the stay is lifted, most likely the work shall resume, as the GB most likely believes they’re supporting Auroville Community work, as nothing came from them. They must wonder what all this hue and cry is about, after all they’re only helping implement Auroville’s own Master Plan (spare me the whataboutery). Can the RAD stop the resumption of work? Excuse the long detour.

Do we, as Auroville Residents’ Assembly, have a power to over-rule the GB’s decision? By all means, we can wish, request, advice, plead, beg, pray, appeal, ask, solicit, petition, seek, invoke, etc. to the GB to change their mind, for the sake of Auroville. But, of course, our enlightened mind, elevated soul, and advanced selves may find it demeaning. On the other hand, can we order, demand, summon, dictate, stipulate, pressure, command, impose, declare that the GB abide by the ‘community’ decision?

The Auroville Foundation Act, clearly defines the roles and powers. We may interpret it the way we want for internal consumption, but, would it help our cause?

I wonder, will we truly win, even if we win against the larger, external powers. I wonder what will be left of the community after winning? I also wonder what are we afraid of losing? as we anyway do not own anything physically.

I personally came to Auroville for inner work, and I’ve great battles to be fought there. And, my first battle ought to be against writing long essays.

Response of an Auroville Resident to The Observer Article

In response to the article published in The Observer on January 16, 2022, titled “Bulldozers, violence, and politics crack an Indian dream of utopia” by Hannah Ellis-Peterson, I, as a resident of Auroville since 1979, wish to provide some insights and perspectives on the issues raised.

I have been an integral part of Auroville, and I’ve operated a unit producing handmade pottery, which has transformed over the years into what we now call Mantra. I’ve also had the privilege of being a land steward, responsible for caring for about 10-11 acres of land within the city’s boundaries. It is important to note that this land plays a role in the context of the “Crown,” a designated area within Auroville.

It has been evident since my arrival in Auroville in 1979 that this land would eventually need development. I’ve been cautious not to plant anything of high value or create issues for future development, a situation that has begun to unfold 42 years later. The land I’ve looked after is characterized by gravelly terrain with a deep ravine. I’ve contributed to its recovery by fencing it off, preventing grazing and tree cutting, and actively engaging in conservation efforts. This approach has been adopted by many land stewards across Auroville. Land stewards have traditionally been individuals who work during heavy rains to divert water flows to enhance conservation efforts. This organic process has been crucial in making Auroville the green haven it is today.

However, there is a divide in perspective within Auroville. While some residents believed that a focus on reforestation would delay or prevent the development of a relatively dense urban area, others were aware that urban development was a part of the long-term plan.

Auroville’s master plan envisions a circular city with spiral arms, referred to as the “Galactic Plan.” The mid-to-late 1990s marked the point where it became clear that laying underground infrastructure, particularly water pipes, was essential. Drilling individual wells wherever necessary was no longer sustainable, as we needed to limit water extraction and prioritize conservation.

Auroville’s unique criterion is that it belongs to all of humanity and, therefore, no one can have individual ownership of land. All Auroville lands are vested in the Auroville Foundation, a corporate body established by the Auroville Foundation Act of 1988, an Act passed unanimously in the Indian Parliament.

In 2012, Cyclone Thane devastated the area, causing extensive tree loss and prolonged electricity outages. This event prompted Auroville to initiate the underground placement of electrical infrastructure. The plan includes harnessing wind energy and distributing it to Auroville. The installation of cables and optical fiber cables initiated a debate between those focusing on geometric perfection and those advocating for environmental preservation.

While the removal of a few trees raises concerns, Auroville residents possess the expertise to mitigate the impact through reforestation efforts. Replacing a 30-year-old tree with a sapling, placed in a suitable location, can ensure that it thrives unhindered. As Auroville moves forward with denser construction, it is important to consider the broader perspective of building the greenest city on Earth.

It is not my intention to write an extensive article on Auroville, but I believe it is essential for journalists to gather in-depth knowledge and information before expressing the opinions of a specific section of Auroville residents.

I recall that in 1996, a group of residents intentionally occupied the circular service road area and planted indigenous trees. Some residents also transformed a catchment pond into winding footpaths along the Crown’s line. It seems contradictory to now claim environmental degradation by developers when some residents participated in similar activities in the past.

In conclusion, it is my hope that responsible journalism maintains high reporting standards and avoids perpetuating a one-sided narrative.

Regards,
Nobody in Particular