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.

Bringing the temperature down

I believe, we as Aurovilians should, on all sides, refrain from using broad brushstrokes of blanket statements.
I know many ‘foresters’ who are concerned right now, but they’re not exactly against the galaxy. (Atleast the ones who are not in the city circle) their appreciations are related to their life, living and livelihoods. They’re affected by the misinformation related to bulldozing of their houses (red marked), stewardship rotation, VISA, etc. Given the lack of full and correct information, the insecurities are growing and gulf widening. And, I understand that.
Unfortunately, thus far, the attempts at coming together and discussing openly, heart to heart, has been hijacked by egotistic personalities and political organisers. We enter the realms of physical and vital play, not allowing the mind to the fore, on all sides. The escalated atmosphere does not allow for an healthy debate. The moderate Voices are marginalised, shunned and ridiculed. This doesn’t help our collective cause and impedes our way forward.

Recently, we’ve found comfort in remaining as camps and addressing the echo chambers. Recent meetings at UP and RAM 2 are a glaring sample of that thought process. Each side think that the majority is by theirs and do not bother listening to the opposing and difficult views.

I stand and strive for the city to be built in the city area (not the green belt) and I love that Auroville is full of green corridors and I cycle, walk, run on it. I believe that eventually the city will have more than 50% green areas. And I find the plan incredible for us and for the world to learn from.

Now, because I stand for the city, the people on the other side 🤔, think I’m against the trees. This kind of reductionist approach is also detrimental. I know many on this side who’s far more dedicated and diligent towards the trees and other life in general.

I often hear the expression (which made me write this long piece) inflexible and dogmatic. I find one being very dogmatic in not being dogmatic also. I find this accusation utterly insulting and infuriating.

First, about being inflexible. In the last one year of my working in ATDC, I’ve reached out to many, begging for collaboration and participation. Mostly, I’ve found shut doors, as there was no ‘crisis’. Suddenly now that we’re in a crisis situation, the same people asking for collaboration, and that too after the work has begun, seems a form of armtwisting than anything else. All the cry for collaboration shall be considered, by many, as pressure tactic or time buying maneuver till things come back to good old grudging, grinding times. Please, genuinely address this.

The masterplan is an evolving one. Even the crown has gone through various deliberations. The radius of the Crown evolved from 700m to 690m. The width of the row from 22m to 16.7m. i do not think it’s inflexible but amendments to it cannot be brought forth by making the children sit on the JCB in protest.
We’ve to be part of the system to change the system which has been created as an internal system.
By creating parallel systems like dreamweaving process and citizens assembly, we’re adding to the chaos, and possible heading towards further conflict.

The ATDC has a provision for 15 members. Only 5 are there. Why not select 10 more members and send them to ATDC to effectuate real change? Oh, where’s the drama in it.

Second, about being Dogmatic. I for one, am not. I seldom use ‘Mother said’ argument to make my point. In my public addressing, I’ve always given practical and grounded reasons for the works that need to be done. And there’re enough of it.
Having said that, i also know that the City was setup by the Mother with certain vision. Ive voluntarily made Auroville my home and thus abide by her words, as much as possible. If, whenever, i do not concur, I’ll move out myself. I did not come to Auroville for political freedom, I’m not afraid to exercise it outside.

In my view, the Mother envisaged the city as an instrument for substantial number of individuals (50k) to practice the principles. The correlation ends there. The making of Matrimandir did not automatically uplift us, evidently. Thus the city may not automatically bring about Human Unity. However, the physical city need to be built for the remaining seekers to make Auroville their home. And add more to our chaos. Perhaps, a necessary factor in our evolutionary process.

We need to come together and go beyond accusations and name calling. We need to address the core insecurities and understand the method behind the (what we consider as) madness. We need to look at micro difficulties on one side vs macro challenges on the other.
I straddle all sides, i find goodness, goodwill and good intention everywhere. Someone recently shared a phrase, we’re individually clear and collectively confused. It’s so apt and it is so changeable.
If not us, then who? If not in Auroville, then where? If not now, then when?

Governing Board of Auroville foundation to meet on the 18th

Dear Residents,

It has recently been confirmed that there will be a meeting of the Governing Board here in Auroville on Tuesday, 18 January.

The International Advisory Council (IAC) will meet with them online.

Details of the programme are not available at this time.

Sincerely,

The Working Committee
(Anu, Arun, Chali, Hemant, Partha, Sauro, Srimoyi)

Aurovillage, Ep.3

It’s really interesting how most people in Auroville seem to define “human unity” as “unity with those that agree with me”.For decades, the people who want to live in Mother’s City have accepted that their wish was blocked, time after time after time. They understood that it needed to be like that, because, well, that’s yoga: accepting that outer circumstances are beyond our control, and that we simply do whatever work we are given as a means for inner growth.For decades, the people who blocked and got it their way 100% of the time were allowed to play their games, thereby giving these same people the impression that all was so utterly peaceful and nice and “together”and “united” in the immensely divided Aurovillage.

Now that, very predictably and logically (given our actions in the past), the outer circumstances, outside of our control, suddenly put a blockage in front of the people who have made a life out of blocking stuff, what is the reaction?: all hell is released upon the people who wish to live in Mother’s City.

Suddenly they are Asuras, worshippers of the Darkness, the devil personified, evil beings and everything nasty this universe has ever produced…

A tiny little interest in how cults function and cult members behave would teach us so much…”

The first casualty of war is the truth”. Yes. And since this war was started decades ago, the truth was killed here at that time already.

The very LAST casualty of this war will be the cult delusion narrative, that tiny bubble that is the life force of so many here, created during the killing of the truth.

Many will keep feeding it until their last breath, in spite of all the facts and realities.

I always could and still can hug everyone here in Auroville if they want to. Totally regardless of whatever insane beliefs they hold.

Because under all that superficial insanity is a human being, with whom I am united.

Aurovillage, Ep.2

Over many decades, a false cult narrative has been created in Auroville, by people who materially benefited from Auroville, to justify the fact that what has been happening here since 45 years is almost the opposite of what the intention was.

Many people who also want a piece of that cake bought into the narrative, and it has been the main reason to come and live here for many. Over the decades it became the official doctrine that needs to be adhered to if one wants a comfortable life in Auroville.

The people who have denounced this narrative and pierced it with facts have always been vilified, for obvious reasons. It is now a religious “war”, a fight to keep the cult and its illusion propaganda alive and accepted as reality, even more by the people OUTSIDE of Auroville, as the cult leaders get most of their power from the image of Auroville they are able to project and sell in the West.