#Auroville

[thozhar]

The people who are coming to Auroville are often coming from the places that were settler colonies. A lot of Australians, people from North America. Even if they weren’t colonial citizens. The Mother is, on the face of it, anti-colonial. But she practised these settler colonial activities, under the guise of spiritual enlightenment. And this is nothing new. This is the story of the French Republic, particularly If you look at histories of Haiti, for example. I haven’t looked at spiritual settlements in other parts of India, but I’m sure there are similarities there, where you have wandering Westerners who have been completely immersed in these orientalist fantasies of the spiritual lives in India. Spiritual utopianism and settler utopianism, the terms are meant to ask people to think about how someone who has a utopian vision is dispossessing and displacing indigenous people at the same time. To this very day Auroville’s promotional material are full of words like “frontier” and “pioneer”, all of these things that come straight from the United States experience of settlement. And it’s glorified, as if you’re doing it for the greater good.

— Jessica Namakkal on what Auroville tells us about the ‘end of colonialism and empire’

[recherchestetique]

Arial view of Auroville experimental township in Viluppuram district, India

[gaelic]

Matrimandir

The Matrimandir is an edifice of spiritual significance for practitioners of integral yoga, in the centre of Auroville established by the Mother of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram. It is called Soul of the City and is situated in a large open space called Peace.

2023-11-23 India, Tamil Nadu, Auroville

https://gaelic-india.mystrikingly.com

[haveyoubeentothiscity]

Population: 8,371

[wadu01]

a unique musical instrument known for its distinctive sound. It typically resonates with a deep, rich tone when struck or rubbed, and is often used in sound therapy and meditative practices. The Sonic Stone's appeal lies in its ability to produce soothing, harmonic vibrations that can have a calming effect. Its usage varies from musical performances to wellness practices, embodying a blend of art and therapy. This instrument often has a cultural or historical significance, representing traditional craftsmanship and acoustic innovation.

[lilethnic]

[beatsforbrothels]

Grimace Federation - Be Kind To Animals

[willywaldo]

Utopia sounds so good. Sweep away what is and build in its place a more perfect society. Like millions before them, John and Diane were looking for a better world; that search quickly grew complicated, as it always does. They got caught in the crash between their dreams and hard reality. It's an old story, played out across time, in virtually every revolution and millenarian movement, when human lives are treated as mere expedients on the journey to a new world. Yes, John and Diane were victims of Auroville's revolution. They were also victims of the search for perfection.--Akash Kapur, Better To Have Gone: Love, Death, and the Quest for Utopia in Auroville.

[auroras-eye-films]

Meet our lovely volunteer @francis_tessier1 He has been editing videos for us 🎞️ in our studio. It has been a pleasure working with him! . . . . . . . . #volunteer #auroville #aurovillediaries #pondicherry #pondicherrydiaries #volunteering #filmmaking #editing #AurorasEyeFilms (at Auroville,pondicherry) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp39uFBPtgI/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[youthlink]

What is YouthLink?!

YouthLink connects people. Human unity means in a very basic sense: one individual connecting to another individual. Youth from a certain age and especially young adults have a natural inclination to go into the world and meet new people, make new friends and learn from others. It is often this age where lifelong friendships get established. And you need occasions where you can meet new people. YouthLink is providing these occasions on many levels. 

We organised a big Treasure Hunt for more than 170 children from Auroville and the surrounding villages. We set up gatherings for all Auroville volunteers from around the world, Karaoke evenings, specific language classes to learn about other cultures (Tamil and French). We engage to make Auroville more safe by doing research and awareness campaigns about sexual harassment, about road safety, about first aid and first responders, about sustainable mobility. We bring people together across generations on Blind Babble Dates (an interaction game we invented) or with our Tech Elves service, where young people support older people to set up their smartphone or computer. 

And we are a self organised team of young adults who cooperate to set up all these events, plan them, develop posters and announcements, get people involved, do the logistics and facilitate. At the same time we strive to establish  a non-profit unit compliant with rules and regulations, do correct accounting and administration, doing yearly and quarterly plans and follow them up. And managing a fast changing team, where we have to decide which volunteers to take, how to integrate them in the team and get them productive in a few weeks before they will leave again. And we change coordinator roles, try new decision structures, look for new learning challenges. How many responsibilities do I want to take on, how many necessary activities can I do and still keep up my motivation? How committed for how long can I be and how to balance it with having fun at work? How to deal with inner and outer conflicts? Where are my leadership talents and what are my weaknesses to cope with? 

So far we are doing great. Our team is growing, the number of monthly events is increasing, team members and volunteers are enjoying working together, more volunteers want to work with us and more organisations want to cooperate. And since we are a non-profit organisation we need your help!

[amittarora]

#PONDICHERRY ~ Scintillatingly #Serene at #AUROVILLE n it's #VIBES truly were, @amittarora at @aurovillenews #PONDY #INDIA , #Vacay n #Couture 'd Works was it!

*A #Throwback to just last #Thursday !

#AmittARORA #RESORT2023 #CRUISE2023

#HauteCouture #PretAPorter n #RtW #Luxe #Bespoke #TapisRouge #AltaModa ! #AA

#HauteLuxury #HighFashion

#AmittARORAResort #AmittARORACruise #2023 , going #French , Everywhere in de #WORLD You Go to, too!

www.AmittARORA.Luxury

[coralmccallum]

Auroville - yes, it is real!

Auroville – yes, it is real!

When I switched on my laptop the other day, the Bing photo caught my eye and piqued my curiosity. What was this incredible looking round gold building? Where was it? Was it real? The photo was an aerial view similar to the one below I quickly discovered that it was real. The photo was of an experimental town in India called Auroville and that glorious golden spherical building was The…

[dandanjean]

Lîlâ

L’art, la poésie, la musique ne sont pas le yoga, ne sont pas plus en eux-mêmes des choses spirituelles que la philosophie ou la Science. Ici se dissimule une autre incapacité curieuse de l’intellect moderne – son impossibilité à établir la distinction entre le mental et l’esprit, sa promptitude à prendre les idéalismes mentaux, moraux et esthétiques pour de la spiritualité et leurs degrés…

[khuuuusshi]

(From: https://auroville.org/)

Auroville is a must visit in Pondicherry. It's a town created on the basis of unity and peace. The town has quirks of it's own. For example, the concept of money doesn't really exist. Mostly. Most shops there don't accept money and instead use something called the Aurocard.

This doesn't mean that you shouldn't get your wallet. If you're only visiting for a few hours or a day, there's no point in getting one. It takes time to get an Aurocard as you'll need to bring proper identification.

I must warn you that most items from their shops will be a tad more costly compared to the stuff you'll get in regular shops on the streets. They hand make everything so the cost is bound to be more.

Speaking of their hand-made creations, they have a few shops you must go to. They're pretty huge on being eco-friendly, and it shows in their work.

They have an accessories shop that has earrings made using keys from computers. They're super cool for alternative fashion and tech lovers. They also have scarves, other earrings, etc.

My personal favourite brand/business they had was one concerning the sustainability of pads. Many women use pads as they are easily accessible and are easy to use, but they impact the environment immensely. The chemicals used to create pads pollute water bodies and pads don't really break down easily.

Many women use pads due to the comfort. So, as a solution they hand-made reusable pads! They're made of cloth and use buttons to attach. They're easily washable and can be reused at least 75 times.

Auroville is the place to go for fashion lovers, peace lovers, and eco friendly enthusiasts!

Even if you don't really have similar beliefs, it's a great way to experience different culture in a wholesome way.

[travelthrivehub]

Chennai to Pondicherry: The Perfect Coastal Road Trip

Ready for a coastal adventure? 🌊 The road trip from #Chennai to #Pondicherry is packed with history, beaches, and unique vibes! Discover Mahabalipuram's ancient temples, Auroville’s tranquility, and Pondicherry's colonial charm. Perfect for a weekend escape! 🏖️ Tag who you'd take with you! #EastCoastRoad #RoadTripIndia #TravelVibes #ChennaiToPondicherry

The Chennai to Pondicherry coastal road trip on the East Coast Road (ECR) is ideal for anyone looking to mix cultural landmarks, scenic beaches, and historic towns in a single adventure. Covering 150 km of Tamil Nadu’s coastline, this journey has much to offer, from the historic temples of Mahabalipuram and spiritual community of Auroville to the French colonial beauty of…

[dreamerroy]

Auroville: A place where only the rich can access