2024_11_Nov_15_TheHindu_F_Gautier_1_A_case_for_the_organic,_harmonious.pdf

Page 1 of 6

https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/a-case-for-the- organic-harmonious-growth-of-auroville/

article68869792.ece#cxrecs_s

A case for the organic, harmonious growth of

Auroville

There are attempts being made to stifle Auroville’s

freedom and kill the dream that began in 1968

Published - November 15, 2024

FRANÇOIS GAUTIER

‘Auroville is a unique experiment, one of the last Utopias of this world’ | Photo

Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

Auroville, based on the vision of India’s great poet, philosopher,

revolutionary and yogi, Sri Aurobindo, was founded in 1968. His

spiritual companion, the Mother of Pondicherry, clearly defined

its charter:

For a long time, the Government of India did not interfere in the

affairs of Auroville. But in the early 1980s, there was a conflict

between the Sri Aurobindo Society, a Trust the Mother had

created to buy the lands of Auroville and the Aurovillians, mostly

westerners at that time.

The Society, contrary to what the Charter of Auroville says, felt

they were the ‘owners’ of Auroville and started to impose their

views and ideas. This led to a conflict, the police being finally

called and 16 Aurovillians (mostly French) were imprisoned in the

Tindivanam jail in Tamil Nadu. The Government of India had to

intervene: its then Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, as well as Mani

Shankar Aiyar and Arun Singh were particularly helpful and in

1988, an Act of Parliament was passed. Called the Auroville

Foundation Act, 1988, it gave certain powers to the central

government but left the management of Auroville to the

Residents Assembly, constituted by every adult in Auroville and

which is the very foundation stone of the city.

For the 50th anniversary of Auroville, in February 2018, Prime

Minister Narendra Modi visited it and seemed happy with what

he saw.

Many secretaries, generally retired government officials of high

ranking, came and went, making sure that the laws of India were

respected, but none of them ever interfered in the internal affairs

of Auroville.