Auroville - A Town with a Global Outlook

The beautiful East Coast road in Tamil Nadu takes you to the quaint town of Pondicherry which holds a global community within its embrace.

Welcome to Auroville - a city/community in Pondicherry where there are no possessions and people of all nationalities live in harmony. The journey of this city began 50 years ago when there was nothing but a dusty red sand road. But today this Global Village is covered in shades of huge banyan and fig trees which gives respite to around 2000 residents.

Auroville is not a place to see in a day. This is a place where you have to stay to immerse yourself in things that you truly love.

It began as an experimental township in 1968 and was founded on the visions of late  Shri Aurobindo. The idea was germinated by the French traveler Mira Alfassa (known as Mother) who wished to build a place that belongs to nobody in particular but to humanity as a whole.

The highlight of this town is the Matrimandir. It consists of a Geodesic dome covered by golden discs, surrounded by the central Peace Area, an amphitheatre and encircled by twelve gardens. The central dome has the Inner Chamber which is used for meditation.

Auroville places a lot of emphasis on spirituality and redefines economic aspirations.Individuals are allowed to introspect, look within and transform their work into creative expressions. Here everyone is free to take up professions that they love with emphasis being on individual growth and not money.

It also is a great example of green living. Some two million trees thrive here and the village is trying to be free of car emissions with many residents switching to bicycles. With a focus on using solar energy, organic farming, rural development and eco-friendly construction Auroville is at the forefront of sustainability.

There is a lot to discover within this Global Village. You can volunteer for activities in areas like architecture, education, village outreach etc.  It is a mini-verse  that looks after itself and gives people away to find their purpose.