Auroville, a utopian city

Does a utopian city with no government and no currency, where all cultures meet, really exist?

by Anaïs Manicacci

An utopian city

Located in India, in the state of Tamil Nadu, the Auroville project was launched in 1964 by a French woman living in Pondicherry, Mirra Alfassa, also known as The Mother.

Auroville was the brainchild of her late husband, Sri Aurobindo , and refers to his philosophy, a so-called integral yoga (both physical and philosophical, seeking harmony in all aspects of life).

The Mother wanted to carry out this experiment for her husband, a universal city “where men and women would learn to live in peace, in perfect harmony, beyond all beliefs, political opinions and nationalities” 1 Their aim was to create a new humanity. She died in 1973, but Auroville continued to develop after her death because of the involvement of the inhabitants. The project has also benefited from the help of UNESCO and the Indian government.

The Mother wanted to carry out this experiment for her husband, a universal city “where men and women would learn to live in peace, in perfect harmony, beyond all beliefs, political opinions and nationalities” 1 Their aim was to create a new humanity. She died in 1973, but Auroville continued to develop after her death because of the involvement of the inhabitants. The project has also benefited from the help of UNESCO and the Indian government.

The “Town the Earth Needs” was officially inaugurated on 28 February 1968 . In 1973, the town had 1,000 inhabitants, of different nationalities. The goal of the project would be to reach 50,000 habitants. After stagnating for a few years, this figure seems to be rising again, with the town now boasting 3 300 inhabitants. In 2022, 49 new people joined the city.

Auroville took the shape of a galaxy. The architect, Roger Anger, drew up the first plans. He divided the spiral into four zones: residential, cultural, industrial and international. Within these zones, “communities” were created: Aspiration (the largest, with 75 members), Fraternity (mainly Indian), Certainty (bringing together Europeans) and Dana (mainly French). It was also behind the creation of the “sculpture houses”. Auroville covers a total area of 2,000 hectares.

“Here there is no exploitation of man by man”

The town centre, the Matrimandir, is dedicated to meditation. Also known as the place of The Mother, it represents the goal, which can only be achieved if everyone follows a path that is more spiritual than religious. This place, built by the pioneers in 1971, was a way of materialising their union. It’s a place for individual silence concentration and it’s surrounded by 12 gardens that represent the twelve qualities and necessities to cultivate both spiritual and material well being. The town was then built around it. It enabled the first Aurovillians to forge connections with the local Indians. Together, they dug wells, built houses and, above all, planted trees to protect them from the sun.

In this city, racism does not exist, everyone is considered as equal. “Here there is no exploitation of man by man” (Auroville resident, 1973, INA archives). Religion, politics, pollution and money don’t exist. The first thing they have to think about is “What do I have to do to survive here?”

Living in Auroville

To live here, the habitants have to give up their possessions. Those who are allowed to come here are people of goodwill who aspire to a higher and truer life. On the day of its creation, 28 February 1968, handfuls of soil from 124 countries were mixed in a marble urn to symbolise this unity. This urn would be the first building constructed. On that inauguration day, the Mother read the Auroville Charter.

1. Auroville belongs to no one in particular. Auroville belongs to all humanity as a whole. But to stay in Auroville, one must be a willing servant of Divine Consciousness.

2. Auroville will be the place of perpetual education, of constant progress, and of a youth that never grows old.

“On the day of its creation, 28 February 1968, handfuls of soil from 124 countries were mixed in a marble urn to symbolise this unity. ”

3. Auroville will be the bridge between the past and the future. Taking advantage of all external and internal discoveries, it wants to boldly launch itself towards future achievements.

4. Auroville will be the place for material and spiritual research to give a living body to a concrete human unity”.

“Children are at the centre of the city’s concerns ”

Today, 50% of Aurovillians come from the surrounding Indian villages and the rest come from 58 different countries, with French and Germans making up the largest numbers.

There is only one supermarket, that is selling only products considered as necessary, without exchanging money. Vegetarianism and veganism are popular in Auroville, but not mandatory.

To live more simply, they rely mainly on solar energy. They also use a solar oven, which only exists in 3 different places: France, Texas and Auroville. The heat reflected off the 1,100 mirrors creates an oven that cooks the food in the large central canteen, the “Solar Kitchen”. Between 1,500 and 2,000 meals are made every day and sent to schools or other distribution points in addition to the collective canteen.

C oncerning the housing situation, one house is attributed to one person for five years, then if that person is leaving, even temporarily, the house will get a new owner. Removing the right of ownership of a home allows the habitants to return to the main purpose of housing: to be a place of welcome and hospitality. The houses are built using recycled materials from old buildings and clay soil.

They use algae to treat the waste water, but the algae need unstable water. They have managed to find a system for balancing the water that could be used in Pondicherry, the neighbouring town.

The water there is free, and it has been purified and dynamised - in other words, according to many laboratory research, it has been modified so that it is closer to the water that could be found before pumping and the switch to today’s pipes. A number of taps have been installed in villages close to this new water, which is also free. Auroville is an ecological town, but the inhabitants are aiming to reduce the amount of land they use to reach a much higher ecological level. They hope to achieve a 55% natural surface area.

The town is not run by one person in particular; they collectively live in self-management. Every form of society has been tried, but none of them is suitable for everyone, so they are still looking for the best way to run the town. The main thing is that the community must have a collective spirit.

“It is possible for tourists to become Aurovillians, ”

B ut this vision of Auroville is very controversial, because from the outside, it is seen as a closed town, which accepts only certain workers and lives outside of the society. Though, not all the Indians living around Auroville see it that way, and some have even been influenced by this way of life.

Further information: Géo, Inde : 50 ans après sa fondation, qu’est devenue la cité utopique d’Auroville ?

A currency, yes, but not always

A urovillians earn maintenance given to them by Auroville, which enables them to realise their own ideal. They have the same goal, but not the same path to get there. A maintenance allowance of 8, 486 rupees (100 €) is given to deserving Aurovillians who take part in community work. Many habitants are still in contact with the outside society to get more incomes , but earning money should never be a first motivation in life.

They have no proper money currency, but they produce incense and pottery for example to be sold outside. Work is seen as a source of fulfilment. They work voluntarily in something they enjoy. Each local is dedicated to making the experience a success. In exchange, accommodation, food, medical care and education are provided free of charge.

What’s more, the town retains a large amount of business, which is important to them because it enables them to live, but on the other hand it shows that they still need outside help. But in recent years, this model has been called into question by some residents who feel that the soul of Auroville has disappeared.

Further information: Arte: Habiter le monde

Aurevillian children at the heart of our concerns

The future depends on education. Children are at the centre of the city’s concerns because they are the new generation of Aurovillians.

Teenagers call this system of life “free education”, which allows them to live at their own pace. They can miss as many courses as they like, but they have to take responsibility for their choices afterwards. Diplomas and grades don’t exist, they just have to prove to themselves that they can work by, and for themselves.

Many children from neighbouring villages come to Auroville schools. The local people are not against this, because they are educated in a different way and learn things that they wouldn’t learn in an Indian school.

These schools used to use the ‘rote’ system, but now it’s more of an ‘alternative’ education. 10 Aurovillian schools are experimenting with different educational methods for around 600 children. They work on the basic subjects of maths, reading and science, and learn three languages in addition to English: French, Tamil and Sanskrit. It is also possible to choose to learn other languages such as Japanese, Italian or Korean. The teaching programme focuses more on the students and their development than on the subjects.

Teenagers can choose where they want to study afterwards, in Pondicherry or in their parents’ country of origin. For example, in one of the Auroville schools for teenagers from the age of 13, they can come until they are 18 and continue afterwards if they wish. They believe that every Aurovillian continues to be a teenager throughout his or her life, searching for himself or herself. The school is a place where it is always possible to learn.

Visiting and living in Auroville today

Many people come to visit Auroville, and the Indians in the surrounding area take advantage of the opportunity to open shops. Habitants of Auroville feels that it is losing this feeling of creating a new humanity in their world. To enter Auroville, tourists need an Indian tourist visa, which serves as an entry ticket. They must also fill in a form and find out about the culture and dress codes to be respected.

Before visiting Auroville, tourists have to watch a documentary on the construction of Auroville. It’s possible to visit the Matrimandir, but in complete silence, as it is a place of meditation. If they want to meditate, they have to reserve their place because they are not Aurovillians.

It is possible for tourists to become Aurovillians, but it is very complicated. They are considered “new arrivals” for a probationary period. They must then do voluntary work for the community as they see fit. They must also respect certain community rules : no alcohol, drugs, tobacco or cars. Their political convictions or any religious symbols must not be displayed, or they must renounce them. Finally, it is forbidden to make noise after 10pm, as some elderly Aurovillians go to bed early.

These visitors pay between €8 and €60 a night for a room. This money is donated to the Auroville Foundation or used to pay utilities.

Further information: Géo, Inde : comment devenir un habitant de la cité utopique d’Auroville ?

Well-being comes first. Aurovillians are constantly torn between the ideal and reality

These people are trying to live in the world they want to change. This utopian city that seems unattainable can be achieved, or at least it can be approached, because it is becoming more and more concrete. And as the Aurovillians say, “the beauty of the adventure is in each step and we don’t know what the next one will be”.