Sri Aurobindo Ashram

The utopian cradle of idealists

Auroville is an experimental city founded in 1968 and located only about ten kilometers from Pondicherry, in part thanks to the inspiration of Aurobindo Ghose to create a kind of living laboratory of research for the establishment of a concrete human unity. based on Sri Aurobindo's vision and intelligence. The notion of integral Yoga is also a central element across all activities, both individual and collective.

In its beginnings, this city was planned for 50,000 inhabitants and it is organized in a disc of 2,000 hectares around a center, the Matrimandir (an enormous golden sphere 36 meters in diameter and its walls in ruby-colored petals) and divided into a total of 4 zones: international, residential, cultural and industrial. The center categorically bans religious signs and practices because it is the complete opposite of a place of worship, but rather of meditation.

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His origin

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Auroville was designed by Mirra Alfassa, of French origin and Sri Aurobindo Ghose and the first plans were drawn by the French architect Roger Anger. With the support of Unesco, it is a universal city “where men and women would learn to live in peace, in perfect harmony, beyond all beliefs, political opinions and nationalities”.

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Auroville is also committed to innovation in ecological town planning, thanks in particular to the Earth Institute, which has been dedicated since 1989 to researching materials with low ecological impact.

The many homes in the area belong to a foundation which also manages the many donations collected abroad by the Auroville International association and subsidies from the Indian State (170,000 euros per year). These grants are intended for education, the development of the city and its infrastructure.

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The tourists

Auroville welcomes nearly 5,000 tourists  every year. But the practice of tourism is very controlled in the brand, through strict rules. It is forbidden for example to speak, even cough in the center and those who want to meditate have at most only fifteen minutes in front of them, watched by the guides.

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Moreover, before even thinking about it, you should know that a tourist must reserve his place upstream to be able to meditate in the place. Only Aurovillians can meditate on site.

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Become an Aurovillian?

Do you want to become a member of Auroville? Patience! It's a long-term journey. To be officially considered an Aurovillian, you have to work, volunteer, for the community according to their skills and desires for a probationary period of up to two years! It is not given to everyone because it is necessary to save money.