Featured Newcomer Torkil, a man of diverse interests, talents and high energy to work on many projects in tandem, speaks of his entrance to Auroville and his current areas of endeavour. Proposed railway: two possible tracks for the proposed Pondicherry – Chennai rail link around and through Auroville; railway authorities want to work with Auroville to find the best route. Having surveyed land in some of Auroville’s forests, not wanting to cut for the new line, Auroville is invited to submit a note explaining its concerns. Read more

About the same time as new Cycle Kiosk construction, at the area of Solar Kitchen and PTDC, was "growing" up, also the new dismoutable house was growing across the road. In about three months the work was done, and since two days the Foodlink is gratefully occupying the new spaces, just behind Nandini. About construction, the cost and the purpose of this new building Isabelle shares with us, along with the updates on their work, and plans for the future. From next Friday, 25th we can also purchase vegetables and food directly with them. Read more

In today's news we feature an excerpt of interview with Filip about Rio +20, the world sustainable summit. Today is observed as world international day against homophobia and transphobia and Kalki shares some informations and an invitation. The RAS invites all Aurovilians to join them in a common space of facilitated exchange for a Community meeting on Thursday, 24th of May at 4.30pm at SAWCHU . We are all invited to come, ask, listen, share, participate! The topic - Let's agree on a shared way forward; implemetation of the mandate of TDC. Read more

Genreal Meeting called by Resident Assembly Service on 26th of April at Unity Pavilion in International Zone brought to the community results and proposal of Selection Process Study Group, consisted of nine members. In first part Jaya presented their results of examination of better ways of choosing working groups for the community based on values and four qualities which apply especially to our relations to each other. Second part presented by Pashi talks on detailed proposal how this could be applied to choosing the next L'AVenir / TDC.

Monography on Poppo Pingle work in architecture was literally "launched" by Poppo himself with the device he has constructed for that occasion, and with it brought smiles on the gathered faces. The book, authorized by Mona Doctor Pingel was released by Ms.Malika Sarabhai, one of the publishers and Dr.Karan Singh, and is first of the series of monographies on Auroville architects. Mona herself briefly explained reasons that inspired her and on what she has focused in it. The architects are following the Mother's words - Less talk, more work. Read more

This morning Mr. Antonio Bullon, General Consul of Spain in Mumbai, with responsibilities for East and South India, including Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, with his lovely wife Ana visited Auroville on his first official and personal visit . Still excited over the Matrimandir he spoke with us, and with Uma in Spanish. He expressed congratulations to all the people who have been contributed to the development of Auroville by which he is very impressed. Afterward he shared thoughts with Spanish originated members in unofficial manner. Read more

He was involved in many different domains of Auroville and is now concentrating on his artwork. Pierre Legrand is giving us an interview about his current occupation as artist and committed member of the community and also about the struggles that he is facing. 'Sometimes I cannot understand why people fight.' Why did Pierre resign from L'Avenir? 'The problems arise because it's time for them to be solved.' What are Auroville's problems? Listen to Pierre Legrand's personal thoughts on that and on his own inner development.

The community had a chance yesterday at La Terrace to bid farewell to Mr S. Loganathan, who has been the Acting-Secretary for past 4 months. At this occasion he told us that it was a unique experience for him, and since he works at Pondicherry University he will always be in touch with Auroville. Aster Patel and members of the Working Committee warmly welcomed Mr. N. Balabaskar as they would welcome any member of the family. His long term commitment , openness, a will to actively interact, and his human warmth made him popular in the community years before.

Excerpt of an interview with Frederik. He gives an update on changes and improvements in the working committee. Full interview available on the website. JV Avadhanulu offers Pranayama Workshop. Yoga for flexibility and toning, eight powerful Pranayama practices, Yoga Nidra to release stress, and dietary principles for Well Being. Niar explores sound and silence through conscious, free and guided Movements and listening. It is a blend of dance, martial arts and healing bringing body, mind, emotions and spirit to optimum health. Read more

On January 1, 2012, the Aura was introduced to Auroville. The Aura, not quite a currency, but more of a symbol of exchange, was created to expand Aurovillian's ideas of ways to deal with money. I took some time to speak with B about the emergence of a symbol of exchange that is a wholly Aurovillian concept, and the question of how money is handled in Auroville. The Aura is made out of waste paper, printed at the Auroville press, and embellished with the well-known symbols of Auroville.

In this short interview, Luigi of CIRHU shares with Andrea the meaning and purpose of the first official visit of the representatives of the Sri Aurobindo Society to Auroville today. In the context of Supreme Court's judgment of 1982 ruling that Auroville is neither a religious society nor a property of Sri Aurobindo Society, in some ways today's meeting is an attempt towards a new beginning, a positive change in outlook on both sides and hope of more goodwill flowing in. Read more

In almost 30 years, today was the first formal visit of the representatives of the Sri Aurobindo Society to Auroville. Luigi of CIRHU made a presentation to the guests on the future outlook of Auroville, development plans, land-protection issues, green infrastructure and also the need to create better possibilities for the youth to work here in Auroville. Today, says Luigi, was a turning point in the relationship of Auroville with the Sri Aurobindo Society and a new start for the two sides towards promoting development of Auroville. Read more

A large cultural event, "Tantidhatri International Women's Performing Arts Festival" is taking place in Auroville and Pondicherry from 11th to 15th March 2012. Twenty of renowned artists and directors from all over the world are visiting here and performing in several venues. Besides their stage performance, they are offering some workshops & talks. It is free for Aurovilians and Ashramites. Women and men, both are welcome. For further details, you can access the blog: tantidhatrifestival.blogspot.in/ Read more

What is human unity, and human unity in diversity? Festive opening of main hall of Unity Pavilion in International Zone might awaken some thoughts, feelings, and further showed all its beauty at informal part of the gathering were each nation, each pavilion group shared some treasures. The hall itself was work of driven force of Jaya and Shivaya for the last decade, design by Piero and Gloria Cicionesi, and many helped it on the way... By reading chosen lines of Savtiri in many languages we contributed to the World Poetry Day at the beginning. Read more

Happy Parking, as Liugi named it , wish to be the first step toward pollution free area in the peace area in the center of the city. Architect's plan carries a dream of peaceful area connected to Matrimadir with its lake, where service parking area(the one which is now most in use) will serve as a repository for vehicles, and lead as trough the beauty walk with the view on the lake toward front entrance of municipality. New extension will be also in use of residents of the communities around Town Hall; structure follows the existing one. Read more

Two Waldorf professors from Antioch University interacted with teachers, parents and many others connected with Education, today at the Future School. Torin Finser is a teacher, author of several books on education, Chair of the Waldorf Teacher Training program at Antioch, and also the President of the Center for Anthroposophy. His wife, Karine, has expertise in Waldorf curriculum painting and art therapy. With them we explored how both integral and Waldorf education address all the planes of the being, and particularly the spiritual plane. ... Read more

Yesterday morning at quarter to six when the birds were still asleep, hundreds of Aurovillians and Auroville guests came to the Matrimandir amphitheatre for meditation to honor the mothers birthday. Shraddhavan who came to Auroville almost forty years ago is giving us an interview about the mothers birthday and the reasons why people are so enthusiastic about her. She is looking after Savitri Bhavan which aspires to be a center for spiritual education aiming to realize human unity. Read more

About 2 years ago magazine with art inclinations evolved from Integral Sustainability Platform, whose aim was to set up a communication pattern between units to form a decision making process. The last seven issues published have brought forward the creative aspect of art, a vision, and a focus. Part of ISP culture was also to expand art in Auroville, and as such evolved into this magazine where everything fell in place. Purpose of MAgzAV is also to main stream art with expressing artist in order to become a central part of the culture Read more

Working Committee member, Daniel, spoke to us today about the last meeting with the resident assembly where the issue of illegal buildings coming up in Auroville was discussed at length. The committee is also in talks with the secretary in charge of the Foundation to make an ID card for Aurovillians. Daniel also shared his view on dealing with the cyclone damage expenses that need to be covered and also on the recent fire-breakouts in the greenbelt. Read more

Yesterday we had a chance to meet new members of the Working Committee and Auroville Council, where they shared information with the community on their current work. In a few weeks we can expect a General Meeting on the topic of conflict resolution platform. In order to overcome the burden of numerous conflicts, the idea is to have a platform, instead of a body or a team, where parties in conflict could find their own solutions. New WC and AC members try to be more transparent with weekly reports published on AVRadio. Read more

At the end of the Auroville International Meeting 2012 we heard what AVI Centres actually do, how many active members they have, what is their focus and their aspirations. AVI Germany, USA, UK.... are one of the largest ones, with several activities and also considerable donation to Auroville for different purposes and projects. Today the number of AVI Centres is growing, adding to the family of centres supporting Aurovillie ideals and work all over the world. Soon we will have liaison of Turkey, Haiti, Hungary, Ethiopia.... joining us. Read more

Auroville International meeting 2012 in Auroville concluded by general assembly in which they summarized all the presentations they've heard over the intensive three days. In those days numerous working groups, work units, different projects, presentations and films were offered to them to look up, and maybe help on different ways, from moral support to financial donation. Some of the interactions were merely updates from the previous years, what might changed, what still need to be done. Read more

The final presentation in the Unity Pavillion was that of the Lilaloka group. Lilaloka means "the Universe of Play". This group, at the moment consisting of mostly women, offers a development-through-play program for kids. It is complementary to regular education, and lets children decide the path their development follows. Through games, kids learn to make use of their talents. This new and original idea is presented and discussed by members of Auroville International. Read more

At the annual Auroville International (AVI) meeting 2012, held at the Multipurpose Hall (Unity Pavilion, International Zone) members of L'Avenir d'Auroville presented current situations, plans and problems. Presentation were extensive and following questions were many since town planning is one of the most vital and often a problematic issue. Another point of discussion for AVI members was that there should be more communication and interaction between working groups and the units. Read more

Jean-Yves Lung opened 'Matter Precipitates' with his ideas on the present status of humanity. Today, he says, the world is coming together through technology, economy, education, ecology... as well as the problems. But we are drifting away from the solution with our reliance on technology, finance... At one time, humanity was considered at the peak of evolution, today we see much irrelevance in what we have become. What is the true development we seek? And of what? Is there an answer in Sri Aurobindo and the Mother's ideals of human unity? Read more

Amongst many presentations on the agenda of Auroville International Meeting in Auroville 2012 was also International Zone. Core of coordinating group of International Zone are B, Linda Grace, Jyoti, Rakhal and Vani. Pavilion groups shortly presented activities and the course of action they're taking. With the inauguration of Multipurpose Hall at Unity Pavilion on 29th of February some new liasons of AVI will be created but most of the groups are still in the area of cultural and educational exchanges, events, performances... Read more

On Thursday 9th of February at 7.30 at Pitanga in Samasti we will have a chance to listen again to Jacky Mouvillat playing Chapman Stick, a 12 string electric guitar. This time he will be accompanied by Anaka (singing), Manosh Bardhan on tablas and by Matthew Littlewood on soprano saxophone. Jacky inspired trough his traveling all over the world in 2001 devoted himself to playing his own compositions on the Chapman Stick after meeting Ernett Chapman, the inventor of this unique instrument. He likes to share ideas with the fellow musicians. Read more

Within a short visit of Engineers Without Borders from Australia Elvira introduced to them governance and working groups as a part of evolving process which should lead us to the Divine Anarchy, as The Mother named it. Elvira shortly presented history, and how the number of residents invoked the need for more formal governance in the form of a delegate system in order to interact with outer world and Indian Government. Changing process of governance is a slow one because in basically a process of changing ourselves.

About EWB (Engineers Without Borders) we talked with Jenny and Joss, while the group of EWB members is visiting India, and Auroville. In Australia itself there are 4000 members, students, young graduates and professional, striving for a change, pushing humanitarian engineering, which is more considerate, more social and cultural oriented, and most of all more sustainable. Within the "Challenge" team of EWB members is working on practical solution of toilets, sanitation and alternative energy approaches at Devikulam Village. Read more

In 2010 l'Avenir d'Auroville had commissioned to Luis Feduchi a study about the Residential Zone, sectors 1 & 2. In the mean time l'Avenir d'Auroville has also started a process of "participatory planning" with architects residing in Auroville. In November 2011 some members of the planning office went to Amedhabad to meet with Mr. Doshi, chairman of TDC / l'Avenir d'Auroville, to present the studies. The next step is to integrate the two researches. In February 2012 Mr. Doshi will visit Auroville to help in finalizing this integration work.