Itinerary

inhabiting an oval space ten times the dimensions of the slightly flattened sphere; then a water channel all around it, of variable width and a maximum depth of 3.50 m, and the Park of Unity, or Outer Gardens, comprising many large trees and shrubs of different species and gently contoured; the entire area would be bordered by a circular road and would probably accessed from the West. During this period we had thus worked under the aegis of Narad whom Mother had entrusted with the responsibility, for the creation of this soft contouring and the plantation of numerous trees obtained as seeds or saplings by Narad from many different parts of the world, which he would dispose according to their canopies and their colouring. At the time Auroville had not yet acquired all the land and we could only lay this base on about two thirds of the total area. When, later on, Roger returned to work in Auroville, he first confirmed this configuration, executing with his new team a detailed plan of it, respecting all its elements and their relationships. But his aesthetic sense demanded a visual approach of the central architectural object, which must be seen and appreciated from every direction without obstruction. A solution presented itself to him, unexpectedly: an engineer, friend of Auroville, brought a study and a plan of a system for collecting and distributing water in the city, of which the major component would be a large lake occupying the entire area of the outer gardens; since this study appeared well conceived and thought out and sought to address a real need for the future of the whole city to be, Roger saw in it an excellent opportunity.

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