On Auroville 2022 to 2025

On November 17, 1973, at 7.25 pm, just as the last vibrator was switched off at the end of the concreting of the first slab connecting the 4 supporting pillars of the Matrimandir sphere to be, the Mother‟s heart stopped beating and Her body was declared “dead”. In the following few years, a dispute arose amongst those who had the responsibility of managing the Sri Aurobindo Society affairs, and those who had already pledged their lives and beings to the adventure of Auroville; misunderstandings and judgments and accusations became so virulent that no agreement could be reached as to the legal status of Auroville and its inhabitants. Where would rest the legal ownership of all the land and assets and how would it be interpreted? Who would be responsible for their use and development and who would see to the collective conduct and prosperity? A few disciples strove to represent at the central Government level the necessity for Auroville and the nature of its task and mission to be protected from any human claims of proprietorship and command. This was a period of “limbo”, in which Auroville and its inhabitants had de facto no legal existence; the managers of the Society behaved like owners and the local people would see how the Aurovilians as a whole refused their claim on the ground, affirming that no human authority could replace that of the Mother, who was the sole executing Force of the entire venture. This inspired a certain level of respect amongst the neighboring villagers, who spontaneously could recognize the inner truth of this position. It took several more years for an Act of Parliament to be passed introducing the formation of an Auroville Foundation body, legally responsible for all the land and assets related to Auroville and for the acceptance of members of the growing community, particularly those of foreign origin who required an official guarantee for the right to reside in India. As the community grew and developed in many directions, its organization became in itself a subject of constant and intensive quest and research. Likewise, as its numbers increased, bringing together in one place many different cultures and conditionings, the occasions of conflict and incomprehension multiplied as well and the need to rise above one‟s own limitations became all the more imperative. There were naturally varying trends of growth or development and some grew more exclusive and intolerant than others; reference, in the absence of a physical availability of true knowledge, to recorded words of the Mother became more and more often the instruments of argumentative and divisive approaches.

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