journal d'une transition

1314

. In the early 90s Roger A directed a team work on various options for the Gardens, Lake and Park. The proposal that is then elaborated the most has the lake half inside and half outside the Oval and the Park around it all. . Finally Roger A comes back to and confirms the working plan that has been guiding everyone on site since the beginning: the Oval island with its 12 gardens and the garden of Unity around the Banyan tree; a 10 to 12 metres wide water channel around the island; a landscaped Park, or Outer Gardens, around that; the whole area, “Peace”, extending to a 330 metres radius from the centre. . In the mid 90s there is a push to try and complete the whole Peace Area – Outer Gardens, Water Body and Inner Gardens - simultaneously with the Matrimandir itself, so that the Matrimandir does not stand as a mere attractive monument but is actually approached through its own true setting and the rich beauty of the environment the Mother had wanted for it. By that time hundreds of big trees have already grown to adult size in parts of the Outer and Inner Gardens. Unfortunately it becomes evident that Roger A not only favours again his original concept of a bare and limited urban centre, but will oppose anybody who tries to work towards the actual realisation of the environment the Mother has described. . This essential difference of approaches culminates in 1999. Roger A’s approach, architectural and spectacular of a monumental statement and symbol; and the other approach, held by most at Matrimandir and many others in Auroville at large, of a sanctuary, silent and secluded, within the natural harmony of which, moving “from consciousness to consciousness” among “the most beautiful gardens of the world”, one would prepare oneself for the experience of concentration inside the Matrimandir Inner Room. . In 1999, Harald Kraft and Roger A present a proposal of a huge lake extending from the Oval to the city buildings – taking the place of the Outer Gardens -, which they claim will be the only solution for the water requirements of the city. Roger A seeks to have this proposal made official and legal by including it in the Master Plan that is to be sanctioned by the Auroville Foundation Governing Board, of which he is a member. . This marks the beginning of a conflict which has gradually drawn more and more energies into itself, while the community of Auroville has as yet been unable to identify the fair means by which the actual issues could be addressed and their solution be discovered to the satisfaction of all. . Instead, a nexus of interests and individuals has grouped around Roger A and exerted all available pressures to convince the rest of the community that the only problem is not one of “design” or “approach” but one of ill will from certain individuals at Matrimandir blocking the progress of the work for their own purposes. . Early 2000, Roger A, with whom Paolo had maintained a cordial contact throughout the years despite their divergence of views, invites Paolo, in a conversation with him, to take up the work of the Gardens, as he himself is “not interested in it”. . Subsequently the exact contouring of the entire Oval Island is precisely defined under Roger A’s direct guidance, and executed accordingly.