Auroville Today March 2007

Archive copies Auroville Experience The current issue March 2007

Editorial: In mid January, the Matrimandir was temporarily closed to speed up the completion of the final work on the structure. This meant completing the ramps, the inner skin and the outer doors, in addition to a few minor details. The intention was to ‘unveil' the finished building on the 21st February, the 36th anniversary of the beginning of the Matrimandir excavation. However, despite the heroic efforts of the workers, not all the tasks were completed by the deadline. Nevertheless, Auroville Today decided this would be a good opportunity to speak to Aurovilians and workers who have long been connected with the construction to find out what the Matrimandir means to them and what the imminent completion of the structure may signify.

Read about the views of Roger Anger, Piero, Narad, Alain Grandcolas, Loganathan, Shanmugam, Lakshminarayan, Manavalan, Kumar, Andy, Michael Bonke and Ruud Lohman. The March issue further reports on the meeting of the Auroville International Advisory Council and its proposal that Auroville has an executive leadership; and on the reconstitution of the Funds and Assets Management Committee by the Governing Board of the Auroville Foundation. It also carries extracts from a talk by Ervin Laszlo, former member of the Auroville International Advisory Council; and reports on the Jean Monnet exhibition in New Delhi and the workshop on Awakening creative entrepreneurship workshop. Last but not least there are the views of Israeli sabras in Auroville; an article how the Koreans celebrate their culture; and the views of the 6-year olds from the Nandaman Kindergarten on “Kids' city Auroville” Here follow a few of the articles. We wish you happy reading. Please subscribe if you want to read more, or ask for a free copy. Details are elsewhere on this web page.

Some recent issues: February 2007
January and February is the high season in Auroville for visitors and guests. 5000 visitors a day pass through the Visitors Centre and all the guest houses and spaces are full. How does Auroville cope with this influx, particularly in respect to the main attraction, the Matrimandir? What are the kinds of things visitors want to know? How well does Auroville receive them? Can we, should we, do more? The February issue of Auroville Today gives perspectives on this issue, which is becoming all the more relevant now that The Matrimandir is on the verge of being finished.