Issue Nº329

On the evening of 8th November, the Government of India announced that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 banknotes would no longer be legal tender from midnight.

As of October this year, we are 2565 residents in Auroville from 52 nations. Looking at the population numbers over the years (see Figure 1: Total number of residents from 1997 to 2016), we seem to be coasting along nicely.

More than a year ago, in its June-July issue 2015, Auroville Today examined the challenges of meeting the city’s future water requirements. One option, that of providing desalinated water, is actively being pursued by Varuna Pvt.

One offering I had always wanted to make to Auroville was the Ganga Yatra experience. Why? Firstly, I have always had a fascination with the Himalayas and the Ganges.

In October, there was a film festival in Cinema Paradiso and dialogue sessions on the theme of ‘Restoring Connection’ as related to the restorative justice movement.

Higher education and learning opportunities have been on the minds of many groups such as the Centre for International Research on Human Unity (CIRHU), Auroville Campus Initiative (ACI), Auroville Consulting, and Youth Link, all of which have focused on linking learners with a myriad of existing resources within the community.

The result of the U.S. election generated some interesting responses. One of these was a perceptive essay written by the economist, Charles Eisenstein, called “The election of hate, grief and a new story”.

For some years, Vikram has been very much involved in youth and sports activities in Auroville. He is also deeply interested in conflict resolution and meeting process.

What comparisons can be made between the philosophy of Sri Aurobindo and those of European thinkers? Was Sri Aurobindo influenced by the philosophy of some Europeans?