Issue Nº423

Oct 2024 (13 months ago)
Download PDF (free download)

Seeking our inner being

An interview with Dan Capdeville, By Alan

In January this year, a project was launched called “Seeking Our Inner Being”. It aimed to gather information on individuals’ connections with their inner being or psychic being, as defined by Sri Aurobindo and The Mother.

Harmony and unity can be established if we all work together for something higher than ourselves

By Srimoyi

The Auroville Foundation Act and the Auroville Foundation Rules on the Working Committee

Feature

The Auroville Foundation Act 1988 contains a special section on the Working Committee of the Residents’ Assembly. It states that:

In response to the Auroville Today interview with FAMC member Torkil

An open letter, By Jasmin

Statement by the Forest Group

An open letter, By The Forest Group

The challenges of bringing out Auroville Today

Editorial, By Editors

This issue of Auroville Today marks 36 years since our first issue was published in November, 1988. That issue also came out at a difficult moment in Auroville’s history.

Jivatma on coming home again

An interview with Jivatma, By Chandra

Jivatma was born and raised in Auroville (in the 1980s) and after finding her path abroad, she recently decided to move back with her partner Daniel and young son Kailash.

Memento mori

Reflection, By Alan

These days, more and more of the space in Auroville Today seems to be taken up with obituaries. It made me begin to reflect upon death and our attitudes to it.

Articulations of nature and heritage

Art review, By Lesley

Stepping into Deepti Munot’s Fragile Layers exhibition of collages at Centre d’Art, I was instantly transported to the sea-side rock pools of my childhood.

Preventing a public health emergency: the Auroville Dog Shelter and AVI USA in action

Feature, By Matthew Andrews

An Auroville health scare started some weeks ago, when three aggressive dogs were reported in and around the Auroville grounds. The Auroville Dog Shelter was on call, and was able to collect and quarantine all three dogs.

News in Brief

Confluence On September 17th, at the occasion of the pre-full moon, the Matrimandir executives organised a ‘confluence’ in the Peace Area of the Matrimandir Gardens, inviting Aurovilians, Newcomers and friends to a Coming Together in a consecrated atmosphere in silence, sound contemplation, walking, observing, listening, with simple offerings of flowers and candles under the Banyan Tree.

No news about new Secretary Still no news has been communicated to the Auroville community about who will replace the former Secretary to the Auroville Foundation, Dr. Jayanti Ravi, whose term of office ended on July 4th, and who was appointed Additional Chief Secretary in the Government of Gujarat on July 31st, 2024.

Social science income tax exemption The Government of India has approved the Auroville Foundation as ‘Other Institution’ for Research in Social Science or Statistical Research for the purposes of clause (iii) of sub-section (1) of section 35 of the Income Tax Act, 1961.

Petition against FAMC decisions Concerned residents have submitted a petition to the Working Committee of the Residents’ Assembly (RA-Wcom), signed by 540 Aurovilians, regarding recent decisions made by the FAMC appointed by the Governing Board (GB-FAMC).

Legal notice to GB-FAMC On behalf of the RA-WCom, a legal notice has been served to the GB-FAMC. Taking into account all the facts, the RA-WCom directs the GB-FAMC (1) to immediately cease dealing with and conspiring with imposters posing as the Working Committee of the Residents’ Assembly of Auroville in contempt of the orders of the Madras High Court; (2) to immediately cease and desist from making any changes to the executives/trustees/managers of the units and Trusts of Auroville without the written and express approval of the Working Committee of the Residents’ Assembly till final decisions have been given in the matters pending before the Madras High Court; and (3) to take necessary steps to restore all maintenance support that was being given from community generated funds to those working in community services and groups selected by the community.

Legal opinion re RA-WCom status The RA-WCom shared with the community a legal opinion regarding the current status of the Working Committee of the Residents’ Assembly. The opinion, after considering the various facts of the matter, concluded that “there is and can only be one Working Committee of the Residents’ Assembly, and no body of persons without the mandate of the Residents’ Assembly can claim to be the Working Committee of the Residents’ Assembly”.

Legal opinion about the Entry Board The RA-WCom shared with the community a legal opinion on the functioning and validity of the “Admissions Committee” (also known as “Entry Board”) constituted by the Residents’ Assembly under the Auroville Foundation (Admission and Termination of Persons in the Register of Residents) Regulations 2020 (“2020 Regulations”) in the light of the enactment of the Auroville Foundation (Admission and Termination of Persons in the Register of Residents) Regulations 2023 and the stay granted against the same by the Madras High Court via order dated on 23.2.2024.

Road safety The RA-WCom informed the community that, after the road accident that tragically took the life of a young volunteer at the road curve near Evergreen, it has approached the relevant authorities to urge them to put in place safety measures and ensure that the speed breakers that have recently been re-installed are adequately marked.

In Memoriam

– Vaishali Jain

In memoriam:

Vaishali Jain, a radiant 27 year old young woman, known to her close friends as Vishu, left her body on September 1st due to a traffic accident.

– Aurienne

In memoriam:

Aurienne Fator passed away on September 1st in the USA because of a stroke. Aurienne was born in Auroville on Dec 29, 1971 and was given her name by The Mother.

– Soham

In memoriam:

Soham (Jacques C. H. Philippeau) passed away at his home in Transformation on 19th September, 2024, due to cancer. He was 73 years old. Soham spent some of his younger years in Corsica on an isolated goat farm, where it was hard to get even essential amenities.

– Marry

In memoriam:

Marry, also known as Marretje Kroon, passed away in Kalpana on 16th September, 2024. She was 76 years old. Marry was born in the Netherlands and joined Auroville in 2007.