Auroville- Experimental City of the Future

By Poulami Samanta

Have you ever heard of a place where anybody can come and live from any country in the world and co-exist as a society? Visit this secret city in India which has no barrier of nationality, religion, politics, caste and creed. This city is said to be ' belonging to nobody in particular and belonging to humanity as a whole'. This project is endorsed by UNESCO and supported by the Government of India.

The experimental township, in the north of Pondicherry, was a vision of  Shri Aurobindo Ghosh and was established in 1968 by Mirra Alfassa who is referred to as 'the mother' by the Aurovillians, for experimenting with the process of human evolution. The motto of the Aurovillians is to cooperate and evolve together through sustainable living; infact it is a cashless society. In the last few years, it has been a popular tourist destination too. 

If you are looking for a peaceful vacation, and find alternative lifestyles appealing, you can visit Auroville. Since this place is in Pondicherry itself, you can reach there from most of the major cities in India. The nearest airport is at Chennai from where it is a 3-hour ride. Auroville is a big town so make sure to rent an electric cycle or a motorbike to explore it all.

The main attraction here is 'the Matrimandir', the huge golden globular structure which is the spiritual heart of Auroville and has a meditating chamber of marble inside it. You can book your seat here in advance and experience the sense of spirituality for yourself.

You can spend a day socializing with the Aurovillians and learn about their lifestyle. Visit the nearby Auro beach and the cute cafes and shops all over here. For a closer experience, you can stay overnight in one of the many guesthouses inside Auroville.