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There was also recorded evidence of the Mother commenting on Roger A as “not
listening to Her”.
This orientation towards realising this sanctuary of natural beauty at the centre of
Her city was not ours alone, far from it. Over the years, many were those who
actually worked hard to realise this dream, and the actual physical reality bore
witness to their efforts, with its landscaped hills and already mature trees in a large
part of the area around the Matrimandir.
Throughout our years as a coordinating team we had endeavoured to direct as
much energy as could be spared into the furthering of that realisation; we felt
deeply that the very comprehension of the Matrimandir’s significance depended on
the completeness of its symbol, and that included and fully honoured the presence
of Nature’s beauty and living harmony.
We knew of course that this approach was not pleasing to Roger A, but he had so
far seemed to reconcile himself to it as a dimension that could not be suppressed.
However, in 1999, he was given more political standing and began to seek and
gather active supporters who provided him with various plans and proposals with
the aim to do away with the park and gardens and return to his original concept of
a barren, sculptured setting for the Matrimandir’s golden sphere.
One of these proposals, elaborated by H.K, a German engineer who had earlier
sojourned in Auroville, claimed to address primarily the issue of water-resources for
the future city of Auroville, and to offer the ideal solution for it. It envisaged the
creation of a huge lake around the Matrimandir, taking up the entire area of the
Park.
This proposal was unfairly and rather deviously entered as part of the Master Plan
which was to be passed by the Governing Board at the end of that year, without
any consultation in the community. We learnt about the move just a few days
before the formal meeting was to take place and we submitted our formal
objection, requesting that this feature be excluded from the official document of the
Master-Plan. Our objection was heard and an amendment was officially entered to
the effect that the main features of the central area of the city of Auroville were still
under research.
That year I began earnestly to collect and collate every single available statement
by the Mother on the Matrimandir and its environment, indicating for each
statement whether it was written, or voice-recorded, or noted from memory and by
whom and in which circumstances. This formed a document which was made
available in Auroville, for everyone to reflect on the issue and its implications in
terms of spirit and orientation.
This was taken by some Aurovilians as a challenge for them to prove the point that
in the course of the years – from 1965, when the Mother first described Her dream,
to 1973, the Mother had “evolved” and worked through Her chosen instrument,
Roger A, and eventually confirmed his concept as final
Thus various “documents” and brochures were subsequently brought out, and
endless squabbling ruled the next several years over which “interpretation” was
correct.