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*March 2000, Note:
I had been collecting and compiling for some time all known and recorded words of
the Mother on the Matrimandir and its Gardens, into a document titled ‘The
Mother’s Shrine – L’Oratoire de la Mère”.
Based on this compilation, I prepared, during that month of March, 2000, a
comprehensive presentation which could be made available to every one concerned
or interested, whether “old-timer” or “newcomer” to Auroville and its issues. Each
one in our team checked and double-checked and corrected and added and fine
tuned: we felt such documents were becoming increasingly important as the debate
over the Matrimandir’s environment proceeded up the political ladder, and that
utmost care must be given to their exactness and objectivity.
*”The Main Features of the Peace Area, and their Relationships, as
Described by the Mother.” – March, 2000 -
(The Mother’s words are all in italics.)
“.Introduction.
The need for this document has arisen from the present controversy as regards the
project of a very large lake occupying the area so far dedicated to the Outer
Gardens of Matrimandir, this project being endorsed by Roger A.
Historically, the Mother’s descriptions of the park and gardens at the centre of
which She wanted the Matrimandir to be built – earlier named “The Pavilion of
Love”, “The Sanctuary of Truth” -, are extensively documented.
The existence of a lake was definitely part of Her vision, as recorded in Her
conversations with Satprem and with Huta as early as 1965.
However, the graphic description of the lake in relation to the Matrimandir itself and
to the park, in the form of a sketch drawn by Her while explaining Her vision to
Huta on June 25, 1965, has only resurfaced from Roger A’s archives in 1999.
The sketch was drawn at a time when Auroville was still meant to be built near the
Lake Estate.
Yet it represents with amazing accuracy the actual proportions of the Oval and the
actual relationships between the sphere, the banyan tree and the amphitheatre.
If one looks at this sketch in relation to the now existing physical site, it shows
clearly a lake around the Oval, of about 50 metres width, and a vast park area
marked by several large circles around this lake to indicate the large trees.
It also shows the position of a “mountain” built with the soil excavated from the
lake.
There are however two differences: the first one is that the planned oval channel –
the continuous water body which was planned directly around the Oval – has been
planned as only 7 to 8 metres wide.
Another, perhaps lesser difference, is that some soil has indeed been collected to
form a higher hill, but it is located within the Park area, North East of Matrimandir,
instead of being located outside or, or at the edge of the Park, North West of
Matrimandir.