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*On the upgrading of the Visitors Reception facilities in Auroville and
Pondichéry, May 27, 2001:
“Auroville is 33 years old.
By virtue of its uniqueness and through the diversity of its ventures and the
variegated physical expression of its efforts, its material site is increasingly known.
However, Auroville’s aims are not widely understood yet.
In this epoch of consumerism, it is Auroville’s most striking feature – the
Matrimandir – and characteristic – an international community – that attract the
larger public. And the majority of those who reach Auroville presently do so on the
strength of one of two main assumptions: that either Auroville is a tourism spot or
a new spiritual/religious centre.
As things now stand, little is being done and little happens during the daily visit of
these hundreds and sometimes thousands of people for them to review and correct
these assumptions; so that, in effect, these assumptions snowball and gradually
acquire a kind of validity.
We constantly seek understanding, help, financial support, technological assistance,
official protection.
And wherever we address our requests, we endeavour to explain the aims and
ideals of Auroville and to present an image of Auroville likely to raise sufficient
interest and to elicit a positive and substantial response.
Yet, every day of the year, many hundreds of people from all walks of life and all
classes of society reach Auroville and, reaching it, have some expectations; what do
we do for them, how do we cultivate their understanding, speak to the goodwill in
them, to the sense of the ideal, to the very essential dream lodged within every
human being?
It is true that there are not many of us yet to live and work for Auroville, and tasks
are so numerous and impressive, and obstacles and contradictions so persistent,
that the odds against the likelihood of our catching up both with our sadhana and
with the tide of public intrusion at one and the same time appear sometimes
overwhelming.
And it is also true that none of this is for ourselves as individuals, nor for personal
gains of any sort or nature; indeed we do need support, understanding and
participation from all over the world if this experiment is going to make real sense
to humanity as a whole.
So this is a call, directed both inside and outside the physical Auroville, to invest
work, efforts and finances in this extremely important and sensitive area of
interface between Auroville and the general public.
Inside Auroville: a call and invitation to all Auroville units, whether commercial or
educational and research units, to contribute to the enlivening, animation and
meaningfulness of the Visitors Centre, by putting up stands and meeting the public
and representing the diversity of interests, focuses and explorations wherein
Auroville’s strivings for a new life and a new consciousness apply themselves.
A call and invitation for the collective services of Auroville to collaborate in making
the Visitors Centre the living space Auroville needs to interact with the public.