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*An appeal to the Residents of Auroville, by the Matrimandir Workers
Team, 28-9-2002:
“31-10-72
Harmony
Good will
Discipline
Truth
I can work with you only if you do not say a lie and are at the service of
Truth
Mother”
“AN APPEAL
To the residents of Auroville:
We, the Matrimandir Workers Team, reject completely the proposed process of
electing the management for Matrimandir. As a precedent for resolving disputes or
for creating management groups in Auroville, this process of voting leads to
manipulation, politicisation and chaos. A dangerous trend is being started in
Auroville of removing and excluding people due to intolerance of differing
perceptions and personal dislikes, rather than sincerely attempting to address
issues at hand and to resolve them through harmonious dialogue and interaction.
The bid to change the present management in Matrimandir seeks precisely to
impose the wishes of a certain faction, rather than sincerely addressing the issue at
hand. The true issue at hand is not the management but the need for a clear
consensus within all the residents regarding design directions for the completion of
the Matrimandir Peace Area – Park/Outer Gardens, Lake, and Inner Gardens –
according to the Mother’s vision.
A thoroughly researched proposal regarding the entire Peace Area has been
presented to the Governing Board and all the residents by Paolo and the
Matrimandir Workers Team. We believe it reflects faithfully the Mother’s vision of
the park and gardens with all their various significances, instead of reducing the
gardens to a series of symbolic plots with practically no park. We maintain that the
Peace Area should not be designed just as a mere city centre like many others all
over the world, but given a special attention so that it reflects the soul of Auroville.
We sincerely hope that the collectivity of Auroville would perceive the truth of these
serious issues raised by the Matrimandir Workers Team.”
Note: I drafted, soon after, a fairly complete historical of the issue.
This text was circulated on behalf of our team.
Not many of us were left who had been present from the beginning of the
construction of Matrimandir, and for the majority of people, the various claims now
held forth were rather confusing. There were many too who could not help doubting
our motivations, thinking that perhaps, as our detractors were wont to say, we
were merely clinging to our seats and using the debate over the physical
environment of Matrimandir as a justification to ward off contenders to our
cherished positions. This text was prepared as much for the purpose of situating the
debate in its historical perspective for those of us who had joined Auroville only
later, as for that of attempting to share in the community at large the significance
of the issue for the future of Auroville.