1353 / 1424
1353
It was also decided that, “in the absence of the Architect, his duly authorised
representative may represent him…”
We were continuing with our daily activities, and we were ready also with the new
issue of the “Matrimandir Journal”, devoted to the Divine Shakti and the Integral
Yoga, for which Deepti had worked by far the hardest. She presented this issue to
each of the Governing Board members, along with a letter of introduction in which
she deplored the new interventionist role played by the Board, and the increasing
resemblance its proceedings bore with the “Star Chamber” of old.
In this letter she quoted two messages of the Mother. The first one had been given
by Her at the beginning of Auroville:
“Here no one is the exclusive leader – everybody has to learn to
collaborate. It is a very good discipline for the vanity, self-love and the
excessive sense of importance of personalities.”
And the second one was more general:
“Heroic action fights for the beautiful and the true without fear of
obstacles and opposition.”
In the meantime, Walter had written directly to the President of India, Abdul Kalam,
seeking his support in the creation of a desalination plant for the area of Auroville.
It is a measure of the genuine humility of this humane scientist who had suddenly
been propelled at the highest echelon of the country that he took note of Walter’s
simple request and put him in touch with one of his friends, Sri Gopalaswamy, an
active researcher and an aerospace engineer, based in Hyderabad, who had
become involved in solar energy projects along with Abdul Kalam, and their
possible applications to desalination plants, much promoted by them. This first
contact opened the way for further exchanges, meetings and seminars, some of
which later took place in Auroville.
On June 21
st
, 2003, Arjun decided to write an open official letter in his own name,
stating his position:
*To the Members of the Governing Board, from Arjun Puri, 21
st
June 2003:
“Dear Members of the Governing Board,
Basing its action upon allegations, claims and demands made by one of its own
members, Mr Roger Anger, the Governing Board appears to have resolved upon the
unprecedented step of taking over the Matrimandir’s finances.
The new arrangement which has not even the validation of dereliction of duty or
misappropriation of funds, turns Matrimandir, the symbol of the Universal Mother,
the Soul of Auroville, into a mere government department with the many
consequent implications. The whims of the Architect through his representatives in
government are made supreme. This is completely contrary to the spirit of self-
governance and autonomy envisioned for Auroville by the Mother – for She installed
no exclusive leaders in Auroville.