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Whenever I follow the clues of a “collective process”, I get pained by the heavy
contradictions, distressed by the lack of perceptiveness, soberness and honesty…
Whenever I keep to myself, I soon yearn for ways to verify and apply what I
experience alone into some collective being or life… Back and forth, never settled,
never fulfilled…
… J.P of “Two Banyans” has been badly beaten up by a group of villagers from
Bommayarpalayam, but he was able to escape… G.M thinks we should organise a
night watch there so that he and his family are not left alone so far from any
neighbour…
*3-3-1980, Auroville:
The Guard is called to “New Creation” early this morning. G. picks me up and we
reach there at 6 am. Soon, the entire Guard is there. Subrayan, who is an SAS
agent, has bought a piece of land right next to the Auroville settlement and has
made a wild connection to the water-pipe which is the main supply from the
“Auroelectronics” pump to the village, provided by Auroville; our position is
straightforward. A couple of us start digging; almost immediately Subrayan,
Damodaran and Dharman, accompanied by two other men, all armed with sticks
and bricks in their hands, rush in and push through our circle violently; we try to
tighten the barrier by holding arms and hands but a few of us are soon pushed to
the ground and a young German guy is hit and hurt; G.M too gets hit; I see that
John H. is in a weak position and make towards him… Many villagers have gathered
at a distance… Then Al.M and I both insist that this surely cannot be the way, and
everyone cools down… Talks begin; the German fellow is taken to the hospital…
In-between two of the shuffles, G.M told me of a dream he had last night: we were
both with You and You had a letter from Satprem which You wanted us to take;
then You decided to come with us and we supported and carried You, holding You
with our love for You…
… We are waiting, waiting; as we have been waiting since months… It makes little
sense to me; but I am quite blank… This time we wait for the Tasilhdar and the
Marakanam Inspector… But I stay: solidarity is perhaps all we have…!
… We draw a list of all the plot numbers where we will not accept any interference
nor any lease made by the SAS, and we send it to the Inspector…
… Back home I find C very upset that she couldn’t be with us; she makes me
promise that next time I’ll let her share in… she is wonderful…!
*4-3-1980, Auroville:
C and I walk over to “Tapoloka”. So many of us are there, it almost looks as if
everybody has actually gathered in one place, even those who never attend
meetings are there today… Arjun chairs…
We are getting to the main topic of the Coop membership when Pete suddenly
marches in shouting to us that Yaap, who’d stayed behind to watch the Kottakarai
Farm, has just been attacked by people of the SAS… We all start as one: this is a
moving moment because, just prior to this, we were unable to come together in our
talks and mental approaches and here we are, rushing to protect one of “ours”
without a single thought…!
Those men have run away towards Bharat Nivas… Some of us are now quite angry;
I myself feel it would be a pleasure to drive my fist into that fat smirking SAS
contractor when I come upon him…