Auroville

#GS-01 History

What is Auroville:

Auroville is an experimental township in Viluppuram district, mostly in the state of Tamil Nadu, with some parts in the Union Territory of Pondicherry.
It was founded in 1968 by Mirra Alfassa and designed by architect Roger Anger.
Auroville has its origins in the French language, “Aurore” meaning dawn and “Ville” meaning village/city it is also named after Sri Aurobindo.
At its Annual Conference in 1964 and with Mirra Alfassa as its Executive President, the Sri Aurobindo Society in Pondicherry passed a resolution for the establishment of a city dedicated to the vision of Sri Aurobindo.
Alfassa was the spiritual collaborator of Sri Aurobindo, who believed that “man is a transitional being”.

Handwritten in French by Mirra Alfassa (the Mother), its four-point charter set forth her vision of integral living:

Auroville belongs to nobody in particular. Auroville belongs to humanity as a whole. But to live in Auroville, one must be the willing servitor of the Divine Consciousness.
Auroville will be the place of an unending education, of constant progress, and a youth that never ages.
Auroville wants to be the bridge between the past and the future. Taking advantage of all discoveries from without and from within, Auroville will boldly spring towards future realizations.
Auroville will be a site of material and spiritual researches for a living embodiment of an actual human unity.

The Governing Board consists of seven members to be nominated by the Central Government from amongst persons who have,

rendered valuable service to Auroville;
dedicated themselves to the ideals of life-long education synthesis of material and spiritual researches or human unity;
contributed significantly in activities that are being pursued or are envisaged to be promoted in Auroville, including activities relating to the environment, afforestation, arts and crafts, industry, agriculture, humanities, sciences and integral yoga;
and of two representatives of the Central Government itself.

The members, who do not live in Auroville, hold office for a period of 4 years.

The Governing Board meets at least twice a year in Auroville.