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Communities in alphabetic order
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Acceptance
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Housing
& Communities
|
| Name
of the community : |
Acceptance |
| Number
of houses : |
5
houses |
| Number
of people : |
9
adults, 7 children, 3 dogs and a few snakes |
| Date
of creation : |
Early
seventies |
| Guesthouse
: |
A
small capsule |
| E-mail
contact : |
No |
More details :
There is no community kitchen,
video room or any other common gathering place here
and community meetings are irregular.
We have five families in Acceptance who live together
and are doing so relatively well. Mawite and I (and
Mawi's brother Suanbawi and cousin Khum) are happy
here. It's a good place to live, a nice mixture
of Western and Tamilian Aurovilians, and generally
people with very different backgrounds.
And surely Acceptance is the most centrally located
community in Auroville! Everything is close by:
PourTous, Aurelec, Solar Kitchen, Bharat Nivas,
etc.
Our house also includes
the office for Avitra, the Auroville International
Translators unit that started in October 2000 by
Lloyd and myself (Michael).
There is small guest-capsule in Acceptance, but
it is more or less permanently occupied by Aurovilians
waiting for another place to stay because of the
housing shortage.
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Adventure
(updated May 2008)
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Housing
& Communities
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| Community
name : |
|
Adventure |
| Address: |
|
Near Udavi School,
Edayanchavadi village area,
Auroville, 605101, Tamil Nadu |
| Phisical outlook: |
|
Situated in the Green Belt, the area consists of 48 acres of land, and our living space is about 9 acres. |
| Number of buildings: |
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We have a community kitchen,
12 huts (capsules),
2 community spaces, and an office |
| Present number of members: |
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7 Aurovilians, 3 Newcomers |
| Nationalities: |
|
Indian (5), Italian, Korean, SriLankan, U.S. American, German |
| Languages spoken: |
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English, Hindi, Italian, Tamil, German, French, Korean |
| Date the community started : |
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July 1997 |
| Number of spaces for Guests : |
|
No possibility of guests,
but only one sleeping space for relatives, and four keet huts, managed by CSR, for long-time voluntary workers in ecology and sustainability |
| Characteristics of the community: |
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Interest and practice in sustainability and clean forest environment, communication |
| Regular group activities and happenings: |
|
community development meeting, occasional green work |
| Community living: |
|
We share kitchen, bathrooms, workers, needed work for the community |
| Common infrastructure : |
|
Windmill for water, solar panels for electricity (the community uses exclusively solar energy) , ethernet |
| Which are the tasks of the members inside the community ?
|
|
Bookkeeping, kitchen, workers, land management |
How do members participate
in the life of Auroville |
|
AV Webmaster and video documentation of events, Matrimandir staff, Living Routes coordinator, AuroRE and CSR research in sustainability, forest care, Upasana unit |
| Contact : |
|
Manohar or Nina or Thulasi
Tf. +91 413 262 2889
adventure@auroville.org.in
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What is Adventure community
Started in 1997, Adventure is by Auroville standards, one of the newer settlements to have been established. Physically, Adventure occupies 48 acres of greenbelt land and we are direct neighbours of the Edayanchavady village, of Udavi school, and very close to the Botanical gardens.
In the recent years the community has been going through a deep crisis and substantial changes, so that now it can no more be considered as an intentional community, but rather a neighbourhood.
Until the new community releases a new document, as a form of archive for documentation we leave online a document on Adventure community as of late May 2005.
please download the document here  (.pdf.zip) |
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Agni Jata
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Housing
& Communities
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| Name
of the community : |
Agni
Jata |
| Number
of houses : |
6
houses |
| Number
of people : |
6
adults and 2 children |
| Date
of creation : |
1982 |
| Guesthouse
: |
N/A |
| E-mail
contact : |
N/A |
More details :
We love gardening, painting,
music and Sanskrit. We have a community kitchen
but lead more or less individualistic lives with
most of us working outside of the community.
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Ami
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Housing
& Communities
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| Community
name : |
Ami |
| Number
of houses : |
6
capsules |
| Number
of people : |
7
adults and 2 children |
| Date
the community started : |
1976 |
| Guesthouse
: |
Yes,
3 keet capsules |
| E-mail
contact : |
giri auroville.org.in |
More details :
Ami has been a youth community
for a long time, some of our greatest dancing parties
were done there, but these last years things have
cooled down.. The community kitchen is not used
by the members anymore but it's used only for the
guesthouse which is one of the cheapest around.
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Annapurna Farm
(updated May 2005)
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Housing & Communities |
| Community name |
: |
Annapurna Farm |
| Address |
: |
Mailam Rd. Sethurapet,
Pondicherry 605 111 |
| Phisical outlook |
: |
Situated in the Outer Zone
The area consists of 135 acres of land |
| Number of buildings |
: |
10 |
| Number of people |
: |
5 adults Aurovilians and a child |
| Nationalities of origin |
: |
Dutch, Italian,American, Indian |
| Languages spoken |
: |
English, Dutch |
| Date the community started |
: |
1987 |
| Guesthouse |
: |
Yes, 2 student guesthouses |
| Characteristic of the community |
: |
Food production |
| Regular group activities |
: |
Meals |
| Shared facilities |
: |
Kitchen |
| Common infrastructure |
: |
Water pipeline |
| Long-term aims of the community |
: |
Food production for Auroville |
| Tasks of the members inside the community |
: |
Management of the farm,
food processing |
How do members participate in
the life of Auroville |
: |
Nourishing Aurovilians with organically grown food |
| Contact |
: |
Tomas, Phone nr. 93454 55660 tomasauroville.org.in |
More details :
 The largest but least developed farm is Annapurna. It is located approximately 10 km. from the Auroville city centre, near Vanur, and has heavy black cotton soil. The farm was started in 1987 and grows mostly dry land crops such as millet, oilseeds, rice paddy and pulses. In the monsoon time some wetland rice is being grown. They utilise a combination of solar, wind and diesel powered pumps and are creating a series of water catchments ponds from which they can irrigate more area without tapping into groundwater reserves. They also maintain a biogas converter from dairy manure, for their cooking fuel needs. The total area consists of 135 acres.
Annapurna is the only existing Auroville farm where field crops can be grown on a large scale. It still needs large investments for the farm to reach its potential. Besides growing food for Auroville, Annapurna is an active research centre for ecological and biodynamic farming, as well as maintaining a collection of non-hybridised local seed stock.
 They keep 8 cows, and a small poultry. At present they can provide basic accommodation for 2 farm volunteer workers.
For more information: see the Farm's newsletter, Annapurna Times |
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Antakarana
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Housing
& Communities
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| Name
of the community : |
Antakarana |
| Number
of houses : |
2
houses |
| Number
of people : |
2
adults |
| Date
of creation : |
1986 |
| Guesthouse
: |
N/A |
| E-mail
contact : |
petraauroville.org.in |
More details:
ANTAKARANA is located in
the Auromodele area.
It is a two-house settlement, no guesthouse, but
two cats and two dogs and a nice painting of Lord
Ganesha at the front-gate. Come and visit !
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Anusuya
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Housing
& Communities
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| Name
of the community : |
Anusuya |
| Number
of houses : |
5 |
| Number
of people : |
7
adults and 3 children |
| Date
of creation : |
1974 |
| Guesthouse
: |
N/A |
| E-mail
contact : |
N/A |
More details :
Anusuya is in the Green
Belt of Auroville and is primarily dedicated to
look after the forest that surrounds us. We use
one main windmill for water supply, we all live
on solar energy and each one of us has his/her own
little kitchen garden. We are
living individually.
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Arka
(updated August 2005)
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|
Housing & Communities |
| Community name : |
|
Arka |
| Address: |
|
Crown Road, Auroville, Tamil Nadu, 605101 India |
| Phisical outlook: |
|
The area consists of 2 acres of land situated in the Residential Zone
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| Number of buildings: |
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4 buildings |
| Present number of members: |
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3 Aurovilians, 2 Newcomers, plus guests |
| Nationalities: |
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Italian, German, North and South Indian, Canadian |
| Languages spoken: |
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English, French, German, Italian, Tamil, and Hindi. |
| Date the community started : |
|
August 15, 2004 |
| Number of spaces for Guests : |
|
7 Single and Double rooms |
| Characteristics of the community: |
|
Arka, situated beside the Matrimandir, is a center with the main objective of reversing the aging process. As such, we are dedicated to the Mother's vision of Auroville as a place of “unending education and youth that never ages”. Arka, meaning ‘ray of light' in Sanskrit, is committed to human unity and collectivity, and strives to provide a self-sufficient center for senior Aurovillians and guests who wish to continue living an active, integral life.
Although Arka's priority is on the needs of the elderly, we believe that the energy that is created through the interaction of all age groups is of vital importance. Therefore, we encourage and invite people of all age groups and cultures to join us.
Our amenities include: workshops, cultural events, yoga and therapy, internet, ISD, a library, as well as a full kitchen that can accommodate any individual special dietary request. Fully handicapped facilities are available for those with special needs. Breakfast, Auroville guest contributions, daily laundry, and room cleaning service are included. |
| Regular group activities and happenings: |
|
Breakfast, Tea, Lunch, Dinner.
Arts and Crafts, Internet, Yoga |
| Community living: |
|
There is a community kitchen where meals may be prepared individually, or we can prepare them for the guest. |
| Common infrastructure : |
|
We share Laundry facilities, Kitchen, Fridge, Room Cleaning, Computers, Internet, ISD, and great Energy. |
| Guests: |
|
All common facilities and regular group activities are open to guests |
| Long-term aims of the community : |
|
To reverse the process of aging through: yoga and therapy, arts and crafts, gaining knowledge through personal sharing or through the library that will be completed in the next few months. |
| Which are the tasks of the members inside the community ? |
|
Maria: Guest Services
Krishan: Co-ordinator
Giorgio/ Martin: Activities
Ganesh: Computer and Internet Services/ ISD |
How do members participate in the life of Auroville |
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Everyone is individual in his or her pursuits. However, above all, our goal is to let Grace lead us towards the realization of the Mother's Agenda. |
| Contact : |
|
Maria Grazia
Tf.
262-3799
mariagraziaauroville.org.in |
| Take a picture of yourself when you arrive….
Take a picture of yourself when you leave…
Let the difference in your appearance be the truth….
More about the Arka project |
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Aspiration
|
Housing
& Communities
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| Name
of the community : |
Aspiration |
| Number
of houses : |
29
Aurovilian huts and 5 'pukka' houses |
| Number
of people : |
50
adults and 10 children |
| Date
of creation : |
1967
(before the official date of Auroville's inauguration) |
| Guesthouse
: |
Yes,
7 rooms/huts, & 1 larger /family hut |
| contact : |
Shakila tf:+91 98 438 36 569
aspirationguesthouse@auroville.org.in |
More details :
 Aspiration
was built for the first settlers in Auroville in
the late 60s… another part of the community was
specifically built to accommodate the second caravan
that arrived from Europe. The community was built
on dry, red, unrelentingly barren land. Today, there
is a canopy of vegetation covering most of the community.
Community life survives with basic accommodation,
in Auroville, known as "huts". They generally
have a keet (thatched) roof covering a wooden structure.
Aspiration is still the largest community in Auroville
with a head count of 60 persons, including 10 kids.
For its residents, the community aims at the diversity
needed to work on the ideals of Auroville, consciously
striking a healthy balance between Indians and non-Indians.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are prepared by community
members who cook at least once a week. While a part
of the income generated by the guest-houses is used
for the running expenses of the community, another
part helps keep the resident's contribution realistic.
In the guest contribution of Rs.250/-, all meals
are included. Typically, two guest rooms/huts share
a common bath/toilet. We will give you a bicycle,
if available, …and not broken down! Laundry is free,
but please provide the soap. ;-)
Come check out the place, you are always welcome!
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AuroAnnam
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Housing
& Communities
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| Community
name : |
AuroAnnam |
| Number
of houses : |
1
residence,1 office building for AuroAnnam and Avitra,
1 keet house for farm workers; 1 cattle house plus store rooms |
| Number
of people : |
2 adults in pucca residence; 2 adults and two children in keet house |
| Date
the farm started : |
1998 (since 1968 as Auro-Orchard) |
| Guesthouse
: |
No |
| E-mail
contact : |
mawiteauroville.org.in |
More details :
AuroAnnam is not a community: since 1997 Lucas had been searching for a consolidated plot of land to develop into a demonstration site for organic
cashew nut cultivation. In October 1998 the Auroville Farm Group offered the northern corner of Auro-Orchard. The total area is 14 acres, of which about 9 are under cashew. As for the rest there are about 70 coconut palms, and some open land for vegetables and field crops.
This farm is one element of an overall strategy for the promotion of organic and sustainable farming (including EM technology and biodynamic farming), with a focus on cashew cultivation addressing the neighbouring cashew farmers. While Lucas is the official steward, Mawite (Indian) is the actual farm manager. She is being helped by Hau and a small team of workers.
There is a bore well and an electrical pump and booster pump. The earlier
flooding irrigation (for the coconuts) has been economized with the help of
heavy mulching and ground cover crops.
There is a bullock for work with the cart. A few cows have been included to achieve an optimum ratio between acreage and cattle and to dispense with the need for purchase of organic manure from outside the farm. In the open fields, some vegetables and fodder crops are grown.
AuroAnnam
AuroAnnam teaches organic farming in general, organic cashew cultivation in particular, farming with EM and biodynamic farming, also EM use in other
application fields (cattle husbandry, poultry, aquaculture), and sustainable
waste and wastewater management and environmental regeneration with EM technology.
Contact: auroannamauroville.org.in or lucasdlauroville.org.in |
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Aurodam
|
Housing
& Communities
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| Name
of the community : |
Aurodam |
| Number
of houses : |
10 |
| Number
of people : |
16
adults and 3 children |
| Date
of creation : |
1976-1977 |
| Guesthouse
: |
yes |
| E-mail
contact : |
radianceauroville.org.in
c/o Guy |
More details :
If you wonder why the community
was called Aurodam, here's the simple answer: a
dam was built just nearby to prevent erosion from
a small canyon. We take care of a small nursery
for afforestation around Aurodam (David does most
of it).
Since many years Goupi is giving massages here,
and a commercial unit called 'Radiance' (interior
decoration) has emerged adjacent to Guy's house.
A community kitchen is used
for dinners (most of the residents eat there but
not all of them); we go to the Solar Kitchen for
lunch.
Aurodam is one of the few
settlements in Auroville that still have a real
community spirit. It's also a central spot for the
Japanese GO game.
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AuroGreen
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Housing
& Communities
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| Name
of the community : |
AuroGreen |
| Number
of houses : |
4
houses |
| Number
of people : |
6
adults |
| Date
of creation : |
1975 |
| Guesthouse
: |
No |
| E-mail
contact : |
charlieAuroville.org.in |
More details :
Aurogreen is one of the oldest Auroville farms. It lies in the Green Belt, on the northeast side of the city. Having started it in 1975, Charlie still manages the farm. It covers about 35 acres of which 2 acres is set up for irrigation and the rest is dry land orchards.
Eight and a half acres of mango, chikku, tamarind, Jackfruit and cashew orchard are grown under dry land conditions. Aurogreen also has a small dairy. The farm supplies mostly to Green Belt residents in its immediate surrounding, and to Pour Tous (AV shop) and the Solar Kitchen.
The water table has gone down drastically over the years and to replace traditional flood irrigation, drip and micro sprinkler irrigation has been installed. A deep well solar pump and a small energy efficient mainline pump supply water for farm. This has resulted in reducing the overall dependency on electricity and the all over water consumption on the farm.
Charlies' long term goal is to make the farm run economically as a dry land agriculture entity. Current emphasis is on reducing costs and stabilising income. There are no guest facilities with the farm.
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Auromodele
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Housing
& Communities
|
| Name
of the community : |
Auromodele |
| Number
of houses : |
12
houses |
| Number
of people : |
16
adults and 3 children |
| Date
of creation : |
1971 |
| Guesthouse
: |
Yes |
| E-mail
contact : |
palaauroville.org.in |
More details :
Auromodele has about twelve
houses in the same style, all built under Mr. Roger
Anger's guidance. From the beginning onwards, the
plan was to have a communal kitchen but this was
never achieved. We don't have an official guesthouse
either, but we do enjoy a restaurant in our settlement,
and that is 'Roma's Kitchen'.
If you need more information, please contact me
(Andre Hababou) via
auromode@auroville.org.in
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Auro-Orchard
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Housing
& Communities
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| Community
name : |
Auro-Orchard |
| Number
of houses : |
1
houses and a storeroom |
| Number
of people : |
1
adult |
| Date
the community started : |
1965 |
| Guesthouse
: |
No |
| E-mail
contact : |
gerardorchardauroville.org.in |
More details :
Auro-Orchard, combined with
the neighbouring community of Hope, some roads and
buildings, and a temple to the god Ganesha, comprises
60 acres of land. It was one of the first pieces
purchased, around 1965, by Mother for Auroville,
though real development started in 1969 with the
connection of electricity, enabling the instalment
of two extra bore wells with submersible pumps.
At present, about 50 acres are cultivated : Approximately
14 acres under irrigation, growing coconuts, fruits,
vegetables, fodder, peanuts, millets and pulses,
while on the remaining 36 acres grow cashew and
mango, as well as regenerative forest. There is
a dairy of 12 cows, heifers and calves, and a poultry
of 250 birds. Recently solar powered pumps have
been introduced, along with drip irrigation, to
reduce the cost of state electricity and cut down
on overall irrigation needs.
The initial financial investment
in 1969 was paid by the Auroville administration,
as it operated in those days, though (with Mother's
full support) from the middle of 1969 onwards Auro-Orchard
began a new experiment as a "Self-Supporting
Unit", developing the farm "acre by acre"
by reinvesting all farm profits over the next 12
years. "Lately", says Gerard, the original
and ongoing caretaker (Swiss) of this highly productive
farm "for different and complex reasons, the
profits are declining seriously! In a few years
it may, in fact, be difficult to be fully self-supporting."
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