David Nagel

Pioneer of Auroville

David, originally from Brooklyn NY, is a kind of legend in our Auroville history since his arrival with his brother Larry in 1976. He had the required 'wackiness', passion and the ability to work in diverse fields that was the need and hallmark of the early pioneering years of establishing Auroville.

David turned 80 on the 24th of April, he faced certain health issues of which he didn't complain much. He was known for calling his friends regularly to chat and share information and reminisce on past events. 

He ran the 'Nourishment' restaurant in Pondicherry (which later was known as 'La Maison d'Auroville' on rue Lally Tollendal Street), a place to eat, rest and recuperate for Aurovilians completing errands before cycling back up hill to AV. 

He later ran the Bharat Nivas Kitchen which provided school lunches, in fact entire generations of Auroville's children have been fed on some of David's original menu items which were taken up by the Solar Kitchen many years later, like the Monday mashed potatoes, Tuesday pasta with white sauce, Soy balls biryani etc, - all these were David's creations.

There are many tales of David that are part of our Auroville folklore.

David immersed himself in his love for afforestation work, which he carried out for the rest of his life, planting thousands of trees and providing seedlings from his nursery to many people and places. He assisted greening efforts in many places as well as with the PHCC (Palani Hill Conservation Council), Madras Crocodile Bank, and other places. His greening efforts are a visible legacy for the future.

Please click here to hear him speak about his work: https://youtu.be/51npNzfj2zY&t=8m24s

David’s body remained at Farewell, where many friends from Auroville and the villages came to pay a last homage. 

The cremation of his remains took place at Auroville’s Cremation Grounds in the afternoon of Tuesday 27 June.

We thank David Nagel and wish him peace in his onward journey. Farewell, dear friend. So many of us will miss you.

OM

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From Larry and Auralice: 

David of Aurodam passed away in his sleep and was found lifeless at his home in Aurodam on the morning of June 23.  He was 80 years old.  David was raised in Lynbrook, New York and came to Auroville in 1976 to visit his brother, Larry, who had joined Auroville in May 1971.  David became immediately fascinated and enchanted by Auroville and participated in the early stages of the Kottakarai community.  From 1978 on he gave himself totally to afforestation, which work extended out of Auroville including involvement for many years with the Palani Hills Conservation Council. He had many special friendships in Auroville, Pondy and around India and the world…, Jean of 2 Banyans, Bobby and Suryan of Isaiambalam, Debashish and family in Pondy, Rom Whitaker of the Crocodile Bank, not to mention his Solar Kitchen lunch friends and many, many others.  David loved the Aurodam community and the Aurodam forest, much of which he planted on rainy monsoon mornings, with the help of Meena and his team.  You would see him stumbling over bunds, carrying seedlings, usually wearing crocs and thick knee-high socks, seeming perfectly in his element.

Those who interacted with David over the years, will remember him as being a completely unique person. Auralice, who has loved David deeply, through thick and thin, and took care of some of the practical aspects of his life, says he’s a real eccentric who was social, curious, loved gossip, always had a dog, some of which didn’t get the best care, and who  - in a conversation I had with him on his 80th birthday in April-  sounded to be a most fulfilled, joyful, contented octogenarian, saying “Thank you for bringing me to Auroville.” And, indeed, David was always sublimely grateful to be part of Auroville. And those who received his numerous, affable, sometimes annoying, often pointless phone calls, will miss them, as well as those who would see him sitting, on the bench by the entrance to Center Field, as he would watch Auroville, the love of his life, go by.

Larry and Auralice

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Testimonials:

David and I are the same age and close pals for half a century or so. 

When David was bitten by a Russell's viper he sent me a message saying I could keep the raincoat he left at my place in case he died. His droll sense of humour remained intact.

In the mid-1980s David was a vital part of the team which got our Irula Women's Society started on planting trees on village land near the Croc Bank. He taught us all how to raise huge nurseries of lakhs of trees and then how to plant and care for them. The Women's Society is still going strong at Thandarai, near Chengalpattu.

What a shock! 

Whenever Janaki and I visited Auroville we stopped at and sometimes stayed with David.Now that I live further away, near Mysore, David and I used to have a phone chat at least once a week, usually about how much rain we've been getting and the trees we've been planting and how they are doing. I wouldn't be such a tree-planting nutcase if it hadn't been for David. We'll really miss him!

Rom

Romulus Whitaker

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Thank you David for the love you showed to our Mother Earth. I remember visiting Auroville in 1975 -- it was so full of energy and hope -- but the land dry, dry, dry -- great expanses of overworked and naked soil, with only the tall noble lonely palmyra trees in rows with protective Govt numbers in their trunks between the sandy fields. And I was amazed, really, returning in the 1990s to bear witness to AV's transformation: -- all the greenery, the rich afforestation accomplished with such love by David and so many others there over those 20 years -- bushes and leafy trees almost burying the old palmyras you could still find hidden in there now -- with their carved out number sconces still intact from their own beginnings from yet more decades and decades before. Trees bear witness, and nurture us, we need to show them great respect and love.

From Mark, current President of PHCC (Palani Hill Conservation Council)