What the green cover in Auroville means in terms of pioneer afforestation, development, and the right conditions to work harmoniously together.
Written November 2022
“The one who plants trees,
knowing that he will never sit in their shade,
has at least started to understand the meaning of life.”
~ Rabindranath Tagore
When Auroville first began in 1968, the soil was a barren, desert-like piece of land with only one banyan tree and a few palmyras. This was the only vegetation for miles. Stretching from the canyons down into the Bay of Bengal, the land was completely eroded, not even farmers could use it.
Days and nights were spent by some good willing servitors of the Divine Consciousness to make this land habitable again by understanding the land, creating bunds to prevent the water runoff and soil erosion thus enabling plants and trees to grow creating shade and a cooler climate for everyone. Through this afforestation work, Auroville has become world renowned.
I don’t believe anybody living in Auroville here today is against development, and the persistent narrative that green work is by its nature anti-development is incorrect and misleading. Well managed forests and green spaces are an integral part of the city that Auroville wants to be.
Of course, we understand that some trees need to be cut but the pattern in which development has been pursued over the last months is detrimental to the long-term health of Auroville and the bioregion. The forests in Auroville are mostly in the green belt, and what has been planted in the Master Plan area will be transformed into forested parks, according to the Galaxy concept. Darkali and Revelation are excellent examples of that, which shows “landscaped” areas but also wild forest.
Our forests are unique, most of the evergreen trees are perfectly adapted to our environment in terms of being cyclone, drought and water surplus resistant. The seeds mostly come from remnants of sacred groves from the surrounding areas. We remain shocked at all the destruction and environmental damage that has been done over the last months.
The green cover is why Auroville is so attractive to Indians who live in big metropolitan cities. Green elevates and calms the soul. It is because a city is green that one becomes more relaxed and, yes, more spiritual.
For flowers to grow they need the right conditions, so it is for humans. Auroville is for humans to grow into something more noble and more Divine and unite with their souls and their true nature. If we are to work harmoniously together, we need to have the right conditions and then our differences can be a source of innovation and creativity, where we can become our best selves and create a beautiful society.
Our goal is to become yogis, seekers of the Truth. Falsehood, greed for power and money has no place in Auroville. In India all sages and rishis even the Buddha took refuge in nature, or just found bliss under a tree.
Thank you, Spiritual India, thank you Government of India for hosting Auroville, thank you Sri Aurobindo for enlightening our minds, thank you sweet Mother for your infinite and timeless love. And a big thank you to all the sages, seers and saints for paving the way from darkness to light.
By anonymous