The daily thoughts, anxieties, and despair that residents face in Auroville.
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Written August 2025
It means waking up in the morning wondering what new catastrophe is going to befall Auroville.
It means to switch on one’s phone dreading an announcement saying that some bulldozer or some woodcutters are at work in Auroville, here or there, that some land exchange has been finalized, that some Aurovilian has lost his maintenance, that some services have been taken over, that some new committee has absolute rights over you.
It means opening the newspaper and finding one more article on Auroville lauding the achievements of the present Secretary JR, or one more article announcing that, unbeknownst to the whole community, one more useless and empty MOU has been signed with some prestigious Indian institution.
It means remembering that today one has to try to go and see for the umpteenth time the Foundation officer in charge of visas, and enquire about one’s visa which has been pending for more than six months. Knowing perfectly well that this is a waste of time as this officer is really in charge of nothing and will not be able to say anything.
It means going to work in one’s unit or one’s service, opening the mailbox and trying to understand the many daily mails coming from the accountants of the Foundation or from the FAMC : you cannot do that anymore, you cannot do this anymore, that has to be done now in a new format, material sent in the previous format will not be accepted, you have to send some information by tomorrow early morning otherwise… and all this signed ironically with “Auroville will boldly spring towards future realisations.”
It means wondering several times a day whether it is worthwhile continuing with this work, whether one should not close the unit rather than be harassed several times a day with messages that contradict themselves.
It means receiving SOS messages announcing some cutting of trees, or some encroachment in a faraway corner of Auroville, and wondering what is more important : trying to keep your unit afloat or drop everything and try to help.
It means passing by Aurovilians on the road and remembering each time the hurt those people inflict on many of us, and wondering how that is possible.
It means looking back on the past, and yes, acknowledging that we can always do better, that we mishandled some situations and did not rectify obvious flaws in our way of doing. It means feeling guilty most of the time.
It means also, fortunately, at times, meeting other “belligerent” friends, hugging them and feeling comfort in the thought that they share your pain, they share your distress. That feeling of fraternity is what helps one to go on. Faith also, but at times faith disappears and despair sets in.
It means hearing rumors of changes, rumors of changes in the present administration, hoping for some good news at last, and later learning that these were only gossip, that one by one we lost all the court cases, and knowing that the situation is getting worse and worse in spite of so many heroic efforts mainly by the Working Committee.
It means waking up at night and wondering if one has a future in Auroville – wondering if it would not be better to spend whatever remains of one’s life in one’s own country. After all, it is as if foreigners were not wanted here anymore; why insist, after all let’s give them what they want! They want all Aurovilians of our generation to be disgusted and leave, either leave the country or leave their body. So why not come out of this toxic atmosphere, and whatever the difficulties, at least live in a country where one will not be considered a criminal.
Then sleep is not coming. You review the day and you feel guilty that you have not responded to the SOS call. Yes, you did not have the energy to cross Auroville to be with other Aurovilians. That’s bad, that’s very bad… At last sleep comes and you wake up exhausted.
Anonymous
Written August 2025