Welcome to Auroville. In the modern world, concepts such as politics, faith and economy play a role in the continuation of the vital cycle. At some point in the world, there is a way of life that is far from these concepts. Everyone is free in the city of Auroville, where money cannot even enter the border, there is no private property and everyone lives their own faith. How Does? Here is the answer.
He opened his eyes in India in 1872. When he returned to his homeland after spending his school years in England, the only thought on his mind was ‘freedom’. Indian poet and thinker Aurobindo Akroyd Ghosh would be arrested by the British government for his ideas, and all this would ensure that the concept of ‘freedom’ was once again brought to the table.
Aurobindo’s teachings, which influenced many people with his thoughts and lifestyle, were about making the world more peaceful, happier and freer. However, even if he could not realize all these dreams in his life, he would be a light for those after him. The French woman, known as Mirra Alfassa or ‘Mother’, was a follower of Ghosh. In 1964, together with a group of members of the Sri Aurobindo Association, of which he was the president, he decided to build a city where the philosopher’s teachings would live. Today, 50 thousand people live in this city, which was brought to life with the thought of a philosopher.
The city, where the teachings of Aurobindo, who passed away in 1950, would be experienced and was intended to be completely free, was founded in 1964 by a group of followers of the philosopher under the leadership of Mirra Alfassa. Everything was now ready for a place in this world but away from all the realities of the world. The construction of the city, named Auroville, was completed in 1968. Founded in the Viluppuram region of India’s Tamil Nadu state, Auroville was now ready to welcome its residents who wanted to try a completely different life.
In the founding of the city, which even has a touch of freedom in its name, Anne aimed to create a free city and life model where people could overcome the restrictions of social pressures such as politics, money, belief and private property. Everyone was now free in the city, which took its name from the French words ‘aurore’, meaning ‘dawn’, and ‘ville’, meaning ‘city’. The ‘free city’, one step ahead of the modern world, was finally established.
No private property, money is invalid
In a world where almost nothing can be achieved without money, Auroville is the only place where money does not pass. Production in the city is carried out with a system called ‘additive economy’ and according to this system, ‘everyone gets salt in the soup.’
People living in Auroville contribute to social life in line with their own interests and talents. Moreover, working in this city is not done for a salary or reward, but for the purpose of contributing to social life voluntarily. In this unique system, people contribute to production and social life, strengthening their sense of responsibility and cooperation.
Residents of Auroville make social decisions through joint participation, consensus, and by prioritizing community interests over individual interests. There is no right to private property in the city, which is far from the political rules of the modern world. All areas are used jointly and in this way, the feeling of sharing is reinforced.
Everyone freely lives the belief they want
Another feature that distinguishes Auroville from the rest of the world is that there is no concept of ‘religion’. There is no official religion or religion practiced here. Everyone can practice whatever belief they want individually. Auroville residents also know how to respect and support every individual with other beliefs. People of Auroville, who can worship as they wish, approach all beliefs with great tolerance and respect.
The common goal of everyone in Auroville is that real transformation and progress will only occur if the boundaries of ideologies and power struggles are overcome. For this reason, the city stays away from the divisive nature of politics. A structure created to achieve personal development and ensure collective well-being prevails in the city. However, this utopian city is not completely isolated from the modern world. Residents of the city have cultural and social exchanges with other human communities in the region. Auroville residents also collaborate and carry out joint activities with some institutions or individuals in different countries of the world.
In the center of the city, there is a building called ‘Matrimandir’, which means ‘mother temple’ in Sanskrit. It is extremely important to maintain peace in the building called Matrimandir in order not to disturb the peace of the city. In addition, the area surrounding the building is called the peace zone. Matrimandir is the focal point of urban planning in Auroville. The city surrounding this building is divided into 4 different regions. These are called the Residential Zone, Industrial Zone, Cultural and Educational Zone and finally the International Zone.
‘It’s like we’re living in a dream’
Alfassa, a follower of Aurobindo and the sustainer of his intellectual legacy, believed that ‘man is a temporary being’. Alfassa hoped that the universal town would significantly contribute to humanity’s progress towards its glorious future by bringing together people of good will and desire for a better world. Alfassa’s idea was successful. In a documentary about the people living in Auroville, which has more than 50 thousand residents today, there is only one sentence that everyone from 7 to 70 says: ‘It’s like we’re living in a dream.’
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