Auroville, impressions and discoveries

Abstract

Description of the experience of Auroville, an Intentional Community in southeastern India, called by some an alternative community, by others an ecovillage or even a sustainable city (although there are questionings about whether it is a city or a neighborhood), where one seeks the environmental regeneration of a territory destroyed by centuries of inadequate management. Based on observations from the author’s visit to Auroville, on information collected in related
bibliography and on some questionings on what can be inferred from the experience, this article seeks to present some of the history and characteristics of that Intentional Community, understood as a transformation of the a landscape that has been taking place for five decades, continually updating itself, and where several experiments have been and are being carried out. The founding principles of Auroville are presented, and also the initial project and its transformation over time, the regeneration of the landscape there undertaken, highlighting the importance of water management, the weight of experience as a whole in a spiritual intuition, management of food production, the modality of property practiced, constructive techniques and some financial issues.