Classical guitar and violin recital by visiting artist Martin Pirktl on classical guitar and Ladislav on violin at Pitanga on Friday was again a special treat for music lovers. Martin started with five lute pieces from the Italian renaissance. Soft tones of renaissance were followed by energetic, and folkloric coloured piece of Atanas Ourkouzounov, contemporary Bulgarian composer. After we passed trough history with music by stops at certain ages with interesting pieces of Isaac Albeniz, Enrique Granado and Astor Piazzola. Read more

During the homage celebrated past Sunday 22th at the SAWCHU in Bharas Nivas, Gordon performed some of the compositions of Saint Tyagaraja. Every year the commemorative music festival Tyagaraja Aradhana is held at Thiruvaiyaru in Tyagaraja's honour. This is a week-long festival of music where various Carnatic musicians from all over the world get together with their veenas, violins, flutes, nagasvarams, mridangams and ghatams. Read more

Prior to Prof Samdhong Rinpoche's arrival, interviews were sought with two Tibetan exchange students Namgyal and Tsened, and Jungchup from Auroville. They were waiting at the entrance of the Tibetan Pavillion to see the rare photos of His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, and his documented asylum into India and a talk delivered by Rinpoche. Each one spoke very sweetly of their experiences living in Auroville. Firstly, Namgyal covered the topic of the Mahayana discipline of meditation and, how to be a 'better man' for Tibet. Read more

From 6th to 11th of February Auroville International members are here to interact with the community. In today's news we featured interview with Vani on the program. For interactions and presentations will be used also the new multi purpose hall at Unity Pavilion in the International Zone. Meeting will end with General Assembly on 11th. Tonight at 7pm at Sadhana Forest, we can see Marc Vella's film The Sand Piano. After the film, Marc Vella will personally explain his Love Caravan and the possibility of having the next project in India! Read more

To celebrate life and overcoming cyclone was the keynote of Lively Up Your Earth eco music Festival in Solitude Farm on Saturday 28th of January. With Cyclone Blue we went down the memory lane into early 70ies, by evergreen rock songs well played and sung by amazing olny 13 years old Danny, who joined his father Amando and Matt. And it is something in known that made us at ease, so Cyclone Blue hit the dancing strings in audience and enthusiastic share of encouragement. To Joel and his team we are grateful for excellent sound.

Hosting Lively Up Your Earth eco - music festival for the second time in Solitude Farm with numerous stalls of products ecologicaly oriented, gadgets for children, food and lots of music brought community and more together almost a month after the natural catastrophe of Thane. Emergence as the hosting band came up on stage the last, and late. Solids songs of world music and poetic rock, reflecting the uniqueness of city life in Auroville and life of members of the band kept the audience on their toes. Thanks for excellent sound to Joel and team Read more

We feature interview with Gunasekaran, member of the new Auroville Council talking on housing issues. On Sunday at 5pm The Centre for Research in the Performing Arts (CRIPA) invites us all to an Opening Concert by the Auroville Choir, At Cripa Hall in Kalabhumi . CRIPA hall is nearing completion and it is meant to be a theatre, music and dance space for the exploration and development of these art forms. And on Monday 6th of February at 5pm Marc Vella will held his last concert in Auroville at CRIPA with Joy on Silence. Read more

On Saturday 28th January, 4.30 pm at the Tibetan Pavillion, Auroville was graced with a visit by Prof Samdhong Rinpoche. Rinpoche was greeted by children and guests who had arrived for the inauguration of a rare photo gallery documenting the 1959 departure of His Holiness the Dalai Lama from Tibet and arrival into India. There was a sense of nostalgia and appreciation to be present at such an auspicious event that dated decades back, during which His Holiness's asylum had been facilitated by the Government of India and, at their invitation. Read more

On February 4th and 5th at Certitude and Udavi sports ground we can witness Auroville Hat Tournament 2012 India Ultimate's. Two hundred players from all over will come and test their fitness and improve their skills with an 'Auroville' spirit . The Auroville Hat is the only 'hat' tournament in India, and reflects its spirit of Unity in Diversity. We feature interview with Kumaran about it. In today's news is also interview with Daniel updating us from Working Committee about work in progress on wood, fire hazards, effects of cyclone... Read more

There's no doubt that Marc Vella captured hearts of Aurovilians with his loving attitude toward music as toward audience, nature... Films we saw before his arrival, his personal presence in the town, brought again crowd to the Lively Up Your Earth eco music festival at Solitude Farm on last Saturday 28th of January. We can thank to private donors which contributed needed money to hire a piano from Chennai and with that made it possible for all of us to hear to Marc Vella amongst the palm trees of Solitude Farm. Read more

Sun was hot, children happily running around when music started with Oldtimer - Larry and Paul. Paul was also informing us on the progress of the musical part of the festival in his humorous way. Oldtimers haven't spent much time on the stage and Johan ZilverZurf followed them with his bass. Some interesting combinations of chill out and ambient we heard with him, setting the peaceful tone of festival at this hot hour of the day. Read more

Suryan surprised us with his new Dharma Trio - beside Suryan on guitar and voice Johan on bass and Laurent on drums which added new dimensions to his songs. His songs still hypnotic and thought provoking, but now dance worthy getting us up on our feet. A true poet speaks to everyone at once but also speaks each individual at the same time; and if it's accompanied with such an amazing and captivating voice Suryan is blessed , touching us all on many levels. Read more

Financial Service informs us that thanks to Future School students Chandran, Dyuman and Kanikannan the financial service office at the Townhall has now an electronic token system. In today's news we feature an interview with Krishna reflecting on recently held Lively Up Your Earth eco music festival. Aurovilians and Newcomers are welcome to register their names for a Darshan on 21st of February token on from Monday, 6th, to Wednesday at PITANGA, in Samasti. Music of hildegarf of Bingen and Beyond at Arka tomorrow at 6pm . Read more

When Mishko M'Ba greeted the audience with announcement of repertoir which would pay the tribute to Jaco Pastorious, famous bass player, brought many smiles on the faces. The whole gig was special treat for music lovers. Excellent musicians Mishko M'Ba on Bass, Matt Littlewood on saxophone, Suresh Bascara on drums and Karan Joseph on keyboards played known songs of Jaco Pastorious, Pat Metheny, Miles Davis and Joe Zawinul with technical perfection and with all their love for the music. Read more

Aurodhan Gallery at Pondicherry will present on Friday 3th of February an interesting "Pondicherry" exhibition of selection of fine art photographic images exclusively selected from the book launched at the same time. Sebastian shared with us some insights on the process of making the book, which is collaboration of photographic artistic view of life heritage of Pondicherry with written word of Pascal Bruckner, Akash Kapur and Amin Jaffer, all experts on their fields of exploration. "Pondicherry" is published in French and English. Read more

On Friday 3rd of February Aurodhan Gallery will present Sebastian Cortes's Pondicherry exhibition of fine art photographic images excluseively selected from the book launched at the same time. In today's news we feature an excerpt of interview with Sebastian, and an excerpt of last night violin and piano concert at Pitanga by two visiting Bulgarian guest artists Yoana Strateva and Ivelina Ivancheva. Tonight at at 5pm at Arka main Hall we can join Nakada and Gopika at Vedic chants, and at 8pm at harp meditation. Read more

Within the series of events organized by Bulgarian Pavilion Group we had a chance to listen to an violin and piano recital at Pitanga on Sunday 29th of January. They offered to Auroville devotional songs by Beinsa Duno, a Bulgarian spiritual master who wrote;"Music is the first visible indication fo love. The aim of music is to uplift hte human soul. Within music the great laws of the cosmic creation and the creative Spirit of the existence are hidden." Beside his songs numerous audience was excited over other classical pieces . Read more

..."But the hour is often terrible, of fire and whirlwind and the tempest, a threading of the winepress of the feed of God..." says Sri Aurobindo on the Hour of God which Loretta quote in our interview or reflections on recent cyclone Thane raging over Auroville and nearby villages. And as she says that when something happens that hurts you, and it hurts you much, you stop and ask, although the Hour of God is not physical thing but it does crush down something inside of us. The bottom line is LOVE, which made and manifest the Universe. Read more

Last Sunday in a pool outside of Auroville, AV's reputation for encouraging synchronicity succeeded in facilitating an artistic reunion of 3 accomplished performers. After catching up, all three musicians quickly realized they were available to perform on the same day as India's Republic Day, at 7.30pm for an hour at Arka. Mystical Meetings' concert began with Iraqi Oud virtuoso and singer, Anwar Abudragh, who quickly created a soothing ambience of subtle melodies transferring a packed audience to the Middle East and gently bringing us back. Read more

The Pavilion of Tibetan Culture invites us to an exhibition of rare historic photos Walking into Exile - The Dalai Lama arrives in Tawang (March 31 to April 18, 1959) tomorrow 28th of January at 5pm. The exhibition will be inaugurated by Prof Samdhong Rinpoche, former Kalon Tripa and will be followed by a talk by Samdhong Rinpoche on My Vision of Future Tibet .In today's news we feature short phone interview about it with Namgyal. Weekend it will be nicely busy, as it is usual for this time of the year, with lots of good music, presentations... Read more

Happy Republic Day India! This morning was inaugurated a volunteer housing project named Rohini & Yuva. One of our volunteers, Kimbo, attended bhumi puja onsite near Luminosity and talked with Uma directly. On Saturday at 4 PM, at Kala Kendra Audiovisual Room, we're invited to a presentation called 'MISSION AUROVILLE' which is about six Polish artists who are currently residing in Auroville. On Sunday at 7.30 pm at the Pitanga Bulgarian Pavilion presents a Violin and Piano Recital with guest artists Yoana Strateva and Ivelina Ivancheva Read more

Daniel, member of the Working Committee shares with us updates on land encroachments at New Farm, and on dr. Karan Singh, Chairman of Auroville Foundation yesterday visit. On Friday at 8pm Ana, Hartmunt, Suryan, Joy and Jivatman, Taranti, Caroline and Elisa and Anisha and Tiago will offer thir music to life and community under the sky of the Big Amphitheater in Kalabhumi – Made in Auroville concert, postponed from few months back due to the rain at the time. Lively Up Your Earth is taking place on Saturday from 10.30 onward at Solitude Farm. Read more

Saturday 21th of January at Bharas Nivas, Jyoti Khare inaugurated the exhibition PRESENCE; a collection of paintings and collages developed during the past 10 years using The Mother's clothes and sarees. In this interview Jyoti shares about the creative process, her sources of inspiration, and how a person without training can produce a piece of professional art. The exhibition will be open until the middle of February 2012. Read more

Three exceptional musicians come together in Auroville to celebrate their shared cultures and music making. Anwar is one of the greatest living oud players from Iraq. The oud, a middle eastern lute is one of the most beautiful instruments , and Anwar sings in classical Arabic . Heather Lee has the finest high soprano voice in Australia and has sung all around the world . Dr Kim Cunio is a leading performer and researcher of sacred music who has set many of the vanishing spiritual texts of the world to music to international acclaim. Read more

From Auroville Cyclone Response Team / Energy comes and important safety advice on the electrical poles that have broken during the cyclone. In many cases a new pole has been installed while the old pole is still on the ground next to the new pole with meter boxes and switch boxes still attached to that old For the sake of safety, everyone is requested not to interfere with the equipment, meters, fuses, switch boxes on broken poles as these may be in use. in today's news we feature interview with Kim and Kimbo about Thursday concert at Arka. Read more

Hall with piano at Pitanga was yesterday too small for all those who wanted to listen to Marc Vella's concert , which was organized by The French Pavilion and CIRHU. Marc as an excellent pianist, composer, writer and a poet , knonw also by his nomadic traveling with his piano on missions called Cravana of Love shared with us... lots of Love... melodies interwoven with unusual exploration of the instrument, extending experiences we got on piano to play stories, lullaby, natural sounds, pieces of historical memories of distant places. LOVE Read more

L'Avenir d'Auroville will present on Municipalika - 10th International Conference on "Good Urban Governance for Safe, Healthy, Green and Smart Cities" in co terminus with 10th International Exhibiton on "City Infrastructure and Sustainable Urban Developments" - Auroville's way on how to handle waste water treatment, alternative planning, architecture and something about tropical evergreen forest. In news we feature short interview with Anbu about it. You can also hear a short excerpt of yesterday's concert of Marc Vella at Pitanga. Read more

Within a short visit of Engineers Without Borders from Australia Elvira introduced to them governance and working groups as a part of evolving process which should lead us to the Divine Anarchy, as The Mother named it. Elvira shortly presented history, and how the number of residents invoked the need for more formal governance in the form of a delegate system in order to interact with outer world and Indian Government. Changing process of governance is a slow one because in basically a process of changing ourselves.

The Working Committee would like to inform the community that all wood in Auroville is a collective asset and should not be kept for personal use, sold or traded. Selling or trading it is in fact illegal. People who have sold wood to outsiders should contact the Cyclone Help Desk AND then transfer the money to the Unity Fund account number 240001 with description "Wood Sales". In today's news we feature Krishna on Lively Up Your Earth, eco music festival, update and music line up. Today at 5pm Sve-Dame Heart Songs and dances by Upahar. Read more