On an idyllic late afternoon outside the Visitors Center a small group convened to share in an appreciation of poetry. Around a round table we sat, serenaded by musicians in the cool shade of trees as the day drew toward dusk. Anandi, Jill, Roger, and Celestine shared their own poems while others recited favorites from Sri Aurobindo, Borges and more. Hear beautifully diverse voices express, in their own words and others', impressions and reflections inspired by Auroville, music, love, aspiration, unity and the soil underfoot. Read more

Jackie Mouvilllat on the Stick Chapman accompanied by the vocals and reverse writing of Anaka, Manosh Bardhan on the Tabla and Matt Littlewood on Soprano Saxophone came together in a concert at Pitanga last weekend. A memeber of the guitar of the guitar family, the Chapman Stick usually has ten or twelve individually tuned strings. It is a polyphonic chordal instrument that is at once a guitar, a bass, a piano and percussion. Anaka uses a transparent plexiglass with an indigenous technique of reverse writing . Read more

Out of many events in Auroville which community, guests and volunteers can witness, book events are rare. At Pitanga on Monday evening was one of latest, a introduction of debut novel of a young author from Chennai Arja Rajam. Arya herself shortly described the story of the book - Blood, Sweat and Tears which talks about hardship of professional dancers, ballerinas. Jill, Anu and Arya herself have read few passages from the novel. The introduction was followed by questions and answers session, and distribution of the copies to the audience Read more

Je devais rester une demi-journée à Auroville et j'y suis resté un mois. Un apres-midi, je me suis retrouvé au Matrimandir, seul dans un pétale. Je m'y suis installe et moi qui d’habitude ne ressens rien dans les lieux vibratoires, j’y ai entendu un son... l'aventure commencait. I had to stay half a day in Auroville and I stayed there for a month. An after-noon, I found myself Matrimandir alone in a petal. I've installed and I who usually do not feel anything in places vibration, I heard there's a ...adventure was beginning. Read more

The New South Africa Jazz Collective's performance last night at Sri Aurobindo Auditorium, Bharat Nivas, Pavilion of Indian Culture in International Zone thoroughly thrilled all who who have decided to come. Although some of them young, but talented and very much skillful, the members of NSAJC shared with the community some solid jazz standards with its uniqueness of their country of origin - South Africa, and cultural soundscapes of lively rhythms, which have left almost no one remaining siting. ICCR and AV Foundation sponsored the concert. Read more

AV's Minstrels gathered again this month at Marc's Coffee in the Visitor Center to share their poetry passion. All is welcome and if you have some of your own personal poetry please come next month to share. All languages are well come but you might be asked to translate it afterward in to English. Gordon also provided some good flute music to change the mood for the next poetic journey. Hope to see you there next time and maybe also hear the passion of your heart. Read more

The 21st of March the Sun cut the Celestial Equator in two .Day and Night are equals ... and Auroville's Trovadores meet at Marc Coffee by 4.30.pm at the Visitor Centre just to share poems, with Gordon playing the flute. The same day at 5.30pm at Savitri Bhavan Meditative musical "Bansuri and Vocal" concert inspired by raga Kirwani and raga Ahir Bhairav. With Bansuri flute - Kees van Boxtel, Vocals Tanpoura - Caroline from Auroville. GM on Wednesday at 4.30pm at Unity Pavilion on work of Working Committee. Sorcery at Sea - 22.adn 23. at 8pm. Read more

This is the third lecture about the Goddess Sarasvati. Nishtha translated and explained more of the poetry. He has translated all main and sub-hymns to the Goddess Sarasvati in the Rig-Veda. Participants had a chance to hear how the Rishis of the Rig-Veda chanted what they heard and saw in the spiritual worlds as they where invoking the Goddess Sarasvati. There will be a succeeding lecture on Wednesday in Verite Hall from 3-5 pm.

It is amazing that most of the time we are not really aware how many talented children we got in the city. Jana has gathered some of those who are practicing music on different ways, either with teachers or on their own, maybe with friends, and introduced them last night at Youth Center with the program they have named A Dream Concert. Starry night, full of enthusiasm and excitement because some were on the stage for the first time, some shared music that they have composed ... but in all joyfully accepted by gathered audience... Hallelujah Read more

Stars in the Soup A programme of poetry and music Shraddhavan reads from her collection of poems Gordon plays his flute Thursday February 7th at 5.15 pm, Savitri Bhavan Hall Read more

Sweet afternoon has turned into a night, and pampering us with exceptional voices continued with second set of Jazz in Transformation by Suryan and visiting guest Emilia at Unity Pavilion in International Zone. Suryan and Emilia have shared with the audience some of their own songs, and some of the jazz standards. Again we had a chance to hear soulful songs, set in almost perfect sound due to the thorough work of Michael, who has ensured that all four voices of Jazz in Transformation were heard the best possible way Read more

This play in 5 Acts is located in Syria of the playwright’s imagination. Rodogune, the Parthian Princess captured by Syria and made attendant of queen Cleopatra. Antiochus and Timocles, the sons of Cleopatra by her first husband, have been brought up in Egypt. At the death of Cleopatra’s second husband, they return to Syria. The selfish queen mistakes fulsome flattery for real love and rejects Antiochus. He revolts to claim the throne of Syria; and both Rodogune and Antiochus who are mutually attracted by love, join together in this venture.... Read more

After a decade of dedicated work and life in Auroville, after years of dormant love and passion for music, after few years of personal growth Anna Taj's CD was released two week ago. Interesting mixture - from melodious jazz, pop, lounge to spiritual influence of Indian music, with many participating, collaborating in creation of Anna's "baby" CD. It took her a year and a half of meticulous work in studio with Rajkumar Rajamanickam and many others in producing, and bringing it to the product we can listen now. www.annataj.com

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De passage en Inde, c'est avec plaisir qu'Elisabeth Troestler est venue a SveDame vous proposer ses histoires dans le beau cadre de la "grange aux papillons". Conteuse professionnelle en France, elle aime melanger le monde reel et l'imaginaire, creer des surprises, parler sur plusieurs niveaux pour le plaisir de toute la famille... Dans son univers, on trouve des dragons comme dans les histoires traditionnelles, mais ils sortent du papier peint et les princesses lisent les horoscopes. On entre, sans s'en rendre compte, dans une bande-dessinée. Read more

As it was announced by Jill, the Ibsen was a workshop production by Auroville Theater Group of opera in progress. After only three weeks of hard work and rehearsals, we have had a chance to see for three nights in a row at CRIPA in Kalabhumi an amazing piece where all the actors put the efforts and energy to bring Ibsen's last night alive in front of the eyes of audience. Libretto was done by Ronald Rand, who visited Auroville last year, music composed by Hartmut von Lieres, and the production directed by Jill. Read more

On the night of fund raising event for the studio repairs at Kalabhumi on Wednesday 3rd of October Swaha Blues Band brought on the stage mellow sounds of classical blues and rock'n'roll songs. Despite the nostalgic blues definition and melos, Swaha Blues Band sounded optimistic, and audience excitedly cheered them up. The Band are Swaha on vocal, Rolf on bass, Edo on guitar, Ingo on harp harmonica, Pierre on guitar, and Jonathan on drums and guitar.

For the conclusion of the fund raising event at Kalabhumi Anna Taj with Edo and Pierre shake the stage, and audience of course, by some solid classical rock. Sting, Rollins Stones, Patti Smith, Tina Turner....sung by Anna kept the remaining public despite late hour, excited. But before going home we were cooled down by excellent blues duo of Swaha and Anna. The event was successful not only by sweet social gathering with great music and some nice food but also on the financial side, where they managed to raised close to the needed sum.

Four groups of musicians from Auroville, different styles from jazz to blues to rock, gathered on the open air stage of Kalabhumi. Emergence is an Indo-acoustic pop band from started in 2006. Emergence are from Solitude Farm, a community started by Krishna. Harmonic textures of guitar and powerful lyrics blend with sublime Carnatic melodies played on violin and fused with Tamil. This, backed by the expressive grooves of rock, funk and ethnic rhythms and an explosive style of fretless and six-string bass is the unique fusion that is Emergence. Read more

Unselfed is a new devised perfomance piece which explores subjective ideas and propositions of parallel/ multiple selves. What if you met another you - a living, breathing other you? Would you have a conversation with her, or run in the opposite direction? Drawing from these ideas, the director and the group of performers worked together over a prolonged period to create a perfomance based on a experiences of being un-selfed. Read more

Prahlad Singh Tipaniya is an Indian folk singer who performs Kabir bhajans and one of the most well known folk singers from Malwa, Madhya Pradesh. He performs together with a group of tambura, khartal, manjira, dholak, harmonium, timki and violin players. Prahlad Tipaniya toured in the UK and the United States, as well as in India, and his music has been played on All India Radio stations. He has received several awards including the Padma Shri in 2011. He also performed at the annual Sufi music festival, Ruhaniyat. Read more

The group belongs to the Chattangadh's Meghval community of Rajasthan with musicians not by profession but traditional carriers of Kabir’s poetry through the oral traditions of all-night jagrans and satsangs. Mahesha Ram had powerful voice with elongated notes and oscillations. The joy brought by he music and the bright pink and multicolored turbans was spontaneously accompanied by the audience's dance on Edayanchavadi sports ground. - www.youtube.com/watch?v=sop02Ivqji0&feature=related - www.aurovilleperformingarts.com - www.kabirprojects.org Read more

Hans Vas, a singer of Savitri with his guitar had a concert of songs from Savitri lines in front of Sri Aurobindo's statue at Savitri Bhavan on 28th of Jan. Four songs were offered at the concert: the first song, 'At Last from the lines 681-735 of Book1 Canto 4, the second song, 'Only Awile' from the lines 437-494, Book1 Canto 3, the third song, 'I Hail Thee' from the lines 842-926, Book 10 Canto 4, the last song, 'The Chariot' from the lines 325-346, Book 12 Epilogue. Read more

At Center of Indian Studies, Bharat Nivas, Pavilion of Indian Culture in International Zone last Saturday poetry lovers had an unique chance to peep into a rich soul of contemporary Indian woman. Monica Mody is a poet, writer and queer feminist. She has coordinated film festivals,revised a domestic violence toolkit, translated, written for an HIV campaign. At present Monica Mody is a postgraduate writer in residence, University of Notre Dame, currently pursuing a Ph.D. in East-West Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies Read more

On Saturday, 28th between 5-6pm At CIS(Center for Indian Studies) Bharat Nivas, pavilion of Indian Culture in International Zone Auroville Theater Group presents the Monica Mody poetry reading. The Madras String Quartet performs a concert of South Indian Classical Music in Pitanga On Saturday at Pitanga in Samasti at 7.30pm. Sigrid will teach the Basic Course in Hypnotherapy from 2th-4th August . in Aurodam, at Sonja and Umbertos Harmony Center. Therapists, as well as those with an inclination for this work are welcome to participate. Read more

Aswapati and Sri Aurobindo in Savitri : The book of the Traveller of the Worlds, in which the levels of the World Stair are described, contains one of the great revelations of Savitri. It is of prime importance to realize that the Traveller, named Aswapati, is Sri Aurobindo himself writing from his experience. Savitri is given to us to participate and grow in its reality. If thought of as the poetic experiences of a mythical or legendary figure, the experience of sharing in Sri Aurobindo’s mantric evocations might become removed from us.

Last night at SAWCHU in Bharat Nivas, the Pavilion of Indian Culture in the International Zone gave Kabir lovers a chance of a satsang by Prahladji Tipanya, one of the most compelling folk singers of the poetry of Kabir. Since it is the tradition that the holder of satsang addresses the audience on the topic they would like to talk/sing about, Prahladji's question to the audience met with an almost unanimous voice from the audience - LOVE, which was accompanied by simultaneous translations from Anita, of Prahladji explanations of Kabir verses. Read more

In the sports ground of Edayanchavadi village Bindhu Malini and Vedanth Bharadwaj were performing live, with Folk-Blues acoustic set, the Kabir's poetry. They sang all the songs in Tamil language: Mira's song, To remember God , Mira's Bajan's song, Maya a Fraud, Sattle Sound of Universe. Bindhu's husband Vasu Vikshi also jumped on stage to play and sing with humor about Kabir in the contemporary contest and the Kaveri River's song. - www.vedanth.in - www.kabirproject.org - www.aurovilleperformingarts.com - Read more

At early morning hours as last Mooralala Marwada with his group came on the stage of Kalabhumi at Kabir Music Sacred Festival last Saturday. Although number of audience substantially decreased, those who stayed cheered them with laughter and laud halo, which supposed to be Mooralala wake up call, so that no one is left asleep at the time when they sing. He is a folk singer from Kutch district of Gujarat in Western India, and sings the poetry of Kabir along with other poets such as Mira, Ravidas or Sufi Sindhi poet Shah Abdul Lateef Bhitai Read more

Each group of singers brought something special something unique on the stage at the Kabir Sacred Music Festival in Kalabhumi last Saturday. Mahesha Ram group came as the most colorful with their bright orange, pink ...turbans on their heads as they belong to the Meghval community of Rajasthan in Western India. They represent a hypnotic folk style typical of the Meghvals, who are musicians not by profession but more traditional carriers of Kabir's poetry trough the oral traditions of all night jagrans and satsangs. Read more

When Prahlad Tipanya came on the stage in Kalabhumi on second night of Sacred Music Festival Kabir audience was thrilled. His charismatic personality with honesty, and sense of humor attract seekers, while he is widely acknowledge to have deeply impacted and contributed to oral tradition of Kabir singing in Malwa. He is the one who propagate with great personal intensity and engagement the spiritual message of Kabir. He organizes every year Kabir music Festival, visited by thousands singing bhajans together and listen to musicians. Read more