Today at noon all over the planet many will join the healing prayer for the water in the nuclear plants in Fukushima. Name of ceremony is :"Let's send our thoughts of love and gratitude to all water in the nuclear plants in Fukushima" and the prayer, recited with open heart and love is :"The water of Fukushima Nuclear Plant, we are sorry to make you suffer. Please forgive us. We thank you, and we love you."IN today's news we feature also an excerpt of interview with Rani and Irene about the event Take Back the Night on Saturday at 5.15 pm at Visitor Center Read more

The difference is in attitude, and to run a successful business or work unit in Auroville, takes much more than just a skillful business plan of action. When you aspire for perfection, it is important to consider the people you work with. Twenty five ladies forms the expertly trained workforce of Naturellement, a unit which produces a wide variety of natural/organic fine foods; everything from Indian pickles to western style breakfast cereals. The surplus of organic fruit grown in Auroville goes into their jams, marmalades and syrups. In over twenty years of existence, always striving for excellence, the results are obvious. We know them by their Naturellement label, by the taste of their delicious products...it starts with selecting the best ingredients, followed by high standards of hygiene. But maybe most important of all is the happy atmosphere among the women, which add the spice of dedication and love! Read more

For the third time in this year we had a chance to admire many Auroville performing artists at Kalabhumi in the Open Stage Cabaret. Some acts were new, some old, some funny, some touched serious issues of life, some were about dance, some were theater...but all were held together by the ever engaging spirit of Jesse, the Master of Ceremonies who brought our laughter almost to the tears. As with everything else in Auroville, the Open stage Cabaret, organized and prepared by the Auroville Performing Artist group, is evolving and progressing. Each Cabaret is in better shape, and you can always feel it is done with a lot of enthusiasm and heart. Read more

Last weekend the Auroville Choir performed a concert of Celtic songs at Pitanga to a packed house both Saturday and Sunday. The surprise in this particular concert was the finale; Anandi, choir member and daughter of Nuria and Joan, had composed the music for a poem by Wordsworth: romantic lyrics set to romantic, haunting music. In the very air of Pitanga was excitement as the choir members readied themselves to express the joy of singing for an audience, after much work, much practice and repetition under the skillful hands of conductor Nuria. Read more

In this interview we speak with Marti, an Aurovillian who shares her views on what makes a community work. She speaks about climate change and the drastic challenges we're to face; and, how Auroville as a community is in a unique and inspiring position to help create solutions to some of the most pressing world problems. She offers insightful commentary on the complexity and beauty of living in a sustainable community. Her life experience with community has prepared her for the international political realm, where she works with the United Nations, UNESCO, and the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) as a voice for sustainable communities. Read more

Femme rayonnante au grand cœur, Véronique Jannot choisit résolument le bonheur: sourire en toutes circonstances est sa manière à elle de nourrir cette "graine d'éveil présente en chacun de nous,” et de transformer les épreuves, tremplins d'évolution. Profondément engagée pour la cause tibétaine, elle écrit et réalise seule son premier documentaire consacrée à ce principe féminin intangible et puissant, que les tibétains appelle « Dakini ». Pour sa seconde visite à Auroville, elle est donc venue présenter « DAKINIS, le féminin de la sagesse »: une série de portraits de femmes extraordinaires d'orient et d'occident. L'occasion de la rencontrer à son hôtel et de l'interroger sur la création de son film, le rôle de la femme aujourd'hui, sa perception d' Auroville et sur son chemin personnel vers une spiritualité libre et vivante....Interview illustré par la musique du documentaire.

Dear Women, Girls of Auroville and all around the globe - Happy Women's Day! Exactly 100 years ago Suffragettes campaigned for women's right to vote, and since then that day is celebrated all over in bigger or lesser degree to that extend that some countries have a public holiday on that day. Here in Auroville we will celebrate it by dr. Tatiana, a gynecologist, who joined Kailash Clinic Team. She's offering her service from today onward on Tuesdays and Saturdays afternoon between 2 to 5 pm at Kailash Clinic. AVHS with Women's Safety Task Force will organize "Take Back the Nights” candlelit march for human rights to live, work and move in peace at all times.

The news today features an interview with the Exceutive Director of Samarthyam Anjlee Agarwal and Susmita, talking about the importance of Auroville's accessibility for differently abled people, for everyone in whatever condition in which they may happen to be. Also the passing into the Light of Lucia who left her body last Friday 25th February after a road incident while returning from Rameshwaram with a group of friends. A reminder: today begins the 3-day Film Festival-Indian Panorama at Bharat Nivas, today through Sunday...for detailed information please refer to yesterday's news and/or to Auronet. And finally a call for caregivers, who are needed for Hospice work (end of life care), as well as for assisting persons recovering from illness, injury, surgery or simply elderly. Read more

The Rainbow Bridge - Sri Aurobindo's Savitri as a mantra for transformation.

Under this title the second Dr. M.V. Nadkarni Memorial Lecture was given by Sonia Dyne at Savitri Bhavan on February 20, 2011. Sonia was associated with Dr. Nadkarni at the Sri Aurobindo Centre in Singpore during the time when he was teaching at the Univeristy there. In her clear voice and perfect English, she shared illuminating insights about Sri Aurobindo's poem and its significance for us, as a Rainbow Bridge that can carry us from our present state towards our higher goal. Read more

Saturday night, under the full moon, Visitor Centre, public just in the right mood... Anna's voice, and heart with the music of the evening, with excellent Mishko, Suresh, Pierre, Edo, Divin brought memories, brought music of some time ago, but still with a powerful presence. We heard some "classic” songs from seventies, eighties and nineties. It didn't take long for, at the beginning few and soon followed by almost everybody, to response the call of rock, blues, r&b, smooth jazz... to move, rock... Three songs written by Anna, and arranged by Maurizio, Pierre and Edo were dedicated to recently passed Maurizio. It was a night of special feelings, warmth, and sharing. Read more

An interview with Joshua of Auroville Papers. We talked about his history with the company and within Auroville, and also explored the many aspects of work in the factory. Auroville Papers is close to Aspiration Community in Kuillapalayam. A beautiful Banyan tree is on the left as you enter, and you feel like you're entering a sanctuary not any sort of factory. Their handmade paper is made only from vegetal fibres. It is free from toxic substances, its manufacture does not require the felling of trees, and no endangered vegetal species are used for its production. Read more

" Running a marathon is a dream: It is intense, it is arduous, it is challenging both physically and mentally and it demands all of you - commitment, endurance, persistence, focus.” This is what you can read in the website of the Auroville Marathon (marathon.auroville.com). What is missing in this sentence is the pleasure the runners have. In the interview recorded at the arrival, we have heard a lot of appreciation for the beauty of the trail, the warm and familiar atmosphere and the good organization. Some athletes just make it short. Awesome. Read more

In a short interview recorded in Pondicherry at the opening of the exhibition "Varanasi Weaver Exhibition... a timeless journey", Uma Prajapati explain the importance of this social project Upasana is running in Varanasi. Quoting from the invitation: " Thousands of looms in Varanasi have become silent in the last decade - cheap, bad quality imitations have flooded the market and left weavers and traders in despair. Eighty-five percent of the weavers have wandered away to pursue other livelihood options. India's largest hand-weaving guild is threatened. Upasana has been involved in helping the Varanasi weavers' community since 4 years. We bring to you an exhibition showcasing Benaras through its textile, and tradition… An effort towards presenting responsible fashion and rediscovering pride in our collective heritage... Come experience a glimpse into the oldest city of India...”. The exhibition will be open till the 19th of February at the Alliance Francais (Pondicherry). Read more

In a short interview with some Living Routes students and volunteers from USA, Andi found out a few things. They were all exposed to some new ideas, met many different people from all over the world, tried new techniques on themselves - like awareness through the body or meditation. But as one of the students emphasized, she admires most the strength of the community to follow the common goal, although they all come from different backgrounds, different cultures... www.livingroutes.org/programs/p_auroville.htm

On January 20, 2011, started a series of five talks on some of the Mother's major experiences in Her work of transformation. Loretta wants to simplify things for people who are on the journey of Sri Aurobindo's Yoga. Along with her explanations, she brings Mother's Presence by translating and playing recordings of Mother telling of these experiences, and telling stories about Ashram life when Mother was here. Loretta was asked if she thought Mother finished Her work before She left the body. As part of her answer, Loretta relates her own experience standing alone in the Ashram Meditation Room with Mother's body in the early morning. Read more

Margo of World Education, talking about her first time in this part of the world, about the profound impact of Awareness Through the Body and, about AurovilleRadio is the feature of today's news. Announcements include a 3-day Hospice workshop offering information on what hospice actually is (the emotional impact of working with people in the process of dying) plus just how it might be set up in Auroville. The Auroville Handbook, radically reworked, is available once again at the Visitors Centre Information Service and at PRISMA in Aurelec. Read more

We strive to have meaningful communication with others, but sometime what we achieve are arguments or misunderstandings, especially with the people we care most. Non violent Communication is a mean towards understanding each others needs and L'Aura Joy from the College Guest House explains how to achieve helpful, productive, non violent interactions. Find out more with her workshops at the College Guest House or participate at the international meeting in Pondicherry www.invci.com

www.joylinglearning.org Read more

Ranjani and Gayatri perform their well appreciated carnatic melodies at the Adishakti Theater for the 2011 Soorya Festival of Pondicherry. - Ranjani and Gayatri are among the few carnatic musicians who have achieved a high level of success in both vocal and violin music. After more than a decade as successful violinists, the sisters' foray into vocal music has brought them instant recognition and wide acclaim. The sisters started giving vocal concerts in 1997, and within three years, won high praise from discerning critics and music lovers all over the globe. - blogs.wesleyan.edu

Priyadarshini Govind enchants the audience with her bharathnatyam performance at the Adishakti theater for the 2011 Soorya Festival event.  A graduate in commerce from the University of Madras, Chennai, Priyadarsini holds a diploma in Mass Communication, but Bharatanatyam has been her first love ever since she was six.Tall and slim, this Chennai based dancer is a delight to watch, the strong lines of her dance brought alive by a quality of abhinaya, nothing short of being in a class of its own.Intense and naturally talented, her special interest remains abhinaya: 'I think it's beautiful and I was trained in a particular style that gives a lot of emphasis on it'. artindia.net Read more

The students of the American University of Paris AUP on their final day in Auroville speak about what they have done in their four week internships in local NGO and communities around Auroville. Prof. Charles Talcott is excited and satisfied about this program carried out by the Communication faculties of AUP and the University of Sweden, while student Claire Leavitt shares with us her initial difficulties and final satisfaction for her multimedia project in Pondicherry. Read more

Shirley Lyons tells us about her experience as an English teacher at Isai Ambalam school. This is a village school for Indian native children at the border of Auroville. Shirley explains how they use the Glenn Doman method, originally developed for children with learning disabilities, to help very young kids between the age of one and five, to learn English using cards and recognition tools. This program at the school is now three years old and Shirley is very proud of it. The school's students have prepared a final recital in English for the Pongal's vacation. Read more

Irene Sposetti e' una ballerina ed una cantante che 'frequenta' Auroville da qualche anno. Dopo gli studi di danza professionale in Europa, Irene ora si sente libera di esplorare nuove realta' di danza ed espressione vocale. L'ala spirituale da sempre presente in Irene si manifesta ora in una continua ricerca che combina meditazione, danza e nuove forme di sperimentazione vocale. Gli insegnamenti di Sri Aurobindo e della Madre sono energia cinetica per nuove forme artistiche non piu' chiuse tra quattro mura, ma celebrate in luoghi aperti. Ascolta l'intervista registrata al teatro del Bharat Nivas per seguire in percorso di Irene. Per scaricare il programma di 'Dance Improvisation' clicca qui. Read more

"I shall dance, caressing gently Your silky skin to the ancient, classic rhythm, tune and spin, to soothe Your wrath and beg for Your kindness for Your children forgot You in their madness....I shall dance...” Seraphina Arumugam of Selvi Soundarya presented on Sunday night at Bharat Nivas Arangetram, accompanied by Srimati Shanty Rayapoulle on nattuvangam, Sri IsaiMaMani A.Susairaj on vocal, Sri KalaiGnanaMani Thirumundi S. Arun on mrdangam, and Sri ShriRatna T. Sreenivasan on violin. Read more

The Transition School teachers chose “Peace” as the special value this year. Loretta was invited to speak to four different classes of 9-10 year old children on Mother and Peace. She brought photographs of Mother with the Ashram school children and read a text of Mother teaching on how to find peace. This talk brings stories of Mother and the Ashram children and Auroville in the early days. Mother's teaching on Peace is useful for people of every age. Read more

Today's news features long-time friend of Auroville Lesley, in an interview in which she talks of temples and faith healing in relation to mental health, as practiced in South India. Announcements include Saturday's talk by Georges van Vrekhem 'Sri Aurobindo's Descent into Death,' an early call to help organise an Eco-Music Festival to be held 29th Jan at Solitude Farm, plus a reminder concerning our carbon responsibility.

The earliest settlers on the land of Auroville: Debora and Bob. Listen to Debora reminisce about those days, back in 1968....Forecomers is the name Mother gave to that area and Debora and Bob were those pioneers to come first. Under primitive conditions they built a basic strructure on an arid plain overlooking a canyon, chosen for its beauty. Water was delivered daily by truck which meant boiling it for drinking as well as learning to bathe with perhaps two cups of the precious commodity, until a bore well was prepared. Debora, visiting Auroville today, finds the present living conditions indeed luxurious compared to 40 years ago. She also describes meeting the Mother.

After a common dinner at the Solar Kitchen we once again saw a spectacular firework display in front of Bharat Nivas, one which put smile on everyone's face, especially those of children. The Diwali celebration continued with a special treat for those who follow Tamil movies. Madhumitha, a known singer, and Mr. Gangai Amaran, a famous music director, screenplay writer, actor and film director, performed with their own set of musicians and technicians. After some official greetings and talks, Madhumitha expressed her gratitude to the Mother and Auroville through some spiritual songs, but the public was more enthusiastic about the second part of the performance: popular songs from the movies many know so well. Read more

Auroville Radio sits down to gain some insight with Bridget, the only Irish representative in Auropville and one of the beautiful forces behind Thamarai and the Healing Centre in Edianchavadi. Bridget speaks about her life, her journey to Auroville and the journey to build a bridge between two communities. Listen in to hear about the lovely development of Bridget's life in Auroville and how her own blossoming has helped the lotus flower of Thamarai grow and flourish. Read more

The Life Education Center, an outreach unit that works to provide mentoring and technical skills to young village women. LEC is described from multi - generational perspectives. Zerina, a long time teacher and mentor at the center describes the evolution and discovery of the center's mission to provide emotional support and basic trade skills, along with her own memories of working to mentor girls. Indirani, an Auroville Newcomer – who received training at LEC, and then returned as a mentor – speaks about her journey to become an Aurovilian, and gives a unique perspective on the Auroville community and entry process. Saranya, a current LEC student shares a few words about the LEC's role in her life. Read more

Fresh Saturday night in the beginning of monsoon, but we were lucky because rain had stopped before the concert started. Gathered audience could listen to some classic jazz songs, sung by Nuria, who’s voice is highly trained but more inclined to opera singing, and was accompanied by Matthew on keyboards, Keith on bass and Suresh on drums. The mellow and somehow nostalgic mood of Duke Ellington songs was brightly interrupted by short Suresh solo on drums, which earned him laud applause from the audience. Read more