..by William Shakespeare, and brought to us by students of Last School on past Friday and Saturday. Yes, it was a night of Shakespeare, laughter, friends and families under the starlight in the amphitheater of the Last School. Story with its plot is more or less known: two love stories, humor, mischief, conspiracy, and yet ends with two marriages in satisfaction of all parties involved. Despite that director has chosen to stick to the expression of Shakespearian English, all actors proved their ability and maturity in performing. 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

This morning at Conference Room in Town Hall we had a chance to listen to some interesting short talks with its common thread on ecology awareness. The opening session was with Cesare who shared with us some points of Open Source Hardware in relation to the local community or DIY ( Do It Yourself). Followe by Snehal talking on Kitchen Gardens or why we should grow food everywhere. Deoyani Sarkhot emphasized versatile usage of charcoal and which benefits it can bring to the soil. First part was concluded with Kathy on health and environment. Read more

Kabir lovers were excited to hear that Shabnam Virmani was in Pondicherry past weekend and wanted to meet all her Auroville friends in Kabir. She was here with her friend Vipul and also Bela, who are part of the Bangalore Kabir mandali/toli. For that reason they've organized impromptu satsang on Sunday at the New Creation Music Room. Shabnam was singing and explaining the deeper spiritual meaning of the songs, in her inimitable style. The event was kindly hosted in Devasmita & Satyakam's beautiful house. Read more

Minutes of General Meeting on Auroville Water Maintenance Service to clear out the dead point on the unit(or service???) closure, splitting assets...In the goodwill of all present resident, with the reminder of Residents Assembly Service before the beginning to keep it to the agenda which was (except little outburst of "washing the laundry") kept at most of the time, the meeting was steered in real process of work - collective yoga. Result is a suggestion that last existing team along with Marcus and Dirk find the proposal for the new AWMS. Read more

Featured are minutes of yesterday's General Meeting at Unity Pavilion in International Zone which was very well attended. Proposed agenda was about Working Committee sharing agenda points fro the upcoming Governing Board, which they have received from the Secretary's office : 1. process for procedure for selection of WC. 2. suggestions on term&mandated for the WC. 3.process&procedure for constituting various working groups of the RA.4. suggestions on securing land for the Master Plan&manifesting the city. That agenda was impossible to keep. Read more

The German peace program EachOneTeachOne in collaboration with AIAT and Mohanam Youth Project presented last night another night of exciting breakdance and rap for peace. The whole performance was explosive mixture of children from nearby villages who shared with us some dances, drumming, silambam, and graffiti on the back of the stage, created with Julio Rolle and Kajal Sing during the workshop at AIAT., and of course Bboys - Sun-Ha alias DJSolar/Sola Plexus, Danny and Reza alias K.O.TIXX, Nico alias NicoRoc Masterplancrew Read more

Featuring recordings are of yesterday's one day workshop on the research on the 12 qualities and their practical implication in the relationship with those who come to Auroville - tourist, guests, volunteers, newcomers at Unity Pavilion in International Zone. Participants, of which all are on daily basis in contact with all those who come to Auroville by different reasons and purposes, sincerely dedicated their time to explore and go through 12 qualities without looking for problems or solutions but merely searching for a useful tool. 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

Yesterday's General Meeting called by a group of Aurovillians concerned about the work of Working Committee, facilitated by RAS in Unity Pavilion has attracted many. Politics in its worst to some, struggle for power ,and who got control, or what it is perceived by some to opposite of what we might expect from working groups...what are spiritual core vision and values of Auroville. All those questions and some particular answers were given to the table, and a call of many for a transparency and sincere service to the community with interactions Read more

Extract of an interactive session within Steps Ahead, Sri Aurobindo Centre for Studies-India and the World (Bharat Nivas) held yesterday at Unity Pavilion in International Zone. Interesting session where the discussion revolved around the present state of the International Zone and the possible courses of action. Most participants  were active members either of pavilion groups of core group of International Zone. They expressed dissatisfaction with the speed of the development. Read more

After electrical fire two week back at the rooms of the Entry Service in Town Hall, the facilities are already restored, and beside only missing fans things work as usual. As members of the Entry Service Team explains it was due to the quick response of the several working teams as ACUR, Blue Light, BCC and Electrical Service, moral and enthusiastic support , and understanding of many that they have been able to return to their work in merely a week after the fire. Read more

Second part of informative session on if and how Auroville would become a World Heritage Site under UNESCO. Gathered residents yesterday clearly expressed many doubts, and over all was the tone that we still don't know enough to take a clear decision if YES or NO. Decision making process supposed to start this Friday, and end in two week. The fact is that Auroville needs to consolidate and protect the land of the master plan, where green belt is of huge importance. The question would be which price are we prepare to pay? Read more

With Jill - member of Auroville Theatre Group, Chankaya - a writer and director of Prelud and Vivek - an actor we were trying to find out what has triggered for Prelude to come on the stage. On solo performance, where we can see how society does define one's life, the team was working more than a year, and it was a true collaboration in creative process. The main conflict of the character lies in the relationship between the mother and son, where she represents home, religious and moral backgrounds and he tries to brake those in secrecy. Read more

On the minimalistic setting of the stage, which comes to life with light effects and sound, a man relives certain moments of his life. Vivek Vijayakumaran in this solo performance brings to the audience amazingly vivid all those moments which seems to be the ones defining the man's life. His questions are also very intimately connected with social parameters, hypocrisy and religious beliefs. Great theater solo performance touching essentials of Indian diverse society in cultural and religious backgrounds. Read more

Tyler Carson, a volunteer at Village Action Group, has came to Auroville in the group of twelve as their part of intership of the study on integrative energy healing. Their study in Seattle is a three years program design to incorporate teachings from India(Vedic system), China(meridian system) and North American Native tradition in order for students to know how to use the universal energy in order to promote healing in the body. Tyler is working on sound healing by allowing his heart to be open to the Divine while making the music. Read more

In Auroville, for two years, a team of passionates has been exploring this discipline born from the third millenium on the Amercan continent. Mark is presenting us this recency between yoga, circus and Thai massage. The French-American tandem Mark and Damien, after a long process of decoding from books and videos, has acquired skills that allow them to offer now the opportunity to practice this activity in Auroville at Arka Centre on Sundays 8-10 am and Tuesdays / Thursdays 7-9 am, and Louise in Windara Farm on fridays 3-5 pm. Ready to fly? Read more

This morning within Sustainable Habitats Workshops under the umbrella of Auroville Green Practices, and organized by Auroville Consulting, Toine has started with brief introduction of Auroville. Small number of participants, mainly architects will deepen their knowledge on sustainability in the next few days, while the lectures and workshops will be going on on different locations, until Friday. This morning Suhasini was talking on principles of design and evaluation processes of architecture in Auroville and other cities. Read more

Although Pitanga last night was not so crowded due to many events in Auroville, were those who have came to listen to Tyler Carson indeed an attentive audience. Tyler, a volunteer in Auroville, has shared some of his exploration on the violin over the years as part of his spiritual growth. On some parts music has evoked distant memories( Celtic folk music) trough the the physical attributes of the sound which is able to touch all parts of our bodies; and in time was the silence of just played tone that which was telling the story Read more

The purpose of yesterdays's General Meeting at Unity Pavilion in International Zone was basically to explain the criteria on which a site can be on the tentative list for applicants for the World Heritage Site at UNESCO. Luigi and Toine have done that, which was followed by the discussion. It is inevitable for development to happen in the area, and the increased flow of the tourist has started to burden Visitor Centre and city itself already. Yet the biggest concern residents has expressed yesterday was how much more that would increase if Read more

As he has promised last year, Marc Vella returned with his traveling piano, accompanied by members of the Caravan of Love. The evening after full moon was chosen for his piano meditation at Amphitheater in Matrimandir. Dedication of members of Matrimandir Team and volunteers with the joyfully atmosphere of working together have created beautiful set up for the piano just next to the urn. Piano itself was brought from the lawn to the spot by many helpful hands. And piano meditation has started at fading away evening to a moon rise with Love Read more

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

To whoever that has came to Town Hall early this morning was obvious that something isn't really right , no power, no sound of generator... people gathering at Le Morgan..."Entry Service Burnt Down" where the calls and surprises, and joke followed. Following is a short interview with Kripa, member of Entry Service, explaining the cause of the fire, which has occurred around 5am. Electrical sockets took fire, which melted the wiring, computers melted ... but team is positive; Kripa says "Like the Fenix we will would be re born out the ashes" Read more

Last night at Pitanga Jean-Christophe on flute and Teresa on tampura has offered to a numerous audience a meditation, where music supposed to be used as a medium to get into meditative state. Since this was not a concert, and its purpose was not to entertain, Jean-Christophe has chosen an Indian raga - Malcance, and invited the audience to travel on the sound of the flute with him. Read more

Depuis 2 ans et demi une equipe de passionnes explore, a Auroville, cette dicipline nee avec le troisieme millenaire sur le continent americain. Damien nous presente cette nouveaute entre Yoga, Cirque et Massage Thai. Le tandem franco-americain Damien et Mark apres un long travail de decryptage a partir de livres et videos, accede a une maitrise qui leur permet d'offrir maintenant la possibilite de pratiquer cette activite a Auroville au centre Arka les dimanche 8h-10h et mardi/jeudi 7h-9h, Louise a Windara farm samedi 15-17h. Ready to fly? Read more

The Scratch Bandits Crew is an unique band, where scratch music turns turnatables into instruments to create its own music. In interview with members of the band and team Supa-Jay, Syr, Geoffresh, and Remy we hear what is music to them, and why they've decided to create on that way. Within Bon Jour India events they were touring last few weeks all over India, amazed over kindness and openness of Indian audience, for which are very much grateful. Band, existing a bit over 10 years, with each member uniqueness is one of few in the world. Read more

At Auroville Bamboo Research Centre they've organized bamboo construction workshop for 1st years students of DY.Patil College of Architecture, Navi, Mumbai. 85 students have managed to construct a dome out of bamboo, were making instruments, toys, chair, geometrical dome and yurt, they did get to know many facts about incredible values/qualities of bamboo. Following is the interview with three of them- Mallika, Prateek and Vini. Each of them is full of enthusiasm over bamboo, and its uses...Nick talks on organizational part of the workshop. Read more

Starting with the first word fascination, and dwelling into many, which are commonly use in our daily lives when we're talking on certain subjects-that was Prof. Edwin Zappe lecture on The Fascination of Words yesterday in Unity Pavilion in International Zone. Zappe's lecture was fascinating to the audience, has took us to our thoughts reaching further, beyond the mental understanding of particular word. The new world has opened in front of our eyes.The joyful way of displaying the vast knowledge of Prof. Zappe has brought smiles on the faces Read more

This afternoon between 4pm to 5pm at Eucalyptus Groove under the Solar Kitchen toward Courage and Certitude at ONE BILLION RISING AND DANCING event... www.youtube.com/watch?v=fL5N8rSy4CU&feature=share . In today's news we feature interview with Jasmine from FoodLink on their initiative for the Mother's Birthday 21st of February, and with Jill on the Three (dances) in One (evening) Tuesday 19th at 7.30pm at CRIPA in Kalabhumi. Sri Aurobindo Centre for Studies... India and the World(Bharat Nivas) invites us to Steps Ahead... Read more

Following is the recording of session with Russian Singing Bells on African Land in International Zone - the land appointed for the Africa House / Pavilion of African Culture. After short introduction of bells by Vera and Ashesh to the participants, the whole session, which purpose was meditation for peace and unity, has developed and grown into its own special harmonious melody. Of course recordings are many times merely the pale reflection,  in which so often we cannot feel the special energy present in interaction at the time. Read more