Auroville, “the City of Dawn”, is for “The Mother” the place of a universal community life — “where men and women would learn to live in peace, beyond all beliefs, political opinions and nationalities”.
The Matrimandir, the heart of Auroville
This utopian, ecological city has nearly 1600 inhabitants from some thirty countries. At its centre, the Matrimandir — the soul of Auroville — holds an inner chamber of white marble where a massive crystal 70 cm in diameter rests, the largest in the world: a place for meditation. Auroville also hosts the Tibetan Pavilion, inspired by the Kālacakra Maṇḍala, inaugurated in 2009 by the 14th Dalai Lama.
Visiting Auroville
Spending a few days in Auroville, walking there and meditating at the Matrimandir, is a wonderful experience. A pass, collected at the Visitor Center, is needed to visit the Matrimandir and its gardens; a second is required for a meditation session. A shaded 2 km path leads from the Visitor Center to the Matrimandir.
Pass (Visitor Center): weekdays 9:30 am–1 pm and 1:30–4 pm; Sunday 9:30 am–1 pm (afternoon closed). Matrimandir: weekdays 9:30 am–1:30 pm and 2–4:30 pm; Sunday morning only.
Auroville is 6 km north of Pondicherry (100 km from Mahābalipuram, ≈ 1 h 45 by car).
