Auroville

Auroville is an experimental international township about 10 km north of Puducherry, founded in 1968 by Mirra Alfassa, known as the Mother, the spiritual collaborator of the philosopher Sri Aurobindo. Auroville was conceived as a place where people of all nations could live together in peace and progressive harmony, belonging to no nation and no creed. It is endorsed by UNESCO and supported by the Government of India.

At the founding ceremony on 28 February 1968, young people from 124 nations and Indian states placed a handful of soil from their homeland in an urn, which still stands in the amphitheatre. The site was then a barren, eroded plateau, and the early settlers planted millions of trees, creating the forests that now cover much of Auroville. Today around 3,000 residents from dozens of countries live and work here in farming, renewable energy, education and crafts. At the centre stands the Matrimandir, a golden sphere completed in 2008 after more than three decades of building, which houses a white marble meditation chamber around a crystal globe.

What to see

• The Matrimandir, seen from the viewing point in its gardens
• The Visitors Centre, with an introductory film, exhibitions and shops
• The amphitheatre and the urn of soil from the founding ceremony
• The banyan tree at the geographic centre of Auroville
• Forests, farms and boutiques selling Auroville crafts and incense

What to wear

Auroville is hot and humid, so wear light cotton clothes, a hat and walking shoes, and carry water; the path to the Matrimandir viewing point is about a kilometre each way. Dress modestly for the Matrimandir, with shoulders and knees covered. Visitors to the inner chamber must also be silent and remove shoes, and white socks are provided inside. The traditional dress of the region is Tamil: the saree and the white veshti.

Local food to try

The Visitors Centre cafe and nearby restaurants serve organic vegetarian food using produce from Auroville's farms: salads, wood-fired pizza, fresh bread and cakes, with Indian and South Indian dishes. The Auroville bakery is well known for its bread and pastries. In Puducherry, 10 km away, try Creole prawn curry, filter coffee and the French bakeries of White Town. Most of Auroville's food is vegetarian.

Good to know

• Best time: November to February, in the morning
• Visitors Centre open daily about 9am to 5:30pm; Matrimandir viewing point about 9am to 5pm
• Free to visit; the viewing point pass is free from the Visitors Centre after a short film
• Inner chamber visits need advance online booking, closed Sundays and Tuesdays, age 10 and over
• About 10 km, or 20 to 30 minutes, north of Puducherry town; allow half a day
• Photography is not allowed inside the Matrimandir

Nearby places

Auroville is usually paired with Puducherry's French Quarter (White Town) and the seafront of Promenade Beach, about 10 km south. Chennai's Marina Beach is around three hours up the East Coast Road.