My Participation in Auroville (by Rod)

My participation in Auroville

by Author::Rod, 2010

I joined the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in January 1968 and attended the Auroville Foundation Ceremony. In October '68, I offered to move to AV and start a school for village children. The Mother approved the idea and authorized a small fund for it. I built a casuarina and palmyra hut in Center Field where Janet’s house was later built and, while living in the storeroom at the Center worked with a group of about 10 village children from Edyanchavadi in the mornings through 1969 and into 1970. I used art supplies as the medium of instruction for children to express themselves while learning to speak and write English. During this period I learned a lot about language learning. Since there were only about 10 people living in AV at the time, there was not much support for such a project, but some Matrimandir workers from the village still remember it.

I attended a meeting in Aspiration with Kireet, Roger, Norman Dowsett and members of the community (sometime in 1970) when the plan was proposed to build a temporary school building in Aspiration, and I volunteered to move there when the school started. Later in the year I did move, and for some months helped Ursula who had started to invite children of Tamil Aurovilian families to her hut for activities, similar to what I had been doing. (One of my students – Dhandapani - came with me.) At that time I gave the Mother a bound collection of children’s art from the Center on which she wrote “Blessings” in large script across the cover. It was later destroyed by termites. During 71-73 I lived in a small round hut in Aspiration and taught English and History, did some drama activities with children as well as with Forecomers, and also corrected proofs in the Auroville Press (which I had also done for almost a year in the Ashram). In 1973 I took charge of the children’s kitchen, and during 74-77 I helped to manage the Tibetan children’s home (New Creation) and to build the Tamil children’s home (Udayam).

In 1978 I went to London, married Kirti, and we moved to Center Field in 1979. There we helped to manage Center Guest House and Kindergarten, and I spent two years documenting research and development for the case in Delhi (the Comprehensive Development Report). I left AV in December 1982.

I returned to AV in 2005 and in 2006 I proposed to SAIIER to start an application process for After School and New Creation Bilingual School to become affiliated to the CBSE and to adopt their new curriculum and education reform methodology, in order to raise the standard of education. We started the program in 2007, were affiliated in 2008, and from 2007-2010 I supervised New Era Secondary School (formerly After School) and taught English and Human Geography regularly throughout each year. Eight students graduated from 12th standard in 2009 and seven received National Certificates. In 2010 the 11th and 12th standards comprise 23 students who will qualify for the National Certificate exams in 2011 and 2012.

From 2007 through 2010 I have also participated in the development of the University of Human Unity and have taught two courses per year as well helping to organize regular Saturday Seminars throughout the years.