SAIIER 2014:Centre for Indian Culture

The Human Cycle - A Student/Teacher Guide		Unity Pavilion
Centre for Indian Culture

The year April 2013 - March 2014 has been one of great transition and re-organization for the Entity::Centre for Indian Culture. In fact, it continues to be so… in a self-fulfilling manner!

On the one hand, new members have come forward to play an active role and visualize/create new activities. Anu Majumdar, who was always there in a supporting role, has now come mid-stream with her full participation. There are others who are just stepping in. More about them next year!

At the physical level, the construction of the new building, which would provide a permanent base for the Sri Aurobindo Centre for Studies of India and the World has moved at a rather slow pace for want of some additional funds, of an inflationary nature. However, the coming year will see its completion.

In the meanwhile, some of the activities remained restricted, such as use of the resource library, while other activities could take place. These were, as follows:

• Deepti has undertaken an educational survey of youth who have studied in Auroville schools. This survey, first of its kind, is being conducted by an enthusiastic team of youngsters themselves and is still continuing. The target is to cover at least 100 young people and have their views on the kind of education they have received in Auroville.
• A visit by Dr. Sanjeev Sanyal, renowned economist/historian. He gave a talk on ‘History of India’s Geography’ with unusual insights. He was much appreciated.
• About 100 senior members of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry came on a day’s visit to Auroville – which they called ‘Auroville Darshan’! They were overjoyed to see Mother’s work in Auroville and our interaction with them was at a deep level.
• We organized a symposium for Aurovilians on the theme “The Future Auroville: The Vision ‘Learning to be’” Over 50 of us participated, from various areas of work sharing our experience of Auroville as growth in consciousness. This sharing enriched us all and brought us together at a deep level. We all felt that such a ‘gathering’, symposium, should happen often! A full recording of the day’s event was made.
• March 29, 2014 marked the Centenary of The Mother’s arrival in India and, as such, was of great significance. Anu put up a beautiful exhibition, on big panels, with photographs and texts, in the White Hall. The panels traced Mother’s journey from France to India and Her first meeting with Sri Aurobindo in Pondicherry. The exhibition – remains open for the next few months. It is also available on a PDF file.
• We brought out a Planner for the year, commemorating this occasion
• There were some special guests during this time, who were received by groups of Aurovilians and this interchange was useful.
  • Mr. Pier Luigi Luisi from Rome, focus on Science and Spirituality.
  • Mr. Thomas Amelio, Vice President, New York Open Centre, New York.
  • Mr. and Mrs. C. R. Gharekhan, Chairman, Indira Gandhi National Centre of Arts, New Delhi, and former Permanent Representative of India at U.N, New York.
• Finally, the Bharat Nivas Trust, long awaited, was duly registered on April 3, 2014. The preamble to the Trust Deed is as follows:

"India has become the symbolic representation of all the difficulties of modern mankind. India will be the land of its resurrection – the resurrection to a higher and truer life."

The Mother

"It is India that is open to the deeper Consciousness, to the new Forces that wish to manifest. India represents the life divine on earth. It is that one must show – in action, in life, in the manner of being."

[Ref?]

“O India, land of Light and spiritual knowledge! Wake up to your true mission in the world, show the way to union and harmony.”

The Mother

We are grateful that this has been done.

We seek to be worthy of the vision of Bharat Nivas that Sri Aurobindo and The Mother hold before us.

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