But Auroville kept popping up to rock the boat

Pondicherry sans Auroville Rachel Lopez HindustanTimes.com » Editorial » Offtrack » URBAN GYPSY Story September 2, 2006

I told everybody, I was spending a week in Pondicherry. Everybody responded in the same way — with chin raised, head cocked to one side and eyes squeezed shut with nostalgic delight, “Oh, you must go to Auroville. It’s won-der-ful!” they cooed...

But Auroville kept popping up to rock the boat. It was everywhere, giving the first half of its name to local businesses (like incense and souvenir shops) that sprung out of the nearby ashram, and establishments (like an STD booth and photocopy stall) that had nothing to do with Sri Aurobindo. “We should really book a car for the Auroville trip,” my companion reminded me as I tried, furtively, to ignore the shops. I really don’t relish the thought of being slow baked for an hour to get to a utopia that makes guests contribute towards infrastructure. But I don’t want to be a wet blanket on holiday either, so I make appropriate sounds of agreement...

There are book exhibitions and book stores aplenty and all of them have a huge section of books on Auroville, Sri Aurobindo and the Ashram philosophy. Everyone we meet asks us the same thing. “So, have you been to Auroville yet?” and you can tell that there’s not much else by way of tourist conversation in the quiet little town. The inactivity suits my plans just fine but furthers my companion’s resolve to get to Auroville.