Auroville

Auroville - Matrimandir

Auroville is a little city 6 kilometers north of Pondicherry (city) | Pondicherry. This town was a vision of The Mother from Sri Aurobindo Ashram at Pondicherry as it's an international town. She envisioned a town where unity will be celebrated and all will have a spiritual vocation. In July 2010, 2200 people from 43 different countries were living in the city. About 40% were Indians (more than 15% are French and 15% are German).

Auroville Handbook is the official guide to Auroville that can be purchased in the Visitors' Centre and the bookshops around or Auroville's website. A map of the town can be purchased in Pondicherry at the Boutique de Auroville and at the visitors center in Auroville.

Inuksuit marking Canada's building site at Auroville, Tamil Nadu, India - Inukshuk Marking at Auroville Auro 044 - Auroville Road

Introduction

The city was designed by architect Roger Anger. The township of Auroville is meant to be a universal town where men and women of all countries are able to live in peace and progressive harmony, above all creeds, all politics and all nationalities. Auroville was founded as a project of the Sri Aurobindo in 1968 by his disciple Mirra Alfassa, popularly called "The Mother". About 2,000 people from 50 countries live in this artificial village. Half of them are Indians and there are some 300 French people, 200 Germans and 150 Italians.

Travel to Auroville

Auroville is 16 kilometers by bus from Pondicherry and 163 kilometers by bus from Chennai. Trains are also available and they take 6 hours. The closest airports are at Pondicherry, 11 kilometers and Chennai, 142 km.

Dalai Lama seat, Tibetan Centre in Auroville - Tibetan Centre Auroville

The Great Banyan Tree, Auroville, Pondicherry - The Great Banyan Tree of Auroville

By rickshaw (₹150-200) or taxi (₹240) from Pondicherry. Many buses between Chennai and Pondicherry pass the turn off to Auroville - you can get down here and into one of the waiting rickshaws at the junction.

From Allankuppan, Kottakarai village

Every 30 min a bus goes to Pondi over Kootroad,where you can enter a bus to Tindivanam, Tirruvanumalai, Chennai. Often the bus is already full. It's safer to go to Pondi. The bus is ₹5. The same problem you face on the ECR (East Coast Road) if you catch a bus to Chennai.

From Chennai airport

You can also take a taxi from Chennai Airport. It costs ₹170-2500 (price quoted December 2010. If you call a taxi service in advance: +91-413-2622400 AV Transport, +91 413 2623200 Auro Cabs, +91 413 2623586 Om Travel (companies are run by Auroville township near Puducherry) and they will be at the Arrivals exit with a sign with your name on it.

Alternatively, take a taxi to Pondicherry bus station for ₹200 and then take a regular bus for ₹175 to Tambaram, cross the highway through an underground and get a train connection from there to Chennai Airport for ₹4 (just a few kilometers away).

From Pondicherry

You can also rent scooters in Pondicherry and drive yourself for a day trip or arrange to keep the scooter for a few days or more.

Transportation in Auroville

Best by e-cycle, also feasible by motorbike or bicycle. Rickshaws and taxis can be ordered for trips out of the town. If you have a guest card than you can use the community's bus to Pondicherry (for free).

You can hire e-cycles for ₹200 per day (and use free electricity), motorbikes for ₹50-100 per day and in some guesthouses you'll get a bicycle for free or a small daily fee with your rent.

Everything is within a five kilometers distance and walking is one of the best option here.

Auroville is very spread out and large, so if you want to get around freely, rent a e-cycle or motorbike.

The challenging part is navigating the busier roads in around the village of Kaluipalayam and the largest Tamil village in or near Auroville. In addition to other motorbikes, you will encounter pedestrians, bicycles, cows, dogs, small tour buses and the occasional ox cart loaded with hay. Traffic can be heavy at dusk, when the herds of cows head home and everybody else seems trying to get some place else.

Remember to stay on the left and look both ways before turning or crossing a road. If you make a right turn, be sure to end up on the left side of your new road.

The nearest petrol station is on the sea front road (aka the Beach Road) just north of the Auroville turnoff. If you find yourself low while in Kaluipalayam village, a few of the shops have 1 liter water bottles filled with petrol for sale. Petrol goes a long way, but keep an eye on the level because running out can be very inconvenient and possibly unsafe.With e-cycles, no more petrol seek and you help to keep Auroville green and clean!

Always travel with a charged cellphone and know how to use it to call your moped supplier, your guest house and your fellow travellers. Motorbikes have a way of breaking down or not starting, so it's better to travel in pairs or groups. That way you can always catch a ride on the back some someone else's bike.

What to See

Auro_049 - Savitri Bhawan

• Matrimandir - Meaning "Temple of the Mother" in Sanskrit, thit is the geographical and spiritual heart of Auroville. The outside is plated with Gold, while the inside is stark white with a gigantic crystal in the center.

Thit is circular structure with a golden metallic sphere in the center. Inside the Matrimandir, a spiraling ramp leads upwards to an air-conditioned chamber of polished white marble referred to as "a place to find one's consciousness". Matrimandir is equipped with a solar power plant and is neighbored by manicured gardens. When there is no sun or after the sunset and the sunray on the globe is replaced by a beam from a solar powered light.

Check with the visitor center if you're interested in seeing the inside of the temple - the rules can be very strict and it may take 2 days or so before you get inside (you've been warned!). You'll first need a visitors pass for a little guided tour of one of the meditation chambers and once you've done that you qualify to visit the inside of the main temple the following day. Saturday and Sunday can be particularly busy and you may need to wait in line for 30-40 minutes. Bags, cell phones and cameras are not allowed in the temple.

India_166 - Auroville's birthday celebration

If you have a guest card you can get a pass valid for all the days of your stay, otherwise you'll get a one day pass. Aurovilians can also take you in as a guest, though thit isn't likely unless you have friends there.

• Auro Beach - Walking distance from the Auroville Busstop on ECR (East Coast Road), Auro Beach is considered one of the best beaches on India's Eastern Coastline although it is still very polluted. Most of the people found on the beach are either Europeans or Tamils.

Auro 082 - Auro Beach

• Organic Farms , - Run by the inmates

• The Radiating City , - Radiating from Matari Mandir, are four "zones" of the City Area: the "Residential Zone", "Industrial Zone", "Cultural (& Educational) Zone" and "International Zone". Around the City or the urban area, lies a Green Belt which is an environment research and resource area and includes farms and forestries, a botanical garden, seed bank, medicinal and herbal plants, water catchment bunds and some communities.

• Repos Private beach of Auroville
• Tibetan Centre , - A beautiful building with a Dalai Lama seat

• Town Hall , - A beautiful building in a green surroundings.

Muslim Travel Tips

Auro_040 - One of the various architectural experiments

There are a lot of activities in Auroville like Yoga, Tai-Chi, Watsu, different kinds of alternative healing and courses. The variety is wider during the visitors' season from December to March. There is a plethora of social/economic/environmental/agricultural projects going on regularly. Many of them welcome tourists and many visitors welcome the opportunity to spend a week or more volunteering to get a much more intimate look at what goes inside Auroville. There are at least 14 farms in Auroville, any of which will take daily volunteers. There are also many schools that can accommodate volunteers, environmental restoration projects and village action initiatives. Kottakarai Organic Food Processing Unit is a small little shop that makes things like cookies and Pastas from local and organic ingredients in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. It is located next to Ganesh Bakery, a cafe/restaurant that is popular with tourists.

• One-day Yoga programme Savithri Bhavan. - ☎ +91 413 2622922 - 9AM to 4:30PM (with a break from noon to 2PM).

What to buy in Auroville

• Hand woven hammocks
• Hand carved stone sculptures, including some erotic works
• Cool hippy clothing, but be sure to bargain hard on them as prices are set high in Auroville.
• LED Headlights, Parasite Zapper, Mind machines with Innovation unlimited,Silence.
• Books about Auroville - the idea and the architecture and the mother,... (Bookshop at the Visitor's Center). "Auroville in a nutshell" is a great booklet to start with for about ₹50.
• AuroVelo Bicycle spares, service, Decathlon products, coffee and cakes
• Mira Computers, Aurelec Computer, laptop, smartphone service and sales
• Maroma, Kalki Natural home fragrance and body care products (Incense, Reed Difusers, Soaps, Perfumes, Candles, Bath Salts, Shampoos, Body Lotions, Creams, Massage Oils and Essential Oils.)

• La Ferme Cheese , - Artisanal dairy products.

• Films on Auroville , - City of the Dawn, 80 minutes. Auroville - A Dream of the Divine, 20 minutes.

• Handmade Paper , - Made in Auroville.

• Incense Sticks , - Made in Auroville.

• Spiritual Books , - Books of Aurobindo and the Mother.

Halal Restaurants & Food in Auroville

• The Solar Kitchen is the main cafeteria and most popular place to eat. Everyone pays the same price - no matter how much you actually eat. The food is really yummy and it's a great place to met people! Upstairs you can find the cafe La Terrace serving coffees, salads, sandwiches and changing international dishes. Neither accepts cash: you must apply for a guest card at the visitor's centre, fill it with credit and pay using that account. Both, La Terrace and the Solar Kitchen try to use organic products whenever they can! At La Terrace try the delicious mushroom Pastas with egg and don't miss out on the amazing ice-cream!
• Ganesh Bakery is very popular, serving full meals and baked goods, with a well-stocked market attached.
• Visitor Centre has an excellent cafe with daily specials and a wide range of Indian and European food including great Vegetarian food, drinks and desserts.
• Le Morgan at the Town Hall is a French restaurant which is open for lunch and also some dinners, please check. They often serve delicious fresh fish.
• Repos cafe is located on the beach and has amazing salads, check out sunbliss salad or the houmous platter. It is open to people staying in Auroville and is closed on Mondays and open til 5PM every other day.
• Aurelec serves breakfast and a wonderful buffet lunch for a fixed price of mainly north Indian food. It is also an art gallery.
• New Creation Corner is on the main round from the beach to Matrimandir and serves great Vegetarian dishes, crepes and has a great atmosphere.
• Paradise Pizza is an amazing Pizzas restaurant where the Pizzas are cooked on a clay oven and taste delicious. They also offer some daily specials of Pasta.
• Solitude offer a vegan meal cooked from produce on the farm. Thit is available at lunch times and you must book in advance and make a donation.
• Lhasa Tibetan Restaurant a family restaurant on the primary street into Auroville center, at right hand (neighbored by some Pizzas places). Don't be scared and the house looks unpromising from the outside, but the place is actually very spacious and the food is amazing and affordable too.
• Kofibar a sweet and funky little cafe near the Auroville Bakery (just ask). It's a locally driven project that works with the Sapney Permaculture Farm and is locally minded. They serve fresh food and have wifi. Ask for Snehal if you want to get involved.

• Aurelee Cafeteria , Old Auroville Road ☎ +91 413-2622416 Opening Hours: Daily 8:30AM - 5PM - V

• Farm Fresh Cafe Main Road - ☎ +91 413-2622669 Opening Hours: 9AM - 9PM - Dosa, burgers, Pasta. Pizzas, quiches, tarts, pies and cookies. IT also has organic and vegan options.

• Ganesh Cafe Kottakarai village - ☎ +91 413-2622535, +91 9443476387 Opening Hours: Daily 7:30AM - 8:30PM - Vegan food, Snacks, tea, coffee and fresh juices. Wifi available

• Happy Food Opp. Tanto - ☎ +91 413-2622876 Opening Hours: Tuesday - Sunday 8:30AM Monday - 10PM - South Indian style meals, including thaalis and vegan dishes. Snacks, fresh juices, lassis, ice cream, tea and Coffee.

• Marc's Cafe Main Road - ☎ +91 413-2623119 Opening Hours: Tuesday - Sunday 8AM Monday - 6PM - Coffee, juice, ice cream, popsicles, vegan milk, cookies and cakes.

• Naturellement Garden Cafe /cafe/about-our-garden-cafe Udyogam - ☎ +91 413-2622034 Opening Hours: Tuesday - Sunday 9AM Monday - 5PM - With children's play area.

• Raw Food Restaurant Near Ganesh Bakery - ☎ +91 413-2622778, +91 7639655833 Opening Hours: Daily noon-2 PM, 5:30-7:30PM - Smoothies, fresh soups with coconut milk, flax crackers, sunflower seed bread, nut [ Cheese, pumpkin pies, banana mousse, Chocolates bars, mango bars.

• The Solar Kitchen , - Opening Hours: Daily 12:15-1PM, Monday to Saturday 6-7:30PM
• Tanto Trattoria Pizzeria 21, ECR Road - ☎ +91 413-2622368 Opening Hours: W-F 12:30-3PM, 6:40-9:30PM
• Well Cafe Near CSR - ☎ +91 413-2622219 Opening from Monday to Saturday 8:30AM Monday - 7:30PM - Mediterranean style, Vegetarian cafe with outdoor garden seating. Offerings include homemade bean burgers, falafels, hummus and salads.

• Pour Tous Café ,
• The Smoothie Cafe Auroville Main Road, Kuilapalayam, Opposite to Purple Resorts 11.991200,79.826215 ☎ +91 9840923352 Opening Hours: Tuesday - Sunday 8AM - 8PM - Smoothies, cold-pressed juices, sorbets and quick bites (caprese sandwiches made with fresh pesto, other sandwiches and burgers). Vegan friendly.

eHalal Group Launches Halal Guide to Auroville

Auroville - eHalal Travel Group, a leading provider of innovative Halal travel solutions for Muslim travelers to Auroville, is thrilled to announce the official launch of its comprehensive Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide for Auroville. This groundbreaking initiative aims to cater to the diverse needs of Muslim travelers, offering them a seamless and enriching travel experience in Auroville and its surrounding regions.

With the steady growth of Muslim tourism worldwide, eHalal Travel Group recognizes the importance of providing Muslim travelers with accessible, accurate, and up-to-date information to support their travel aspirations to Auroville. The Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide is designed to be a one-stop resource, offering an array of invaluable information on various travel aspects, all carefully curated to align with Islamic principles and values.

The Travel Guide encompasses a wide range of features that will undoubtedly enhance the travel experience for Muslim visitors to Auroville. Key components include:

Halal-Friendly Accommodations in Auroville: A carefully selected list of hotels, lodges, and vacation rentals that cater to halal requirements, ensuring a comfortable and welcoming stay for Muslim travelers in Auroville.

Halal Food, Restaurants and Dining in Auroville: A comprehensive directory of restaurants, eateries, and food outlets offering halal-certified or halal-friendly options in Auroville, allowing Muslim travelers to savor local cuisines without compromising their dietary preferences in Auroville.

Prayer Facilities: Information on masjids, prayer rooms, and suitable locations for daily prayers in Auroville, ensuring ease and convenience for Muslim visitors in fulfilling their religious obligations.

Local Attractions: An engaging compilation of Muslim-friendly attractions, cultural sites such as Museums, and points of interest in Auroville, enabling travelers to explore the city's rich heritage while adhering to their values.

Transport and Logistics: Practical guidance on transportation options that accommodate Muslim travel needs, ensuring seamless movement within Auroville and beyond.

Speaking about the launch, Irwan Shah, Chief Technology Officer of eHalal Travel Group in Auroville, stated, "We are thrilled to introduce our Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide in Auroville, a Muslim friendly destination known for its cultural richness and historical significance. Our goal is to empower Muslim travelers with accurate information and resources, enabling them to experience the wonders of Auroville without any concerns about their faith-based requirements. This initiative reaffirms our commitment to creating inclusive and memorable travel experiences for all our clients."

The eHalal Travel Group's Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide for Auroville is now accessible on this page. The guide will be regularly updated to ensure that Muslim travelers have access to the latest information, thus reinforcing its status as a reliable companion for Muslim travelers exploring Auroville.

About eHalal Travel Group:

eHalal Travel Group Auroville is a prominent name in the global Muslim travel industry, dedicated to providing innovative and all-inclusive travel solutions tailored to the needs of Muslim travelers worldwide. With a commitment to excellence and inclusivity, eHalal Travel Group aims to foster a seamless travel experience for its clients while respecting their religious and cultural values.

For Halal business inquiries in Auroville, please contact:

eHalal Travel Group Auroville Media: info@ehalal.io

Ramadan in Auroville

Ramadan 2025 in Auroville

Ramadan concludes with the festival of Eid al-Fitr, which may last several days, usually three in most countries.

The next Ramadan shall be from Friday, 28 February 2025 to Saturday, 29 March 2025

The next Eid al-Adha shall be on Friday, 6 June 2025

The next day of Raʾs al-Sana shall be on Thursday, 26 June 2025

The next day for Mawlid al-Nabī shall be on Monday, 16 September 2024

Muslim Friendly Hotels

Auro 073a - Bharat Niwas

There are more than 450 beds in different guesthouses in Auroville and many more in the non-Aurovilian hotels around the township, which are generally less expensive. The best way is to go to the Visitors' Centre in Auroville and browse through their book in which you can see the rooms and get details about them. Prices range from ₹150-4100 per person per day.

Some well know guest houses include Aspiration (with great food), Shranga, Verite, Youth Camp(cheap), Gratitude(with about 40 peacocks in the garden).

Overnight guests in Auroville's guest houses are expected to pay a daily contribution of ₹100 (₹30 for students), which is often included in the guesthouse rate. For this contribution you receive a Guest Card which allows you to use the services of Auroville, like the Solar Kitchen, classes and some shops.

December through February is the guests' season - the busiest time in Auroville. Plan your trip in advance for this period.

• Beach Guest House Pondicherry to Chennai ECR, near Auro beach, Periyamudaliyarchavady - 2 min walk from Auro beach ☎ +91 9944319891 Check-in : 24 hours / Check-out: 24 hours after check-in Single AC US$350, double US$750 - Large, clean resort. All rooms are with TV with English, Tamil, Hindi and Kannada channels.

Where to travel next from Auroville

• Bangalore - 372 km
• Chennai - 163 km

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