Auroville

Auroville, meaning City of Dawn, is one of the most extraordinary social experiments in the world. Founded in 1968 by Mirra Alfassa, known as The Mother and spiritual collaborator of Sri Aurobindo, the township was built with the vision of creating a place where people of all nationalities could live in peace, beyond politics and religion. Today about 3,000 residents from over 60 countries live here in a carefully planned community surrounded by restored forests. At the heart of Auroville stands the Matrimandir, a massive golden spherical structure used for silent individual meditation. Visitors can view it from the viewing point or apply in advance for a meditation session inside. The township also has organic farms, eco-architecture, craft workshops, wellness centres, and a visitor centre explaining the philosophy of the project.