Visiting Auroville

Between the lines

On the surface, Auroville can appear rather incomprehensible. It is an intense and challenging experiment, attempting the seemingly impossible, and one needs to be ready to actively participate in such an adventure. The meaning of Auroville only becomes clearer in the context of the vision of its founders, which has stimulated people from all over the world to join in this ‘laboratory of evolution’.

For casual visitors

Visitors to Auroville are sometimes disappointed to find here no Ashram, no typical tourist attractions or generally welcoming atmosphere. This is firstly because Auroville is quite different to the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, where people are considered to have consecrated their lives to integral yoga (as compared, in Auroville, to an experiment in human unity), and secondly because Auroville is not a tourist place, despite being referred to in travel and tourist literature, and does not devote as much time and energy to welcoming tourists as sites established specifically for that purpose.

Casual/day visitors are encouraged to go first to the Visitors Centre , which is open daily from 9:00 to 17:30, and offers information, exhibitions, a video viewing facility, a cafeteria and shopping facilities.

Those who come with a deeper interest and actually want to visit one of Auroville's projects should make an appointment with the concerned place through the Information Desk at the Visitors Centre.

Accommodation

Guest accommodation is available in various settlements around the township area. The charges vary between Rs 150 and over Rs 1000 per person per night depending on the type of accommodation and facilities provided. Pre-booking is advised, specially for the December to March and August-September periods. This can be done either through the Auroville Guest Service, located upstairs at the Solar Kitchen (avguests@auroville.org.in), or by contacting one of the guest houses directly.

On arriving you are kindly requested:

- to fill an ARRIVAL FORM from the Indian Authorities within 24 hours after your arrival. This is a legal requirement and required at each change of accommodation (even within Auroville)

- to obtain a GUEST CARD valid for the period of your stay (regardless of its length) at your Guest House or Guest Service or Financial Service (Town Hall and Pour Tous / Aspiration): you need to take your passport and some money.

- The Financial Service encashes foreign courrencies and traveller's cheques and at the Town Hall can also accept your credit card. The Guest Service can accept only Indian Rupees.

Opening an account with Financial Service

If your stay is longer than a week we advise you to open an account which is free of charge; this can be done:

- in one of the 2 Financial Service offices

- in the Guest Service office

A security deposit of Rs. 1,000- is requested as well as money to run your account. The deposit will be refunded when your account is closed. The account number will be noted on your guest card. Within Auroville you needn't carry cash as you may use your account like a credit card: you deposit money that will cover your bills using the various facilities such as Por Tous stall, Solar Kitchen, Cafeterias and snack bars, bakeries, health center, internet, classes, etc.

Closing of accounts can only be done at Financial Service either on the day of departure or one day before, at TownHall or PourTous/Aspiration.

Opening hours of Financial Services are from 9am to 12.30pm and from 3pm to 4.30pm, Monday to Saturday.

Guest Service is located in Solar Kitchen 1st floor and open 9.30am to 1pm Monday to Friday.

Guest contribution

Note that each guest is asked, as are the Aurovilians, to contribute financially towards the maintenance and development of the township and its infrastructure (water, roads, electricity, afforestation, farms, education and so on...).
At the present time guests are requested to give a contribution of Rs 100 per day per adult, reduced to Rs 50 per day for students and teenagers up to the age of 18.
There is no charge for children below the age of 12.

This contribution goes towards financing and maintatining Auroville infrastructure and services, and if you stay at a registered Auroville Guest House it is included in your contribution for your accommodation. (Please note that each Aurovilian also contributes monthly for the same purpose)

Guest Card

Upon payment of this contribution, Guest Passes/ Cards are issued by some of the major guesthouses, by the Financial Service near Aspiration and the Guest Service at Solar Kitchen.
Your Guest Card will identify you as a guest of Auroville and alloow you to use our facilities and services, Repos Beach, attend various cultural events (cinema, theatre, concerts, etc.), visit Matrimandir at special hours. etc.

General cost

• A meal at the Solar Kitchen costs Rs 70, Guest Card is required
• A good meal in Puducherry costs around Rs 100, or more, depending on the class of establishment
• Cycle rental is around Rs 20 a day
• TVS and motor bike rental is around Rs 80 to 100 a day.
• The Auroville bus to Pudu (3 times a week) is free, Guest Card is required.
• Classes (yoga, dance and so on) require normally a contribution of Rs 100 from guests, Guest Card required.
• Massages and haircuts are around Rs 300.

Activities

Visitors Centre: See the bulletin board for various activities and programmes for newcomers and guests

Guest Service: located upstairs at the Solar Kitchen; offers a wide range of information and guidance
contact: avguests@auroville.org.in

Guest week A: five day tour by bicycle through Auroville. For more information contact ambre@auroville.org.in

Guest week B: three day tour by bicycle through Auroville. For more information contact avintroduction@auroville.org.in

Savitri Bhavan - Out of a study circle the dream of Savitri Bhavan was born - to have a place where all kinds of materials and activities for study, research and concentration on Sri Aurobindo's revelatory epic could be gathered and made available in lectures and workshops.

Pitanga Hall (Samasti): exhibitions, and a variety of classes

Quiet Healing Centre : offers a wide variety of treatments, classes and courses

Vérité: yoga, creativity, vipassana meditation, inner healing workshops. For actual programmes check directly with members of the community

Red Earth Riding School: RERS is located on the Tindivanam-Puducherry road, next to the Auroville Police Station. RERS has 20 horses/ponies. From guided horses/ponies walkouts to competitive show jumping and dressage, internationally qualified teachers will coach you. For appointments, information, please contact Djenane at 94434 59048.

For people interested in horses as a help for children with unique needs, please go on Persian Sky link or call Marianne at 9443 085038

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Libraries:

Auroville Library lends books to guests against production of a Guest Card (see below)

Laboratory of Evolution  will lend books to guests for Rs. 200 deposit

Work opportunities:

Long-term guests can refer to the AV Guest Service at Solar Kitchen avguests@auroville.org.in , or contact Connections connections@auroville.org.in at the SAWCHU building, Bharat Nivas. Students opting for a work/research programme, may contact study@auroville.org.in at the SAWCHU building for the same.

Additional Information

• Because of occasional theft, you are advised to deposit your passport, air ticket and valuables in the guesthouse safe.

• As there have been occasional incidents on the roads over the years, women are specially advised not to walk or cycle alone anywhere after dark.

• Please, do not encourage begging.

• Please, respect the local customs regarding behaviour. Also, noting that Indian women generally dress very modestly, Western women are specially advised to dress in a similar fashion, in order not to send out the wrong message and attract unwanted attention. This also applies at the beach, where one-piece swimming costumes are advised.

• Indian Standard Time (IST) is five and half hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

• To know the approximate rate of exchange of currency please visit: Universal Currency Converter

• Financial Service can also sell foreign currencies at your departure, please observe the following procedure by the Reserve Bank of India:

  a) Foreign Exchange Certificates are valid 3 months only! That means the amount of Rupees converted into foreign currency can only be up to the amount exchanged within the last 3 months of your stay.

  b) A copy of your passport as well as the flight ticket together with the foreign exchange certificate are needed for the sale of foreign currencies.