Auroville is a city where there is no politics, religion and national differences

Auroville, or "City of Dawn", is an international city in southern India, developing under the auspices of UNESCO. Located in the state of Tamil Nadu near the city of Puducherry. According to the founders of the city, it should become an experiment in creating an international society of people living outside politics and religious preferences.

It seems like an Indiana Jones movie tale, an ancient oriental legend, anything but true. But Auroville does exist.

In 1968, on the day of the founding of the city, representatives of hundreds of countries came to Auroville and brought with them land from their native lands. Chernozem was put into marble urns and buried near Matrimandir. Now it is a common gathering place. "Matrimandir" is translated as "Temple of the Mother" and symbolizes a way of life that is designed to free people from their limitations: political, financial and social. It goes back to the teachings of Sri Aurobindo and Mirra Alfassa, an Indian man and a French woman: they ran the ashram, which later turned into the city of Auroville (an ashram is a place where people engaged in intensive spiritual practice live. - Approx. ed.).

The Matrimandir is located in the heart of Auroville. This is a building with a golden dome where residents gather together and meditate. In the center, right under the dome, is a huge crystal ball. Bright light blinds in the first moments - during the whole daylight hours the ball is surrounded by streams of sunlight.

The city was equipped to accommodate 50 thousand people. Now the number of permanent residents is two thousand. Most come from India, but there are people from France, Germany, Israel, America, Russia and many other countries. They live in houses arranged in a spiral that unfolds from the center of the city, from the Matrimandir. Everyone is doing their own thing. The city tries to provide for itself: there are fields, factories, bakeries, a solar-powered canteen, schools, cinemas, a music school, and even the editorial office of the local newspaper.

All important decisions in the city are made by special research groups and approved by a general vote. There is no mayor or other unified governing body.

Anyone can become a resident of Auroville. The probationary period for newcomers lasts a year, after which the townspeople may refuse to accept the "rookie". If you are going to move to this city, you should buy the house in which you will live. It will remain your property for as long as you live in the city.

All residents who work in Auroville receive a monthly salary of around 90 euros. There are many young families here. In addition to farmers and engineers, the city has no shortage of artists, architects, scientists and doctors. Residents are sure that here they are part of a great experiment that will benefit all of humanity.

There are no cars here, except for taxis that bring people from the "outside world". The city occupies a small area, and many move around on mopeds. Life in Auroville is quite varied, but by no means simple. Every day you have to fight with yourself, with your complexes and fears - there are no distractions here, you won’t be able to avoid people. Many who move here in pairs leave after a while. Even a beginner who doesn't know anyone in the city will, after a while, know everyone who lives here. There are absolutely no communication barriers in Auroville: the locals are very open and incredibly calm.