{"id":32894,"date":"2025-03-22T16:00:52","date_gmt":"2025-03-22T10:30:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/auroville.media\/?p=32894"},"modified":"2025-03-26T02:19:51","modified_gmt":"2025-03-25T20:49:51","slug":"summary-november-2024-to-february-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/auroville.media\/fr\/summary-november-2024-to-february-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Summary – November 2024 to February 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNouvelles d'Auroville<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Summary \u2013 \nNovember 2024 to February 2025<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Extrait de La voix d'Auroville<\/i>
\nIssue 08, March 2025<\/a><\/h6>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The aggressive takeover of Auroville – which started almost four years ago after the appointment of a new Governing Board and its Secretary, Dr Jayanti Ravi – continues unabated. Previous issues of Voice of Auroville have covered events through October 2024, a summary of which can be found here: <\/span><\/i>www.auroville.media\/crisis<\/span><\/i><\/a>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>

In the last months, the Auroville Foundation Office (<\/span>AVFO<\/b>) and its appointees have doubled down on efforts to strong-arm the community into submission through various illegitimate orders, takeovers, chaotic and unplanned development, and a financial squeeze. In spite of this, Auroville residents and supporters worldwide continue to strive for resolution and a way to move Auroville forward. The following pages cover new developments in the Auroville crisis between the months of November 2024 and February 2025.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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A regimented autocracy<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The return of the Secretary\n\n<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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After several months of speculation, the re-appointment of Dr Jayanti Ravi as Secretary of the Auroville Foundation was confirmed on 20th December 2024. Dr Ravi\u2019s tenure will be for one year, or until a new Secretary is appointed. <\/p>

In August 2024, Dr Ravi was repatriated back to her parent cadre in Gujarat, to take up the post of Additional Revenue Secretary of Gujarat State. It appears that, during the period August-December, she was not the Secretary of Auroville\u2019s Governing Board, despite a number of media reports and claims from AVFO appointees that stated she had been reappointed. Throughout that period, she was occasionally in Auroville, and was present as a \u2018Special Invitee\u2019 at the 68th Governing Board meeting in Auroville on 5th December 2024. <\/p>

It is highly unusual for a government official to hold roles at both State and Central levels and to be posted in states separated by such a distance. The Working Committee of the Residents\u2019 Assembly expressed its concern in a bulletin about the Governing Board\u2019s \u201clack of transparency and communication\u201d regarding her dual positions, and the administration\u2019s \u201cintentionally opaque way of functioning\u201d. The Governing Board has consistently ignored invitations to interact with any legitimate representatives of the community, and did not include them in their December board meeting. Minutes of that meeting have still not been published or shared with resident representatives, while minutes of the 67th meeting, held in May 2024, were only released nine months later after residents submitted a legal request for publication. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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New \u2018Code of Conduct\u2019: a tool for exclusion? <\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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New residence criteria and a detailed Code of Conduct were announced in a Standing Order issued on 25th November 2024 by the AVFO. These are presented as mandatory requirements with the threat of “termination” if breached.<\/p>

The Order establishes strict guidelines for residents, newcomers, volunteers and permanent guests. Aurovilians must: reside in Auroville full-time; report any outside trips; and request advance approval for absences exceeding two weeks. “Unauthorised absences” beyond two weeks may result in “status termination”. Residents must also obtain permission from a newly formed “Human Resources Service” to host guests and family members beyond seven days, including spouses, elderly parents and minor children.<\/p>

While some elements in the section “General principles for living in Auroville” align with long-endorsed community values \u2013 such as abstaining from violence or discrimination against others \u2013 the residence criteria, issued without the Residents’ Assembly’s knowledge or approval, contradicts Auroville’s principles and ideals.<\/p>

This Order follows earlier 2023 AVFO attempts to control admissions, terminations, and Working Committee selection \u2013 seeking to give full power and authority to the AVFO and Governing Board on matters that have always been under the purview of the Residents\u2019 Assembly. These regulations were stayed by the Madras High Court in February 2024 after legal challenges from the Working Committee of the Residents\u2019 Assembly. The new residence criteria and code of conduct contradict the High Court\u2019s earlier orders, and border on contempt of court.<\/p>

Other concerning rules from the new documents include: prohibiting anyone except the AVFO’s media office from issuing press releases; requiring pregnant women, nursing mothers, the elderly and disabled to work, albeit in “suitable” positions; mandating regular attendance at an ‘Auroville Spiritual and Material Refresher program’; and restricting social gatherings to AVFO-approved locations. The rules would be enforced by the ‘Human Resources Service’, a new sub-department established by the AVFO’s appointees in December 2024, comprised of individuals who do not hold the community’s confidence and who already occupy multiple AVFO-appointed positions of power.<\/p>

The unprecedented level of control being imposed on residents’ movements, work, and private spaces signals a disturbing shift toward authoritarian governance wholly incompatible with Auroville’s founding vision. For a community established as an experiment in human unity and freedom, these measures represent not just bureaucratic overreach but a fundamental assault on Auroville’s essence. This increasingly restrictive approach to managing what should be a space for conscious evolution is entirely without precedent in Auroville’s 57-year history and threatens to extinguish the very spirit that has guided this unique project since its inception.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Artistic activities closed without warning<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The current AVFO-appointed Funds and Assets Management Committee (FAMC<\/b>) has shut down numerous artistic activities without clear reasoning, due process or community consultation. These activities enable many Aurovilians to sustain themselves, and their closure worsens financial difficulties caused by budget cuts and stipend cancellations. Beyond economic impact, these activities are vital to Auroville\u2019s cultural vibrancy and community life.<\/p>

In at least one case, the AVFO FAMC claimed performing arts activities such as \u201cacting and DJing\u201d were \u201cnot in line with the guidelines given by The Mother for Aurovilians\u201d. However, this contradicts the Mother\u2019s vision, as she explicitly supported artistic expression, stating that \u201call forms\u201d of art should be \u201cavailable equally to all\u201d. Both she and Sri Aurobindo wrote plays and actively engaged in theatre.<\/p>

Additionally, the AVFO FAMC has made it increasingly difficult for residents to initiate new artistic endeavours, further stifling creative expression in Auroville.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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A forcefully centralised health system<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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A new AVFO-appointed ‘Wellness Focus Group’ has announced its plans for a centralised health system in Auroville. The proposal attempts to draw existing community-managed health services – such as the Health Centre, Sante, Arka, Farewell House and Quiet Healing Centre – under one umbrella, even though they already function effectively as reputed and highly frequented independent services.

The document proposes the creation of a ‘Wellbeing Coordination Group’: a 9-member body appointed by the AVFO FAMC. This committee, which does not enjoy the confidence of the community, has increasingly brought community-managed services under its control over the last two years.

The proposed services are structured into three categories, each encompassing a vast gambit of currently independent Auroville services: Proactive services, Curative services and Supportive services. While the document emphasises positive values such as sustainability, inclusivity and integration, there are many points of concern that are not addressed. For example, the AVFO FAMC retains the power to appoint members of the Coordination Group, yet there is no stated selection criteria for these roles. A centralised Electronic Health Records system is proposed without stating any commitment to laws regarding consent for centralisation of personal health information, data privacy and data security. The proposal aims to combine health fund contributions with residents\u2019 monthly city services contribution, yet there is no clarity on what will happen to the current health fund and its current reserve. The group also plans to collaborate with private insurance providers for ‘group health plans’ yet it states no parameters or criteria for the selection or application of these initiatives, nor the role of the community in these endeavours.<\/p>

It is unclear how this initiative furthers Auroville\u2019s internal economy or long-standing goal of developing an integrated healthcare system that effectively includes alternative health modalities. It also threatens existing reputed services, one of which is a pioneering integral model of medicine in India. It also does not address the future of Auroville\u2019s health outreach centres that benefit the surrounding population. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Dr Jayanti Ravi at Ahmedabad Management Association, January 2025<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Matrimandir test lake heavily damaged after Cyclone Fengal, December 2024<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Residents questioning land mismanagement, February 2025<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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A theatre play by Miraculous Productions, January 2025<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Opaque partnerships<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Outsourcing Auroville civil works<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The AVFO has outsourced large amounts of construction work over the last three years to the central government\u2019s Central Public Works Department (CPWD). This has been done with little transparency and no consultation with the community, its selected representatives or the relevant Auroville units that have extensive prior experience and expertise in Auroville\u2019s development projects.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

The value of the work assigned to the CPWD is an estimated 60 crore rupees (almost US$7 million), based on the 55 tenders for works issued by the CPWD. The work includes construction of sections of the Crown, Outer Ring and radial roads, as Auroville does not own all of the required land. The necessity and the quality of these works have been repeatedly questioned by residents and experts, but concerns have always been dismissed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Development projects carried out previously by Auroville units had allowed project funds to recirculate within the community’s economy and drew upon decades of home-grown expertise in tropical sustainable construction. The current shift to external contractors represents a significant change in the flow of development funds, sourcing of expertise processes, and a shift to the inordinate use of unsustainable materials like cement. With low-wage labour being brought in from other states, employment opportunities are also being diverted away from the local population.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Despite repeated requests from residents for transparency, standard construction documentation has not been presented, and only basic documents are available on the CPWD website. The AVFO\u2019s large-scale land clearing and the CPWD\u2019s construction is continuing even though the relevant environmental clearances have not been obtained. This matter is still under legal consideration in the courts and remains unresolved.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Cementing AVFO authority via institutional ties?<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The AVFO continues to enter into institutional agreements without consulting the Residents’ Assembly. At least 12 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) have been signed since January 2022, with the latest development being a planned \u201csignificant\u201d connection between Auroville and the state of Gujarat, where the current AVFO Secretary simultaneously serves as Additional Revenue Secretary. This partnership promotes Auroville\u2019s development models in the areas of environmental protection, water conservation, renewable energy and sustainable growth, without involving the relevant Auroville experts. The establishment of the Gujarat linkage followed the AVFO\u2019s special talk on “Good Practices at Auroville” held at Gujarat\u2019s Ahmedabad Management Association on 3rd January 2025, after which five MoUs were allegedly signed within a four-day period. The linkage and associa<\/span>ted media coverage is part of an ongoing effort by the AVFO to market Auroville as a \u2018sustainable city\u2019. While publicly capitalising on Auroville\u2019s achievements in this way, the AVFO has at the same time caused significant damage to Auroville\u2019s renowned reafforestation, environmental protection and water conservation efforts. Moreover, in order to justify its intervention, the AVFO has consistently reasserted the false and contradictory narrative that Auroville residents have not achieved anything substantial over the last five decades.<\/span><\/p>

Other partnerships made by the AVFO without consulting or informing the Residents\u2019 Assembly are with: the University of Pondicherry (January 2022); India\u2019s Central Public Works Department (March 2022); IIT Madras (2023); Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (February 2024); Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (May 2024); Department of Art & Culture, Pondicherry (July 2024); and with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (September 2024).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Despite multiple Right to Information (RTI) legal requests filed by residents with the relevant government Ministries, the contents of these MoUs – which directly concern residents – remain undisclosed. Minimal information about these agreements has reached the residents, and this too through social media postings and newspaper reports.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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AVFO events: whose interests do they serve?<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The AVFO continues to organise and host events and workshops for external groups without consulting or involving the relevant resident representatives and groups. These events primarily target non-Aurovilian Indian youth, exclude Aurovilians as participants or speakers, and often carry religious or political undertones.<\/span><\/p>

For instance, in November 2024, the AVFO hosted the <\/span>5th Tamil Nadu Young Thinkers Forum Meeting<\/span><\/i>, featuring only non-Aurovilian speakers.<\/span><\/p>

In the same month, Auroville was the venue for a three-day <\/span>Flagship civilizational public policy program <\/span><\/i>catering exclusively to non-Aurovilian youth. Earlier, in May 2024, the AVFO invited applications for a newly established one-year <\/span>Auroville Fellowship Program<\/span><\/i>, designed for \u201cyoung aspirants\u201d to engage with Auroville. Selected fellows would be assigned to Auroville units, receive a stipend of 27,000 rupees per month (more than the stipend allotted to residents), and be required to work eight hours per day in roles such as social media, marketing, and security, again with no wider community consultation. [NB: This initiative is distinct from the Auroville Global Fellowship program, which has the confidence of the community\u2019s Residents\u2019 Assembly. See more info in the Acts of Faith section below<\/span>.]<\/span><\/p>

The pattern and manner of these events indicate that the AVFO is using Auroville to advance its own agendas, which appear to diverge from the Mother\u2019s vision for Auroville. <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Prioritising commercial projects <\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Two new projects-in-the-making indicate the AVFO\u2019s growing emphasis on large-scale commercialisation and tourism-focused development for Auroville.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

The <\/span>Southern Service Node project<\/span><\/a>, announced by the AVFO FAMC in September 2024, is a planned large commercial complex featuring seven restaurants, boutiques, parking facilities for 90 cars and 420 bikes, and a mobility hub where visitors and residents can switch to\/from e-vehicles and non-polluting modes of transport for travel within Auroville. This new main gateway to Auroville would funnel visitors through designated commercial zones to other parts of Auroville, presenting Auroville primarily as a tourist attraction. The AVFO has apparently secured funding for construction, but the source of funding is opaque.<\/span><\/p>

The recently-opened \u2018educational hub\u2019 <\/span>Le Paradis D’Auro<\/span><\/a> is a display centre for animals including 30 cows, 350 birds across 8 species, horses, guinea pigs, rabbits and other creatures. While the project claims to promote environmental awareness, concerns have been raised about the ethics of confining animals in artificial environments for visitor entertainment. It is also a jarring contradiction to create such a centre while actively destroying the habitats of the indigenous wildlife that has returned to the area thanks to the decades of land rehabilitation work carried out by Auroville residents.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Ongoing works on the Vikas Radial, February 2025<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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AVFO presentation at Ahmedabad Management Association, January 2025<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Establishment of an Auroville-Gujarat partnership, December 2024<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Bharat Nivas\u2019s new \u2018wildlife\u2019 tourist attraction, June 2024<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Senseless destruction\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Matrimandir lake breaks open\n<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The Matrimandir Lake suffered severe structural damage following Cyclone Fengal. The test lake\u2019s retaining wall, built with prefabricated “Lego” blocks, was breached under the onslaught of Fengal, causing water to spill into an adjacent excavation site, causing the High Density Polyethylene lining to be torn. <\/p>

After the breakage, an open letter to Matrimandir executives by concerned residents urged them (once again) to conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). On 5th December 2024, a report<\/a> signed by the Matrimandir executives acknowledged the failure, citing \u201cunforeseen factors\u201d: heavy rainfall, water channelling, soil softening, and overflow mismanagement. These are dubious excuses, as any construction effort in this bioregion must take into account all of the listed factors as a matter of course. Reports of constant leaks in completed sections further underscore these concerns. Additionally, post-collapse, large volumes of lake water were released onto roads instead of being redirected for aquifer recharge. The report also downplayed financial losses, claiming the blocks were reusable despite photographic evidence of substantial damage.<\/p>

The previous chief engineer of the test lake and channel had earlier resigned when the Matrimandir Lake Team decided to move forward with the second phase of construction before the test lake was fully evaluated and completed. Following the collapse, he provided a detailed report<\/a>, indicating that the retaining wall\u2019s structural integrity was compromised due to inadequate planning and a failure to account for extreme weather conditions. He has warned that bypassing phased construction precludes the ability to detect and address potential weaknesses before expanding the project. Other critics have argued that independent assessments should be conducted before continuing construction, and have highlighted the broader issue of the lack of transparency in the decision-making process, as well as concerns for the long-term sustainability of the lake\u2019s design.<\/p>

Instead of addressing the reasons for this dramatic and costly event, the Matrimandir team plans to proceed without phased construction and without an independent assessment, increasing the risk of future failures.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Moving earth\n<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Soil continues to be transported from Auroville\u2019s Matrimandir building site to unknown outside locations, and across the boundaries between Tamil Nadu State and Puducherry Territory, allegedly without the required authorisation. This operation appears to have the backing of the Matrimandir executives.<\/p>

In response to this serious issue, an appeal has been made to the AVFO seeking clarification about any existing permissions for this inter-state soil transportation, calling for an investigation whether such permissions are absent, and demanding immediate action to halt unauthorised excavation and transportation. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Bulldozing through sanctuaries and communities alike<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In November 2024, CPWD workers began constructing a radial road through Revelation Forest, breaking the fence and clearing the path despite alternative access via the main gate. This left the area vulnerable to animal grazing and wood theft. Revelation Forest is the site of a sanctuary containing rare and endangered plant and wildlife species, and the Master Plan – Perspective 2025 document shows only a green corridor with an earthen road in this area.<\/p>

The Revelation Management Team attempted to intervene, requesting paperwork that authorised the work. In response, a police complaint was filed against them claiming obstruction of government work, a criminal offence, when in fact Auroville is an autonomous body and not a government department. <\/p>

In October 2024, work on the Vikas Radial began without notifying nearby residents, disrupting access to homes and parking. AVFO appointees proposed an alternative route via a cycle path, but monsoon rains rendered it impassable. After a brief pause, due to residents\u2019 insistence on a more conscious approach, construction continues on the road and has rendered it difficult or impossible to traverse for elderly residents in the area. In February 2025, additional mature trees along the broken up road were cut. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Brutalising the trees<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Since January 2025, massive tree cutting has taken place across many areas of Auroville, often carried out by unknown workers. Following the AVFO appointees\u2019 decision to widen road sections from 9 metres to 30 metres, many sacred trees, endangered or protected species, and mature specimens have been felled. Some trees had initially been accommodated within a new road\u2019s trajectory, but some of these were literally cemented into the road. All of these trees were later brutally cut down with no appropriate work orders. Some protected species like palmyra were dug up, supposedly for transplantation, but none of the necessary procedures to ensure the specimens\u2019 survival were respected. In fact, virtually none of the trees transplanted since 2023 under orders of AVFO appointees have survived. The estimated total number of felled trees since 2021 exceeds 20,000, and no planting of new trees at the required 10:1 ratio has taken place.<\/p>

In February, a new method of tree destruction emerged. Mature trees in certain areas were deliberately stripped of their bark, a practice known to cause slow death without the immediate visibility of cutting the trees down. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Destruction constante de l'environnement<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Since January 2025, massive tree cutting has taken place across many areas of Auroville, often carried out by unknown workers. Following the AVFO appointees\u2019 decision to widen road sections from 9 metres to 30 metres, many sacred trees, endangered or protected species, and mature specimens have been felled. Some trees had initially been accommodated within a new road\u2019s trajectory, but some of these were literally cemented into the road. All of these trees were later brutally cut down with no appropriate work orders. Some protected species like palmyra were dug up, supposedly for transplantation, but none of the necessary procedures to ensure the specimens\u2019 survival were respected. In fact, virtually none of the trees transplanted since 2023 under orders of AVFO appointees have survived. The estimated total number of felled trees since 2021 exceeds 20,000, and no planting of new trees at the required 10:1 ratio has taken place.<\/p>

In February, a new method of tree destruction emerged. Mature trees in certain areas were deliberately stripped of their bark, a practice known to cause slow death without the immediate visibility of cutting the trees down. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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A bridge to nowhere<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The construction of a bridge over Darkali Forest Park, as part of the Crown building project, continues to be plagued with unnecessary destruction, poor construction, and many irregularities and contraventions of law. A November 2024 report<\/a> by the Auroville Earth Institute Director reveals serious issues with the project. The CPWD expanded the planned 25-metre bridge to 160 metres, with excavation widths of 25 metres, substantially exceeding the National Green Tribunal’s Joint Committee recommendation of a 9.1-metre width.<\/p>

The construction destroyed rainwater systems that collected 3 million litres annually, and the area now lacks adequate drainage planning in an area handling 60% of the Crown corridor runoff from rainfall. As forewarned by Auroville\u2019s experts, recent heavy rainfall caused dramatic flooding at the site. Project costs have jumped from 50 lakh rupees (over US$57 thousand) to 5 crore rupees (over US$570 thousand), while using inadequate materials and improper road preparation. No environmental impact assessments were conducted.<\/p>

AVFO appointees had previously rejected Darkali stewards’ expert proposal for an alternative route that would have preserved the ecosystem. Construction continues despite its violation of Joint Committee recommendations on road width and environmental protection.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Matrimandir test lake heavily damaged after Cyclone Fengal, December 2024<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Matrimandir test lake heavily damaged after Cyclone Fengal, December 2024<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Bulldozing through the Revelation forest sanctuary, November 2024<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Ongoing works on the Vikas Radial, February 2025<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Bark stripping, a brutal way to kill the trees, February 2025<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The destroyed water catchment pond in Darkali Forest, December 2024<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Funds and assets in jeopardy\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Waste of funds continues<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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On the 4km-long Crown corridor, the pending acquisition of seven plots of private land has stalled completion of the road. The situation is similar on the new trajectories of radial roads. There are complaints about the general poor quality of the newly-constructed roads, the inadequate provisions for rainwater runoff, and the dangers caused by inadequate signage and other safety measures. At the same time, these partial roadworks have caused the price of land in the immediate area to more than double over the last four years. <\/p>

At times, it appears the AVFO\u2019s main priority in current roadwork is to expend funds within a given time frame, rather than to create appropriate good-quality road infrastructure. Arbitrary changes to road trajectories has resulted in new roads being built on top of, or right alongside, existing roads that were both well-built and well-functioning. Additionally, Auroville continues to lose mature trees (that were intended to shade the roads) as well as actively-used, valuable buildings to these erratic changes. The waste of funds is glaringly apparent.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Youth hostel repurposed for AVFO staff\n<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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In January 2025, all volunteers staying in Mitra, the Youth Hostel near the central administration area, were ordered to vacate their rooms in order for the AVFO to house a group of 27 financial auditors. Over the last several years, the AVFO has repeatedly taken over much-needed residential assets for their staff, compounding the existing housing crisis. Residents and volunteers are currently being told that there is not enough housing to meet their needs.<\/p>

While initially only Government-of-India-funded assets were appropriated by the AVFO, now some houses that were privately funded have been taken over by AVFO staff members.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Auroville land grab: AVFO\u2019s silence and inaction<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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After repeated pleas from the Residents\u2019 Assembly to the AVFO to file an appeal in the court over disputed land at Auroville’s Evergreen community, the AVFO finally filed an appeal on the last date possible, 7th February 2025. <\/p>

Almost three acres of prime Auroville land within the Master Plan area was wrongfully appropriated by a politically-affiliated real estate developer in 2022. This land has since been denuded of all trees and vegetation, and most recently appears to be slated for development as ‘luxury villa plots’. The land had been in Auroville\u2019s exclusive and peaceful possession since its purchase in 1992, with Auroville paying the Land Tax from that date, and was re-afforested as part of the Evergreen Community. Despite the community\u2019s regular appeals to the AVFO to take action and protect the land, the AVFO has proven strangely unconcerned by this land grab. The Working Committee of the Residents\u2019 Assembly noted that \u201cNeglecting this is causing great damage and loss to Auroville\u2019s assets and the risk of encouraging violent land speculators to take advantage of the lack of authoritative action, and possibly resulting in law and order situations.\u201d<\/p>

It was only after over 100 concerned community members gathered at the AVFO building to present a signed petition (with over 700 signatures collected in 48 hours) that the AVFO finally filed a legal motion on the last possible date. The AVFO has not explained its delay, has made no other attempts to prevent the encroachment, has conducted no official survey to mark the land, nor made any moves to verify the boundaries of this extremely valuable roadside land. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Roads to nowhere, January 2025<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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A view from above - sections of the Evergreen forest have been decimated after illegal encroachment, January 2025<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Residents questioning land mismanagement, February 2025<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Legal updates<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Governing Board intent to amend Foundation Act<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The Governing Board has finally released the minutes of its 67th meeting of May 2024, which contain a number of disturbing elements. The notes state that the Board aims to \u201camend certain provisions in the Auroville Foundation Act\u201d as the Board feels it has been subjected to a recent \u201cpattern of repeated misinterpretations\u201d. In particular, they intend \u201cto remove ambiguity in the statutory provisions to facilitate a strong administration in Auroville\u201d. The two other authorities of the Auroville Foundation, namely the Residents\u2019 Assembly and the International Advisory Council, are not being consulted in this process which could severely undermine Auroville’s long-standing culture of collective stewardship and participatory governance. Such statutory changes would irreversibly alter the very essence of Auroville and its founding principles.<\/p>

Other concerning initiatives approved at the meeting include: the closure of the community\u2019s financial service and handing over to a nationalised or private bank; strong intent to sell all outlying Auroville lands; a new restrictive media policy; employment of more government officers; intent to open an AVFO Liaison Office in Delhi; and provisions for recruiting more ‘honorary Aurovilians\u2019 and \u2018Auroville Goodwill Ambassadors\u2019.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Other legal updates<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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As covered in\u00a0<\/span>Issue 07 of Voice of Auroville<\/a>, a court case concerning the membership of the Working Committee, which had been ongoing since April 2023, received a ruling on 1st August 2024. A single-judge bench of the Madras High Court dismissed the original petition filed by representatives of the Residents’ Assembly on procedural grounds. Still, the court acknowledged the continuing validity of previous rulings that protected the Residents’ Assembly’s right to elect its own representatives. In response to the dismissal, the duly elected Working Committee of the Residents’ Assembly filed an appeal with the Madras High Court. This appeal was accepted on 4th February 2025, with hearings expected to take place in the coming months. <\/span><\/p>

The Supreme Court has concluded hearings on two appeals by the Auroville Foundation (represented by the Secretary): one against the April 2022 National Green Tribunal order concerning clearing of trees and the need for Environmental Clearance before large-scale development could happen; and another regarding the Town Development Council matter that was ruled on by the Madras High Court in March 2024 [see Voice of Auroville, Issue 06<\/a>]. Arguments were recently completed, and the verdict is now reserved for final judgement.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Governing Board meets without informing the community, December 2024<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Acts of faith\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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An independent report proposes solutions<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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An independent comprehensive report \u2018Auroville in Crisis & the Way Forward<\/a>\u2019 was released by the Auroville Global Fellowship in January 2025. It summarises key facts about Auroville\u2019s current situation, and presents practical solutions to set it on a positive path that is in line with the Auroville Foundation Act and the Auroville Charter. (See this article<\/a> for more information.)<\/p>

The report has been distributed to a number of Indian officials and many global supporters of Auroville. It calls for the urgent and sympathetic intervention of the Government of India to reverse the direction of the Auroville Foundation\u2019s current administration, so that Auroville can properly and productively fulfil its envisaged purpose for India and the world.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Standing firm<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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For almost three years, residents have held a round-the-clock vigil in the Auroville Council room in Town Hall, to ensure that the only remaining meeting space for Residents\u2019 Assembly working groups and residents is safeguarded for community use. On 8th November 2024, a fire broke out in the room due to faulty wiring. The person holding vigil was woken by smoke at 2 am, and managed to put out the fire before it spread to the rest of the Town Hall and cause serious damage. Despite the threat to safety, the relevant AVFO unit has not taken responsibility for repairs. <\/p>

Across Auroville, residents continue to document the ongoing crisis through various means, often at personal risk. Many regularly monitor and record tree cutting incidents and other environmental violations, creating a vital historical record despite facing intimidation and seeing little immediate change. The Evolving Galaxy Bulletin and the community-funded RA News&Notes publications persist through volunteer efforts and minimal resources, ensuring that residents’ experiences and perspectives reach the wider community. Meanwhile, members of key working groups such as the Working Committee stretch themselves to their limits, working tirelessly to safeguard Auroville’s integrity and founding principles. These continuous efforts represent profound acts of faith in the Dream of Auroville – a belief that this unique experiment in human unity holds profound meaning not just for its current residents but for future generations, for India and for humanity as a whole. Despite the challenges, Aurovilians remain committed to protecting this vision as a living legacy and a possibility for a better world.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Perspectives d'avenir <\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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As Auroville navigates this critical period and advocates for collaborative best-practice urban development as a conscious way forward, the support of well-wishers worldwide remains crucial. You, as a reader, can play a vital role in bolstering Auroville and its residents through this crisis. Your awareness and active support make a real difference. To learn more about how you can help, please refer to the last page of the last La voix d'Auroville<\/em><\/a> issue.<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

Extrait de\u00a0La voix d'Auroville<\/em><\/a>, Issue 08, March 2025<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Documenting the destruction, January 2025<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Looking ahead, with hope and faith, February 2025<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

New developments of the Auroville crisis between November 2024 and February 2025.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":32895,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","filesize_raw":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32894","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/auroville.media\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32894","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/auroville.media\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/auroville.media\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/auroville.media\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/auroville.media\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32894"}],"version-history":[{"count":37,"href":"https:\/\/auroville.media\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32894\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33225,"href":"https:\/\/auroville.media\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32894\/revisions\/33225"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/auroville.media\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32895"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/auroville.media\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32894"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/auroville.media\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32894"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/auroville.media\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32894"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}