Nepali Wanderer

I first found out about Auroville from a friend during a casual conversation about travel and spirituality. At the time, I was completely clueless about the spiritual world. He suggested I travel to South India and mentioned Auroville as a must-visit place. Two years into my spiritual journey, having gradually progressed from reading spiritual books to practicing meditation, I had more clarity on what I needed for my spiritual growth. By the time I finally visited Auroville, it was less about spiritual curiosity and more about experiencing an experimental city.

Auroville is an experimental town in Tamil Nadu, India, close to Pondicherry. It was started by Mirra Alfassa, known as “The Mother,” inspired by the vision of Sri Aurobindo. It was established in 1968, with soil from more than 124 countries brought for its inauguration. The town is unique for its experimental vision: no religion, no politics, and no cash. Yes, it’s a cashless town, with all residents living on equal wages. Today, it has people from 54 countries living as full-time residents.

If you ever plan to visit Auroville, I recommend pre-booking one of their official stays. Since I was following a last-minute plan, I chose to stay in a hostel that, while technically not an Auroville stay, is a ten-minute walk from the center. Also, since it was my first time there, I didn’t want to go fully experimental!

I still remember my first impression of Auroville, getting off the bus from Chennai to Pondicherry at night and taking an auto-rickshaw into what seemed like the middle of the forest. I had five days to explore Auroville, so I wanted to do it at my own pace, without any rush. The first place to visit was the Visitor Center, where you can learn about the entire place through videos and learning materials. From there, you can choose what suits you. One must-see is the Matrimandir, the most iconic structure in Auroville. Entering under Matrimandir requires pre-booking, and as I was traveling during peak season (New Year’s Eve, of all times!), I couldn’t get a booking.

One place I really enjoyed for learning was the Savitri Bhavan, where you can find reading materials related to spiritualism and Sri Aurobindo. They even have documentary sessions, and I got to watch one related to nature during my visit. Another place I’d recommend is Svaram, a music center that showcases magical creations through music. One of my friends had recommended experiencing the sound healing session there. Initially, I was disheartened to find it was practically unaffordable for one person. Luckily, a Brazilian group allowed me to join them, and thus I got to live that amazing experience. Just like in meditation, where we curb our external senses to go inward, this session involved closing your eyes, listening to the music, and letting the sense of sound heal you. It was a reminder of the profound experiences we can have using (or not using) our external senses.

Staying in a hostel meant my exposure was more to people exploring Auroville like me, rather than the actual residents. This allowed me to meet a diverse group of people — from those coming to party and celebrate New Year (although I wouldn’t recommend staying in Auroville for alcohol parties, as alcohol is prohibited) to yogic practitioners and deep spiritual seekers from all around the world. One way to experience the residents’ lifestyle is to visit the Solar Kitchen, where every day lunch is prepared, and a portion of the food is donated to local schools. As one needs an Auroville card for payment in this kitchen, my hostel owner helped me experience it with his card.

If you really want to see the full experimentation of a completely different lifestyle, I would recommend Sadhana Forest in Auroville. It was where I could finally see the experimental world I had imagined. Sadhana Forest is known for people living in a purely eco-friendly manner, in houses made of natural materials, and food grown sustainably. Started by two individuals in 2003, the forest welcomes volunteers to live there purely in tune with nature. I was mentally calculating whether I’d someday volunteer there or if it would be too much for me (I remember my sister joking about me going the monk pathway after seeing the pictures). But more than the monk lifestyle, it reminded me of the cult from the movie “The Beach” (not in a negative way), a community living far off in a forest in Thailand.

Since Auroville is close to Pondicherry, I had to take a day trip there. Pondicherry looked as beautiful as it did in the movie “Life of Pi” (my first visual experience of the city). I also loved the walkability of the city, as most iconic points (like Promenade Beach, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, and colonial buildings) are nearby. I walked around Promenade Beach, enjoying the breeze of the Bay of Bengal. Then, I explored the inner city, known for its colorful buildings and architecture. Owing to its French colonial history, you can still see the French influence today. The architecture, cafes, and hotels belong to the colonial era, and it feels like exploring a city in France. Pondicherry is also special to me because I had my last beer there.

Auroville has much to offer, even if you’re not into spirituality. Living in a forest town with people from all around the world can be an enriching experience. The diverse food options are another highlight. You can see the French influence here, with numerous bakeries and cafes. And, of course, I must mention the pizza — I had some of the best pizzas in Auroville.

Above all, my favorite activity in Auroville was wandering around and exploring whatever buildings I came across. I remember randomly entering a Tibetan museum, where I learned about my own country’s history and the historical connections between Ladakh, Tibet, and Nepal. Following random trails often led me to small ponds and moments of solitude. I also recommend hitchhiking as a way to get to know the residents. I remember asking my default travel question, “Where are you from?” and getting the reply, “I am from Auroville,” from foreigners. You might even get a lift all the way to Pondicherry, as one kind soul did for me.

On my last day, I again traveled to Pondicherry, as my next bus station was there. I revisited the Sri Aurobindo Ashram and meditated for a while. That evening, after meditation, I had one of the most refreshing walks of my life. Before making any inferences, I want to stress one thing: how you feel is a subjective experience, and is a combination of many factors. Maybe just the idea of where you are can affect your experience. My own subjective truth is I had a special experience meditating in the Ashram. Whether certain places genuinely have that effect, or it’s just psychological, is something for me to explore further on my own.

As my walk ended, I boarded my bus to Kerala, ready to add a new chapter to my life.