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December 7, 2003

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Near Pondicherry flourishes the international village called Auroville. Since 1968, the project has 80 settlements filled with 1500 residents from 33 different countries. It's "an experiement in international living where people can live in peace and progressive harmony above all creeds, politcs, and nationalities." The people that live here call themselves citizens of the world. They are trying to create the next step in human development because they believe that evolution should be actively pursued.
Auroville's settlements showcase new age architecture. The Matrimandir acts as the spiritual and physical centre. It reminds us of EPCOT. The inside looks like something from the set of 2001 Space Odyssey: no furniture, reflective white walls, a round chamber supported by 12 pillars that surround a crystal ball (reportedly the largest single piece of crystal in the world). We're sit for 45 minutes inside the meditation chamber trying to work on our own mind's evolution.