AUROVILLE 1968–2018: GLIMPSES INTO 50 YEARS OF PHOTOGRAPHIC ARCHIVES

— SRI AUROBINDO INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH (SAIIER)

Celebrating fifty years through photographs, this book is a dynamic visual narrative of Auroville’s development. Although the photographs, both familiar and fresh, do not follow a strict chronological order, there are recurrent themes that provide a historical perspective. It begins with the local inhabitants of the land on which Auroville is built, followed by photos of the inauguration ceremony in 1968 and the first settlers to arrive on the dusty plains, some very dramatic photos of the Matrimandir construction, and ends with the golden jubilee celebration on 28 February 2018. Interspersed are photographs of several people who played a role in supporting the growth of Auroville, a photomontage of Auroville’s children, studying, playing, and growing up before our eyes, and views of Auroville life through the creative arts, sport, experimental architecture, alternative energy, village development, quiet moments of contemplation in the beauty of the growing surroundings, and informal portraits of its residents.