Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday drew several parallels between Auroville’s unique vision of bringing together global diversity and the ethos of ancient Indian tradition as he hoped for the universal township to continue to be a beacon for the world.
Addressing the golden jubilee celebrations of Auroville, Mr. Modi said the world has received positive vibrations from Auroville, in many forms, over the years.
“Be it un-ending education, environment regeneration, renewable energy, organic agriculture, appropriate building technologies, water management, or waste management. Auroville has been a pioneer.”
The first high principle of Auroville that it belongs to all humanity was a reflection of our ancient credo of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — the world is one family, he said.
“Indian society is fundamentally diverse. It has fostered dialogue and a philosophic tradition.. the very fact that Auroville has brought together such huge diversity of people and ideas makes dialogue and debate natural,” the PM added.
Underscoring one of high principles of Auroville — that anyone who is willingly in service of the Divine Consciousness is entitled to live in Auroville — the Prime Minister said that Sri Aurobindo’s philosophy of consciousness integrates not just humans, but the entire universe.
“This matches with the ancient saying in the Ishavasya Upanishad. This has been translated by Mahatma Gandhi to mean “everything down to the tiniest atom is divine”, Mr. Modi said.
“India has always allowed mutual respect and co-existence of different religions and cultures. India is home to the age old tradition of Gurukul, where learning is not confined to classrooms; where life is a living laboratory. Auroville too has developed as a place of un-ending and life-long education”, the Prime Minister said.
“As the world progresses materially through science and technology, it will increasingly long for and need spiritual orientation for social order and stability,” the Prime Minister said.
Noting that Sri Aurobindo’s vision of India’s spiritual leadership continues to inspire us to this day, Mr. Modi said that Auroville indeed is a manifestation of that vision and over the last five decades, it has emerged as a hub of social, cultural, educational, economic and spiritual innovation.
Mr. Modi concluded his address to a standing ovation as he wished that Auroville will “serve as a beacon to the world and be the guardian which calls for breaking down narrow walls of the mind and continue to invite everyone to celebrate the possibilities of humanity’s one-ness”.
The Prime Minister released a commemorative stamp on Auroville brought out by the Department of Posts and a golden jubilee souvenir.
He was earlier received by Dr. Karan Singh, chairman of Auroville Foundation, and members of the Auroville Working Group. Mr. Modi also visited the Matrimandir, envisioned as the soul of the universal township founded by The Mother on February 28, 1968, and spent some moments in its inner chamber.
