AUROVILLE TIME LINE

1954
The Mother writes a text in which she talks about the need of a place like Auroville. This text is call
the “Dream”.
1965
In a number of talks and conversations the Mother starts to elaborate her vision of Auroville.
Auroville is managed financially by an organization call the “Sri Aurobindo Society”, which buys the
lands for Auroville.

1966
Exhibition in Pondicherry on plans for Auroville
UNESCO adopted resolutions in support of the project of Auroville.
1968
February 28 – Inauguration.
Auroville is managed financially by a new organization call the “Sri Aurobindo Society”, which buys
the lands for Auroville.
March – Early settlers moved to Promesse on the Pondicherry/Tindivanam road.
June – Forecomers community is started.
UNESCO adopted resolutions in support of the project of Auroville.
First bunds to capture rainwater are made.
1969
Health Center near Douceur starts. It is mainly for providing Health assistance to Kuilapalayam.
Feb – 7 General meeting in Auroville about organization and coordination
Aspiration is started.

1
A caravan of new settlers arrives from France.
First windmill is built.
Discipline is founded.
Auro-Orchard is started.

1970
February 21 – Beginning of Matrimandir Nursery.
First tree nurseries in Success and Kottakarai
Each week for a few months Mother meets several people from Aspiration to talk about general
issues of Auroville, the text “to be a true Aurovilian” came out of one of these talks.
December – Opening of Aspiration School.
UNESCO adopted resolutions in support of the project of Auroville.
Biogas first experimented with and used.
Beginning of the foundation for the Matrimandir Nursery
Auroson’s home (now Certitude) is founded.
Success community is founded.
Kottakarai community is founded.

1971
About 100 people live in various settlements.
February 21 – Foundation stone ceremony for Matrimandir.
Start of the greenbelt community Fertile
Beginning of the international zone with the start of Bharat Nivas construction (the pavilion of India)
Digging for the foundation of Matrimandir begins.
The Heath Center is opened in Aspiration
1972
February 21 – First concreting at Matrimandir
March 14 Pour-Tous is started, as a food distribution unit for everyone; the food is given for free and
shared with everyone.
First windmills in Auroville. They were old windmills donated by a Government organization. Auroville
modified them and set them up for pumping water.
Abri is built
1973

2
January 17 In January His Holiness the Dalai Lama met the Mother in Pondicherry and visited
Auroville the next day
A metal workshop is started with the name “Toujour Mieux”, later on this workshop will became
Aureka.
UNESCO adopted resolutions in support of the project of Auroville.

1973
September 1973 First general meeting of Auroville in the amphitheater: Reorganisation of the
economy, Aurovilians to try to be self supporting, new system of food distribution.
November 17- Completion of the four pillars of Matrimandir.
November 17 – The Mother leaves her body.
The Health Center has its permanent structure in its actual location
M. Karunadhini, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, lay the foundation for the Tamil Nadu Pavilion in the
Bharat Nivas.
Pitchandikulam Forest was established in 1973 as one of the pioneering Auroville green belt
communities engaged in the initial reforestation on the bare eroded township site.

1974
322 people lives in some 30 settlements
March 14 Pour-Tous is started, as a food distribution unit for everyone; the food is given for free and
shared with everyone.

December 20 - tThe second caravan came to Auroville: a modern odyssey

1975
The S.A.S. cuts the flow of funds into Auroville.
November 4. Registration of an “Auroville Society” Auroville declares independence from the
S.A.S.and a struggle of about 15 13 years starts. For the next two months, many meetings in many
communities ans lots of debates.
Beginning of regular meeting to decide policies.
Auroville Library opens.
Aurogreen is founded.
1976

3
1st January: Creation of the Pour Tous Fund. Several units (Pour Tous food distribution,
Bakery, Laundry, Free store..) join to form a common account. To manage the new system,
every Thursday morning there is a meeting open to all Aurovilians. It is how the Pour Tous
Meetings began which progressively transformed into regular weekly meetings to decide policies
and organize Auroville
Regular meeting to decide policies and organize Auroville.
On the day of joining the 4 pillars of Matrimandir (huge concreeting), 8 Aurovilians are arrested in
Aspiration on flimsy charges due to a complaint from the SAS and sent to jail in Tindivanam. They will
be released one week later. This is the beginning of very serious disagreements between residents
of Auroville and the Sri Aurobindo Society ( S.A.S.).

Encens d’Auroville (today Maroma) candleincense factory is started in Fraternity.

Discipline is founded.
1977 Fight with SAS continues.
Serious disagreements between residents of Auroville and the Sri Aurobindo Society ( S.A.S.).
19781978
Creation of Auromitra –Friehds of Auroville by Kireet Joshi, Satprem, JRD tata and Bijoy
Singh Nahar to support the Aurovilians.
Center field school opens.
Center guesthouse opens.
Movement against formal education in the schools.
1979
First windmill prototype designed in Auroville
First internal organizing group forms, “the Co-operative”.
1980
November 1980The Government of India passes the Auroville Emergency Act, and appoints an
administrator.

1981
Food processing unit added to the food distribution system – Pour Tous –
Jaques Verre is the first dentist in Auroville; he will develops the actual Dental Service.
Solar panels come to Auroville.

4
1982
Formation of Auroville International with worldwide centers. The first AVI meeting held in Au Roc,
Dordogne, France in 1981. Second meeting in Boytons, UK in 1982
1983
Formation of Auroville International with worldwide centers.
Foundation of SAIIER (Sri Aurobindo International Institute of Educational Research).
Auroville Resource Center (ARC) is formed as a meeting point between Tamil villagers and Auroville
green workers.

1984
January. - C.S.R. (Centre for Scientific Research) starts.
Opening of Transition school.
Auroville Press receives its first Offset machine
Last School reopens from a student initiative as a junior High school.
The system of individual accounts is started.
“Laboratory of Evolution” was started in 1984 in one of the available spaces at Bharat Nivas, as a
temporary location. In 1985, the LOE has become the LOE-CHU, thanks to the addition of a twin
research unit, the Centre for Human Unity
Opening of CSR
Aureka in collaboration with C.S.R. designed and constructed a highly effective windmill pump called
Av. 55.
1985 IYY (International Youth Year ) was celebrated in Auroville and around the world
The SAIIER Transport Service was started in 1985-86. It works mainly for the Auroville schools that
need students to be picked up and dropped at specified bus stops, for transporting lunch from Solar
Kitchen to all the schools, and for all kinds of field trips and excursion tours
1986
Aureka is started (replacing Toujours Mieux).
1987
Annapurna is founded.
1988
Government Parliamnet of India passes the Auroville Foundation Act on September 5th, 1988.

1989

5
There are 27 windmills working as water pumps, all made in Auroville.
1990
Population goes beyond 700 people.
Opening of Pitanga hall.
Solar Service starts.
1991
First secretary of the Auroville Foundation arrives.
Auroville chooses the first Working Committee
The Matrimandir Inner Chamber opens to Aurovilians.
1992
50 commercial units and 30 community services exist.
The Working Committee creates the Development Group
Eco-Service started by Stephano
1993
Opening of Visitors’ Center
Second visit of the Dalai Lama.
French Pavilion foundation stone ceremony.
1994
Matrimandir Inner Chamber opens to the public.

1995
On occasion of the 50 Anniversary of the United Nations Auroville received, along with other
communities over the world, and award in the category of Human Settlements.
Starts the production of Discs for Matrimandir.
1996
Solitude is founded.
1997
June. - Construction of the Tibetan Pavilion starts.
November .- Opening of Solar Kitchen.
Opening of Quiet Healing Center
1998

1999

6
Government of India gives protection to the Auroville name.
2000
Opening of Savitri Bhavan
There are 1600 Aurovilians and more than 100 commercial units.
First Auroville Horse Tournament (in Certitude)
Deepanam opened
 Auroville Botanical Garden was started
2001
In the International zone the Americas Area and the German Pavilion are consecrated. The U.S.A.
pavilion starts a part of the project. The British Pavilion and the Unity Pavilion are under planning.
The Government of India approved the perspective Master Plan for the City and the Green Belt.
2002
International Zone Foundation ceremony for the Russian Pavilion.
2003
Inauguration of Future School in the Cultural zone next to Transition School.
Nandanam Kindergarten opened
There are now 1,625 residents of Auroville.
Town Hall Complex opened

2004
La Piscine opened

2005
December  Multi Media Centre Opened

2006
PTDC opened
2008
28th February – Auroville’s 40th birthday. Ceremony with earth from different parts of the world to re-
create the original filling of the urn
February - February 2008, we decided to organise a marathon to celebrate the 40 years of the
founding of Auroville. 
March 30 the dedication of Sri Aurobindo statue
July - The Learning Community (TLC) opens
December Third visit of the Dalai Lama at the completed Tibetan Pavilion

7
2009
January - The Dalai Lama inaugurates the Pavilion of Tibetan Culture
2010
January 29th – Litter Free Auroville – garbage awareness day, beginning of Garbology
Baraka Opened

2011
December Cyclone Thane highest wind speed- 165km/h 

2014
Last School moved to Cultural Zone

2015
Youthlink started

Population of Auroville 2,400 people from 50 countries

2018
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Auroville on occasion of its 50 th Anniversary.
28th February – Auroville’s 50th Birthday – Water Ceremony with water from all different parts of the
world

2020
Population : Residents: 3273          Nationalities: 59

2022
Population
.
Summary:
Adults: 2638               Female: 1318                Male: 1320
Children: 667              Female: 335                  Male: 332
Residents: 3305                         Nationalities: 60