Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry
Founded in 1926, the Sri Aurobindo Ashram has grown, under the Mother's guidance, from a small group of two dozen disciples into a large diversified community with almost 1200 members. Counting the 400 students of the Centre of Education and the hundreds of devotees who live nearby, the larger ashram community consists of more than 2000 people.
Situated in a busy city of over 700,000 people, the Ashram is not a quiet place of retreat but a vibrant centre of life in a modern urban setting. The dynamic character of the community reflects the life-affirming aim of Sri Aurobindo's Yoga. Work as an offering to the Divine is an essential aspect of the Yoga, and all Ashramites do a certain amount of productive work each day in one or another of the Ashram's departments.
In the sadhana or spiritual discipline at the Ashram, there are no obligatory practices, no rituals, no compulsory meditations or systematic instructions in Yoga. Sadhaks are left free to determine the course and pace of their sadhana in accordance with their own natures. But the general principle of the sadhana is the same for all: there must be a surrender to the Divine and an opening to the Divine Force so that it may work to transform one's being.
The Ashram is located in the eastern part of Pondicherry. Ashramites live and work in a large number of buildings spread throughout the area. The focus of community life is the Ashram main building, usually called simply "the Ashram", which consists of an interconnected block of houses, including those in which Sri Aurobindo and the Mother lived for most of their lives. At its centre, in a tree-shaded courtyard, lies the Samadhi, a white-marble shrine where their bodies are laid to rest.
The Ashram provides its members with all they need for a decent and healthy life. Various departments have been organised to look after the basic requirements of food, clothing and shelter, as well as medical care. There are also libraries for study and facilities for a variety of cultural pursuits. The Ashram is administered by the Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust.
Founded in 1926, the Sri Aurobindo Ashram has grown, under the Mother's guidance, from a small group of two dozen disciples into a large diversified community with almost 1200 members. Counting the 400 students of the Centre of Education and the hundreds of devotees who live nearby, the larger ashram community consists of more than 2000 people.
Situated in a busy city of over 700,000 people, the Ashram is not a quiet place of retreat but a vibrant centre of life in a modern urban setting. The dynamic character of the community reflects the life-affirming aim of Sri Aurobindo's Yoga. Work as an offering to the Divine is an essential aspect of the Yoga, and all Ashramites do a certain amount of productive work each day in one or another of the Ashram's departments.
In the sadhana or spiritual discipline at the Ashram, there are no obligatory practices, no rituals, no compulsory meditations or systematic instructions in Yoga. Sadhaks are left free to determine the course and pace of their sadhana in accordance with their own natures. But the general principle of the sadhana is the same for all: there must be a surrender to the Divine and an opening to the Divine Force so that it may work to transform one's being.
The Ashram is located in the eastern part of Pondicherry. Ashramites live and work in a large number of buildings spread throughout the area. The focus of community life is the Ashram main building, usually called simply "the Ashram", which consists of an interconnected block of houses, including those in which Sri Aurobindo and the Mother lived for most of their lives. At its centre, in a tree-shaded courtyard, lies the Samadhi, a white-marble shrine where their bodies are laid to rest.
The Ashram provides its members with all they need for a decent and healthy life. Various departments have been organised to look after the basic requirements of food, clothing and shelter, as well as medical care. There are also libraries for study and facilities for a variety of cultural pursuits. The Ashram is administered by the Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust.
Sri Aurobindo Society
Sri Aurobindo Society seeks to bring a dynamic spirituality into material life and all its activities, so that the global problems can find a true solution, and the dreams of humanity, through the ages, can be realized.
The Society is a not-for-profit NGO, working throughout the world for individual perfection, social transformation, and human unity in diversity. It invites participation from all who want to work together for a better tomorrow, with no distinction of nationality, religion, caste or gender.
The Society was founded in 1960 by the Mother
“To make known to the members and people in general the aims and ideals of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, their system of Integral Yoga and to work for its fulfilment in all possible ways and for the attainment of a spiritualised society as envisaged by Sri Aurobindo.”
The Matrimandir is a shrine of the Universal Mother and the Soul of Auroville; it is meant for those who, in the Mother's words, are sincere and serious and truly want to learn to concentrate. The Matrimandir is not a temple in the conventional sense of the word; it is neither a place of worship, nor to be associated with any religion, whether ancient, present, new or future.
What is Auroville?
Auroville is a universal township in the making for a population of up to 50,000 people from around the world.
The concept of Auroville - an ideal township devoted to an experiment in human unity - came to the Mother as early as the 1930s. In the mid 1960s the Sri Aurobindo Society in Pondicherry proposed to Her that such a township should be started. She gave her blessings. The concept was then put before the Govt. of India, who gave their backing and took it to the General Assembly of UNESCO. In 1966 UNESCO passed a unanimous resolution commending it as a project of importance to the future of humanity, thereby giving their full encouragement
"Auroville wants to be a universal town where men and women of all countries are able to live in peace and progressive harmony above all creeds, all politics and all nationalities. The purpose of Auroville is to realise human unity."
The Matrimandir
• The Matrimandir, which represents the Universal Mother or the Divine Consciousness.
• The twelve rooms in the Matrimandir Petals, representing the twelve Qualities or Virtues of the Universal Mother.
• The twelve gardens around the Matrimandir, representing the twelve Powers of the Universal Mother.
• The ‘Lotus Pond' beneath the Matrimandir.
• The Banyan tree, Auroville's geographical centre, and the adjacent Garden of Unity.
• The Amphitheatre, sited where Auroville's inauguration ceremony took place.
The Matrimandir is a shrine of the Universal Mother and the Soul of Auroville; it is meant for those who, in the Mother's words, are sincere and serious and truly want to learn to concentrate. The Matrimandir is not a temple in the conventional sense of the word; it is neither a place of worship, nor to be associated with any religion, whether ancient, present, new or future.
Sri Aurobindo Society, Porbandar Branch
Worship and activities of Sri Aurobindo centre in Porbandar are since 1937. In 1968 The Mother gave Blesssings to Porbandar Branch. now there is an independent buliding for Sri Aurobindo Society, Porbandar branch since 21st Feburary, 2017. We are doing daily group meditation, youth council, women council, children corner activities and satsang on sunday as well as on darshan day celebrations too. We are doing youth camp, grabh sanskar camp and education camp too.
Address: 'AUROSRI', Sri Aurobindo Society, 4-5 Bhojashwar plot, opp Sri Ramkrishna Mission (Vivek), Porbandar-360575. Gujarat-India.
Please send cheque in the name of “Sri Aurobindo Society, Porbandar branch” for donation. you will get 80G receipt for donation.
Please approach to Shree Jyotiben Thanki, Mo. 91 94293 35353 or Dr. Jignesh Prashnani for further details:
Mo. 91 98243 64362.
Opening of new building on 21-02-2017
Foundation Day 04-04-1968
Relics installed on 05-04-2017
Worship and activities of Sri Aurobindo centre in Porbandar are since 1937. In 1968 The Mother gave Blesssings to Porbandar Branch. now there is an independent buliding for Sri Aurobindo Society, Porbandar branch since 21st Feburary, 2017. We are doing daily group meditation, youth council, women council, children corner activities and satsang on sunday as well as on darshan day celebrations too. We are doing youth camp, grabh sanskar camp and education camp too.
Address: 'AUROSRI', Sri Aurobindo Society, 4-5 Bhojashwar plot, opp Sri Ramkrishna Mission (Vivek), Porbandar-360575. Gujarat-India.
Please send cheque in the name of “Sri Aurobindo Society, Porbandar branch” for donation. you will get 80G receipt for donation.
Please approach to Shree Jyotiben Thanki, Mo. 91 94293 35353 or Dr. Jignesh Prashnani for further details:
Mo. 91 98243 64362.
Opening of new building on 21-02-2017
Foundation Day 04-04-1968
Relics installed on 05-04-2017