An avenue of
collaborative exchange and partnerships for Auroville is decided to be
initiated to further Auroville, with different states of India, starting with
Gujarat. Sanjeev was invited representing education along with an Auroville
contingent of 6 people for 4 days along with 3 Governing Board members Dr.
Jayanti Ravi, Secretary of the Auroville Foundation and Additional Revenue
Secretary of Gujarat, along with Dr. G. Seetharaman, OSD-Auroville Foundation. Along
with live online presentations by those not traveling various Auroville units:
Auroville Consulting, Wasteless (environmental education), Svaram (music
therapy and instruments), MG Ecoduties (Probiotics), Sustainable Architecture
also made presentations.
In addition to
presentations being made, MoUs to facilitate collaboration and exchange were
signed with:
The Maharaja Sayajirao
University of Baroda, Vadodara; Kamdhenu University, Gandhinagar; Indus
University; Auro University, Surat; Sardar Patel University; Revenue
Department, Gujarat. ; Nehru Foundation Development Centre for Environment
Education Society.
For more details on
the visit refer to the enclosed attachment
As we approach Yoga International Day on June 21st, today at Bharat Nivas, Auroville, school children across age groups practising yoga together (body, mind and breath as one awareness).
Integral Education
workshop – an immersive learning while deeply exploring the principles and
practises in the schools of Auroville and Bio-regions.
The plenary sessions
followed by small group work sessions allows for the Integral Education
Practitioners to exchange best practises while also brainstorming on new ideas,
approaches to challenges in the classroom. This workshop had Shri Praveen and
Shri Richard deep dive into physical and mental education in the light of
Integral Education respectively. Our very own educators shared their experience
on practising vital education.
Spread over three days, this is the fourth workshop over two years with over 100 – 150 educators participating each time. Their enthused participation, interactions in the small groups including their initiative to facilitate sessions has been highly motivating and inspiring.
Being a child and retaining that childlike innocence, curiosity and trust is a beauty and joy forever. While each day is a celebration of the essence, November 14th is celebrated as Children’s Day in India and at Isaibalam school, it was celebration in the way we know best.
Dressed in their best,
the joy and vibrancy of delight on their faces was contagious. With a visit to
the exhibition at the Ilaignarkal School, Auroville an opportunity to learn.
Back at school it was fun through activities and games,teachers and children
mingled as one, with a spirit that is engaged in our schools.
_Sri Aurobindo said
“The chief aim of education should be to help the growing soul to draw out
that in itself which is best and make it perfect for a noble cause.”_
(From “The Ideal
of Human Unity”, Chapter 12)
The one thing
necessary for the child is to provide it with an atmosphere in which it can
grow freely and normally, at Auroville, as part of Integral Education we
practise ardently and passionately.
There was also
honoring of children who had won at the Judo competitions. Their demonstration
showed their skills, the focus and dedicated efforts, a testament to a
blossoming when the environment is supportive.
Sanjeev Ranganathan, gave to each child their own trophies, acknowledging their effort and encouraging them.
Nitividhana, Civilizational Public Policy, a three day immersive workshop organized by Brhat was inaugurated today at Bhumika Hall, Auroville.
Across three days,
sessions by well-known speakers will focus and converge on Integral Approaches
to Education, Sustainability and Governance.
The highlight of the
workshop is to bring in the philosophy and perspectives as shared by Sri
Aurobindo, his vision for Public Leadership. Interesting to listen in and
participate would be the sessions on Civizational Lens for Governance, Integral
Education for Policy Thinking and finally the Synthesis for Philosophy and
Public Policy.
The sessions would not
only be informative and enlightening, that the focus on bringing in Sri
Aurobindo’s vision on the topics is indeed very promising and heartening.
The welcome and
inaugural address was given by Shri (Dr.) Sanjeev Ranganathan, (SAIIER) Board
member, Sri Aurobindo International Institute of Educational Research) and very
passionate about education.
Other speakers include
Sri Shraddhalu Ranade (Sadhaka, Educator & Scientist), Dr. Mala Kapadia (Director, CIKS, Anaadi Foundation), Dr. Pankaj Saxena (Co-Founder & Director – Cultural Research, Bṛhat) and Sri Amritanshu Pandey (Director – Strategy & Ops, Bṛhat). May we grow in His light and vision and to be continually guided .
Under the prestigious
Yuva Sangam Phase-V initiative, part of the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat (EBSB)
program under the Ministry of Education, Government of India, a total of 60
students from Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have come to Tamil Nadu. NITTTR
Chennai serves as the nodal institute for Yuva Sangam in the state of Tamil
Nadu. The main goal of this program is to travel across India to learn about
its traditions, historical roots, and national values.
In Auroville, the students visited SAIIER and interacted with Sanjeev asking questions to understand about Auroville. They also visited Matrimandir, Solar Kitchen, Unity Pavilion and Savitri Bhavan to learn about Sri Aurobindo and the values of Auroville. At SAIIER, they were introduced to the concept of integral education.
Mr. Naresh Grover,
Director of the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), along with
his team, recently visited Auroville, a one-of-a-kind experimental township in
South India. The visit was inspired by interactions with students from Yuva
Sangam, who had recently explored Auroville and shared enthusiastic accounts of
its unique ethos and innovative development model. Captivated by their
insights, Mr. Grover and his team decided to experience Auroville firsthand.
A key highlight of the
visit was a tour of Isai Ambalam School, an innovative educational institution
in Auroville. Mr. Grover and his team observed students engaging in activities
such as gardening, STEM projects (building treehouses and playgrounds), and
interacting with animals, including cows and dogs, fostering a Gurukulam-like
environment. Dr. Sanjeev Ranganathan explained the school’s curriculum, which
integrates academics with nature, culture, and creativity, aligning with the
National Education Policy (NEP).
Mr. Grover was
particularly intrigued by the school’s approach to teaching mathematics,
blending Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) with modern programming and
visualization techniques, creating a balance between Eastern and Western
pedagogies. He encouraged Auroville schools to participate in AICTE’s Ministry
of Innovation Cell (MIC) programs for schools and extended an invitation to Dr.
Sanjeev Ranganathan to share these practices with AICTE for potential
implementation nationwide.
Dr. Sanjeev
Ranganathan also shared insights about Auroville’s unique Bachelor of Vocation
(B.Voc) program in affiliation with Pondicherry University. This program equips
students with real-world skills, universal values, and leadership capabilities,
fostering a shift from dependence to interdependence with community, nation,
and the world. Mr. Grover lauded the program’s transformative impact on youth,
promoting holistic and sustainable development.
Mr. Grover and Dr.
Sanjeev Ranganathan further discussed the natural integration of Integral
Education principles in Auroville schools, which have influenced the NEP. They
explored avenues for collaboration and outreach initiatives to extend
Auroville’s educational practices beyond the township.
Additionally, Mr.
Grover expressed interest in Auroville’s participation in initiatives like the
*Smart India Hackathon (SIH)*. SIH, envisioned to promote innovation and
out-of-the-box thinking among young minds, aims to institutionalize a model
that harnesses the creativity and technical expertise of students for the
nation’s benefit. Through SIH 2024, the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell
(MIC) seeks to crowdsource solutions to improve governance, enhance quality of
life, and address India’s pressing needs. Post-SIH, the Ministry is committed
to developing, implementing, and deploying winning ideas by supporting the
concerned ministries and departments in this endeavor.
In conclusion, Mr. Grover expressed gratitude to Dr. Jayanti S. Ravi for the warm welcome and commended Auroville’s remarkable contributions to education, sustainability, and innovation. He reaffirmed AICTE’s commitment to fostering collaborations that advance Auroville’s unique model across the nation.
Due to the “Fengal” storm in our region, we have faced many issues, such as electricity, transportation and mobile signal. Also, many trees and plants were broken, damaging roads and vehicles. We collectively involved to clean up the debris by supporting each other during this difficult time.
Sanjay’s reflection:
Because of the
rains, the soil underneath the entrance path had whittled away making it
impossible for bikes within campus to go out. I experienced this difficulty on
Sunday as I ventured out to grab some food. As I was returning from breakfast
on Monday, I saw Sudhir Pradhan at work filling up the pathway with broken
bricks. I immediately joined him and the crew in bringing in the bricks,
breaking them into little pieces with the hammer, and filling up the entrance
with those. After that, I also assisted Mr. Rajan in hauling all the broken/sawed-off
timber into one pile.
None of us was used to manual
labor, so we were all panting and pausing for frequent breaks. I keep
physically active, somewhat, but this is different from going for a run or
lifting weights, outdoor calisthenics playing badminton/tennis or even doing
Yogasanas. My body was not used to it and my legs were also shaking from the
effort. In addition, I also got blisters on my palms. However, after a bath, I
felt invigorated and I could feel better blood circulation as well as a feeling
of physical well-being that I had not felt in a while. I also had a very stilling Vipassana sit
after. It brought back memories of very stilling sits in Vipassana centers that
I used to experience after cleaning toilets, cleaning the pathways, washing
fabrics, and helping out in the kitchen. I remember that after this experience,
I always used to look for manual labor whenever possible.
From my perspective, Manual labor as a
volunteer helping others has an advantage over going to the Gym or playing a
sport because apart from the undoubted benefits for physical health, it also
feels more meaningful (psychic health) and my Vipassana sits are always very
stilling (Mental health) after that effort. There is also the connection one
feels towards the community when involved in that effort. I get to know the
person volunteering along with me a little better. It’s like being brothers in
labor. The last three are something I do not experience after calisthenics, gym
routines, sports are even Yogasanas.
I resolved that once my responsibilities with Aura are discharged around the end of January, I will look for more ways to volunteer that involve manual labor, perhaps such as matrimandir cleaning twice a week and also involvement in Campus clean-up at C3SLD/Isai/Udavi. The rains reminded me of this, which I had forgotten. An opportunity beckons, and it is up to me to take it and make full use of it, benefit myself, and benefit others.
Sivaguruprasath’s reflection:
My name is
Sivaguruprasath and I stand for courage, full-potential and equanimity for
myself and for others. On cleaning the campus, I learned that I have to
supporting others to build resilience in tough situations. I noticed that I
feel responsible and care towards others and as well as the environment. I
appreciate everyone for this team effort and being grateful for achieving a
common goal.
SandhiyaBala’s
Reflection:
My name is Sandhiya Bala and I stand for courage, care, and happiness for myself and others. I have learned many things while cleaning our campus as teamwork, everyone involved in cleaning our campus saw the responsibility of each one who was participating. I notice the quality of care and responsibility and I use it in my life.
Pratap’s
reflection:
After the Fengal cyclone, our office campus was left in disarray. Despite limited participation, a small group took the initiative to clean up, collecting fallen stems and dry leaves. It was disheartening that not everyone joined, but the efforts of the few made a visible difference. This experience highlighted the value of taking action, even when support is minimal. It reinforced the power of teamwork and the satisfaction of contributing to our shared space. I hope this inspires others to join such efforts in the future, showing that every small contribution matters.
SriBhavani’s
reflection:
My name is Sri
Bhavani, and I stand for love and equality for myself and others. I felt
accomplished in supporting our team in cleaning the campus. I learned that no
work is easier or less significant than another, every task holds its own
value. On that day, the Ammas who usually clean our campus took the initiative
to prepare food for us, and some of our team members supported them as well. I
am able to see the alignment of care and cooperation among everyone. I
acknowledge everyone involved in the cleaning activity (Shram Daan) for their
commitment and responsibility toward the well-being of our surroundings.
Ajay’s
reflection:
My name is Ajay,
and I stand for happiness and self-awareness for myself and others. My
reflection from cleaning our campus after the Fengal cyclone shows the teamwork
by everyone and the care shown toward the organization and its surroundings by
me and others. It was difficult and hard for me to clean the entire place in
one day, but somehow, with the help of our team as a whole, we managed to do
it.
Kugan’s
reflection:
My name is Kugan
I stand for equality for myself and other. When everyone is responsible for
their own work, it makes the team stronger. Teamwork then becomes about working
together to do even better, not just covering for someone else’s part.
ArunKumar’s
reflection:
Cleaning the
office with my colleagues and inspired college students, I felt happy and
motivated seeing the younger generation care for our environment. It was a
great teamwork experience, and it also reminded me to take care of my physical
health, as I felt tired easily.
Rajesh’s
reflection:
After the
devastating Fengal cyclone, our area experienced heavy rainfall, fallen trees,
and a complete lack of electricity and internet. In response, a plan was
initiated to clean and restore our workplace and school. Participating in this
effort provided me with a unique opportunity to clean and organize the place
where I work and teach, instilling in me a profound sense of ownership.
This experience
made me realize that the environment around me is an extension of my home, and
when the need arises, it is my responsibility to care for it. It highlighted
the care and gratitude I feel for my office and its surroundings—a place I
cherish daily.
Moreover, it
broadened my perspective on the importance of nurturing the world, not just
during times of disaster but as a consistent practice. It reminded me that
taking care of people and the planet is an ongoing responsibility, fostering
habits of care and compassion in every aspect of life. This experience was a
powerful lesson in stewardship and the interconnectedness of my actions with
the well-being of our environment and community.
Saranya’s
Reflection:
Observation: After the Fungal Cyclone, my colleagues and I worked together to
clean the campus. We all helped make the area safe and clean again. Some of us
picked up fallen branches and trash. It was a team effort, and everyone worked
hard. We were able to talk to each other, which helped improve our
relationships. By the end of the day, the campus looked much better, and we
felt proud of what we had done together.
Reflection: I have learned to stay calm and focused in any situation. I realize
that I can make a positive impact by staying dedicated and offering my support.
This experience helped me appreciate my role and the value of working together
for a common goal. I feel proud of how I contributed and the difference it
made.
C3SLD provides many opportunities to engage with events at Auroville and when I received a message from Poovizhi that for the Siddhi Day, Arulvazhi School organized a speech on The Mother and Sri Aurobindo at Savitri Bhavan, delivered by Varatharajan Sir, and Shyamala Amma I decided to participate in it and learn from it. I had heard them share some of their experiences with the Mother as pioneers of Auroville and I was eager to learn more.
Conversations on THE SIGNIFICANCE
OF SIDDHI DAY (24 November 1926)
DISCIPLE: I do not know the
significance of the 24th of November 1926; some say it is the immortality day
while others say it was the descent of Krishna’s personality.
SRI AUROBINDO: It has nothing to do
with immortality. It is the descent of Krishna.
DISCIPLE: Some say November 24th
is a day of victory. By that, some mean that the Supermind (supramental
consciousness) descended into the physical consciousness of Sri Aurobindo.
Others say it was the coming down of Krishna into the physical consciousness.
If it was the descent of Krishna, does that mean the descent of the supramental
light?
SRI AUROBINDO: Krishna is not the
supramental light. The descent of Krishna would mean the descent of the
Overmind Godhead preparing, though not itself actually bringing, the descent of
Supermind and Ananda. Krishna is the Anandamaya, he supports the evolution
through the Overmind leading it towards his Ananda.
— Sri Aurobindo, CWSA 35: 272-273 In the talk Varatharajan Sir and Shyamala Amma shared their profound experiences of how they connect and interact with The Mother and Sri Aurobindo, offering deep insights and inspiration.
I attended sessions by Varatharajan Sir and Shyamala
Amma, where I experienced something profound—goosebumps ran through my body,
and it felt as if the whole world was embracing my heart. One significant
lesson I learned from them is, “You work with the people who come to you.”
This insight will guide and support me in my future growth.
They also emphasized that those with goodwill are
always welcome in Auroville, as they can contribute to essential areas like
education, water management, healthcare, and creating work opportunities.
Additionally, I had the privilege of decorating
flowers at the Matri Mandir. This act felt like a meaningful offering for
Siddhi Day.
The divine beauty of the flower arrangements reminds
me of Krishna’s consciousness. It feels as though I can hear Krishna playing
His flute under the Banyan tree! His consciousness, descending into the
physical realm, impacts life on Earth in the most profound and transformative
ways. It helped me connect with the universal values of happiness that manifest
through me.
From September 30, 2024 to October 4, 2024, a group of students from Arulvazhi School visited STEM Land to explore and learn about various STEM activities. We warmly welcomed them and began the session with “Stand and Fear.” Through this activity, students reflected on their full potential. These sessions helped break barriers and encouraged teamwork. Each student introduced themselves and shared their qualities in unique ways. When students shared their fears or challenges, it created a sense of connection and understanding among them. This openness encouraged care and love, allowing participants to see each other as individuals rather than just classmates/schoolmates.
Children said that, they
were able to realize who they were from deep inside. They mentioned that the
socialized fears were prevalent in their everyday lives and they wondered how
they failed to notice them before attending the RTL session. The tools helped
them notice, name and let go of their fears and helped them to understand who
they from possibility. One of the students mentioned that RTL was more related
to life than the usual lessons they learn in classrooms.
After the RTL session,
the students eagerly explored different STEM activities such as Scratch
programming, Electronics and Robotics. It was a memorable experience for both
the students and our team. Initially, we started teaching electronics as they
were keen to learn it. The session began with an introduction to basic terms
like resistance, current and voltage.
They learnt about
resistance and measured their body resistance using a multimeter. They also
learnt how to light an LED with the help of a battery and a resistor, and even
through their body. Following this, the students had time to explore Scratch
programming and were given simple tasks to accomplish. They had the opportunity
to work with Makey Makey, which helped them understand conductors and
non-conductors.
They were able to apply
their Scratch knowledge in their Makey Makey projects. Additionally, they were
introduced to Finch robots and were able to control the robots by creating
simple programs using the Snap app. On the last day, the students explored the
games available at STEM land. We observed teamwork throughout their visit. All
these activities helped the students improve their knowledge in various
domains, and for many, it was their first exposure to such technologies. Their
active participation each day fueled our enthusiasm for teaching.
At the end of the session, children were asked to give feedback regarding their learnings at STEM. They said that they got an opportunity to explore material-based learning. It helped them to understand the concepts better and in an easier manner. They also said that the method of teaching both electronics and programming helped them to think more. They were able to find out solutions from their learnings without the answers being directly given.
Reflection from
Madhivadhani S (Student from Arulvazhi):
The learning sessions at
STEM was very useful for me. I learnt to make sounds using makey makey, program
a robot and to code in scratch. The activities made me think a lot. I could
visually see the outputs in scratch coding. It helped me correct my code by the
movement of the sprite, when it did not do what I expected it to do. When I
made a mistake, the teachers did not tell me the right answer directly, instead
they gave clarity on why my answer was wrong. This helped me find the right
solution by myself. The learning session gave me a platform to do peer
learning. It helped to get along with my friends by helping each other which
made the learning much easier and more interesting than the usual individual
learning.
Reflections of
facilitators…
Jayabharathy:
My name is Jayabharathy.
I stand for care and courage for myself and others. The session with the
Arulvazhi school children gave me an opportunity to work with children of
different grades simultaneouslyrather than a single grade. Through this event,
I learnt to change my level of explanation as per the understanding capability
of children of different age groups. I also learnt to maintain a domination and
groupism free learning space. I initially went there thinking I would support
them for an hour or two. However, their eagerness to learn about electronics
and Scratch motivated me to assist them throughout all the sessions they
attended. I could see the joy of learning among the children as they made the
LED glow using a battery, resistor, and wires. I also observed peer learning
among the children. The older ones gave space to the younger ones and helped
them accomplish tasks. These were valuable lessons that I intend to incorporate
into my own life as I work with my team and juniors.
Arunkumar:
My name is Arunkumar I
stand for Peace and Equity for myself and others, I supported Arulvazhi
children on electronics and Makey Makey sessions, it was an interesting
session. When we asked children to taste the current, initially hesitated out
of fear they were then able to transcend it and taste the current. The children
were from 4th grade to higher secondary so I assumed that only the elder
children will learn more and won’t work along with the younger ones, but they
were actually inspiring the young ones and shared their learnings and guided
them to participate fully.
Poonguzhali:
My name is Poonguzhali I
stand for courage for myself and others. I volunteered to support the holiday
camp whenever I had time. As a team, we worked to our full potential, children
took part in many activities they enjoyed. I feel grateful for being a part of
the camp as it allowed me to interact with children in the during the break and
I thoroughly enjoyed the time spent supporting it.
Soundhariya:
My name is Soundhariya. I
stand for care and courage for myself and others. I saw that the children were
able to understand concepts and learn how these ideas connect to concrete
visualization and everyday life and it madelearning more effective and fun.
Using hands-on tools allows children to grasp concepts more quickly and enjoy
learning.
The sessions had a
positive impact on students and it helped them develop critical thinking and
problem-solving skills. I was able to notice this during the LED experiment. I
gave an introduction about the terminals of the LED, the battery and resistance.
With this information, they were able to make the LED glow from light to dark
through the help of different resistors. This approach also encouraged
collaborative learning with others.
When students actively
participate in STEM activities, they become more aware of their own progress.
As I was teaching them operate finch robot, they said the coding that they
learnt the previous day in scratch helped them to do the finch activity. They also
said that they were able to notice their improvement as they moved from scratch
to snap. .
Gunavathi:
My name is Gunavathi, I stand for happiness for myself and others. While I was teaching students about finch robot 2.0, I felt responsible. When they understood the concept of move and degrees, I noticed children being curious and enthusiastic. At that moment, I understood inspiring children will lead them to learn themselves.
Poovizhi:
My name is Poovizhi, I stand for equality and equity for myself and others. Arulvazhi school teachers were inspired by the sessions we did during the STEAM camp we did during the summer and they have heard from children that they are interested to learn more from STEM land, so the teachers contacted me and asked if we could have a one week program for children during their quarterly leave. STEM land is open for anyone at any age who wants to learn and organised for the transport and the sessions. I feel grateful that I was able to coordinate and organise the session. I saw the joy of learning in children.
