Best things to do in Auroville
From the Matri Mandir meditation centre to the Visitor Centre, here are the best things to do in Auroville.
#1 Start off at the Visitor Centre
The Visitor Centre is the focal point of any tourist visit to Auroville. You need to get tickets here for an exterior viewing of Matri Mandir, but before they are issued, you’re shown a short video presentation about the village.
The adjacent bookshop has plenty of literature on Auroville and it’s worth checking the notice board, which has details of activities in which visitors may participate (including yoga, reiki and Vipassana meditation).
The nearby Bharat Niwas houses a permanent exhibition on the history and philosophy of the settlement. There are also three quality handicraft outlets and several pleasant vegetarian cafés serving snacks, meals and cold drinks.
#2 Find peace at Matri Mandir
Begun in 1970, the space-age Matri Mandir – a gigantic, almost spherical high-tech meditation centre at the heart of the site – was conceived as “a symbol of the Divine’s answer to man’s inspiration for perfection”.
Earth from 124 countries was symbolically placed in an urn, and is kept in a concrete cone in the amphitheatre adjacent to Matri Mandir. From here, a speaker can address an audience of three thousand without amplification.
The focal point of the interior of the Matri Mandir is a 70cm crystal ball symbolising the neutral but divine qualities of light and space.
To obtain a “concentration entry” for the Matri Mandir to meditate on the crystal, you must book two days ahead.
Best areas to stay in Auroville
The information desk at the Visitor Centre is a good place to enquire about accommodation or you can contact the Auroville guest accommodation service directly. This should be done months ahead for the peak winter months.
Puducherry
Auroville is a popular day trip from Puducherry which has basic lodges concentrated around the main market area, Ranga Pillai St and Rue Nehru.
Trendy boutique hotels now punctuate the French Quarter too. Guesthouses belonging to the Sri Aurobindo Ashram offer good value for money but are not overly welcoming.
Browse the best hotels in Auroville.