Situated in a huge garden and next to a big banyan tree, the Matrimandir is the centre of Auroville.

Auroville is a perfect place to be with children - even though it is not a holiday place. There is not a lot to see, but you will find a perfect environment to live with children. The longer you stay, the easier it becomes.

There is no use in visiting Auroville for one or two days only. It is quite complicated to find accommodation and to organize everything. But if you stay at least one week, better one month, your child and you will love the place.

Whenever you consider to go, you should keep in mind that this place is strongly connected to the spiritual work of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. Their photos are present in each and every building in Auroville, and if you don't feel at least an inclination towards them, your stay might easily become unpleasant.

The best time to come is mid December through March. From April it gets very hot, and if you come already already between October and mid December you might have to face some monsoon rain.

Auroville is the brainchild of the Mother, the spiritual Co-Worker of Sri Aurobindo and had it's inauguration on Feb 28, 1968. Mothers vision was to create a place "where people could live in peace and progressive harmony above all creeds, politics and nationalities". To symbolise this unity, representatives of 124 countries poured the soil of their lands into an urn that has been buried in the centre of Auroville, in the garden of the Matrimandir.
Initially, Auroville had been projected to harbour 50.000 people and the original plans of the French architect Roger Anger still reflect this. He invented a layout for a veritable town with the Matrimandir in it's centre and four radiating zones - cultural, international, industrial and residential. The visible structure today has little to do with the original plan, but a model of it can still be examined in the visitor centre.

Auroville is situated 10km north of Pondicherry and is very stretched out. In total it covers a diameter of nearly 20km. The physical and spiritual centre of Auroville is the Matrimandir, an impressive structure that resembles a mixture between a starship and a huge golf ball. Spread out in the surrounding forests lie the 30 or so communities that bear gave names like "surrender", "quiet", etc. To keep orientation it is very useful to get a free map from the visitors centre near Matrimandir.

Auroville is, as the name rightfully states, a village. So the main activity for children is to play with other children and invent their own adventure, of whom there are plenty. This being said, there are still quite a few things you could do with children of any age.

Water, sand, shade and other children...what else do children need?

Playing at Repos Beach: Repos Beach, the small community next to the beach, is a perfect place to spend a hot day with children. Palm trees give shade, sand and a water pump entertain the small and bigger children, and even elder children can play around on the whole area. At the same time the parents can have a tasty fresh juice from the juice-bar. On weekends, the place can be quite crowded.

Simple but popular is the little playground at Certitude

Playground at Certitude: At the entrance to Certitude community, there is a sandy playground for smaller children, equipped with slide, swing and climbing frame.

Price: free

Ponyriding at Brihaspathi Farm: Once a week you can go for a pony ride at Brihaspathi Farm east of Edayanchavadi.

Open: Tue 4pm to 5pm
Price: free

Swimming pool at New Creation: Tired of waves? Than the small and well-kept swimming pool "La Piscine" at New Creation might be the right thing for you. Since activities are very regulated, the place might only be good for elder children, who are able to swim.

Botanical Garden: The botanical garden in the south of Auroville allegedly has a nice lalabyrinth, where children can have fun. If you have been there, please use the write-button and share your experience...

Blue Berry Children's Library at Deepanam School: There is a children's library at Deepanam School close to Matrimandir. You can borrow English and French books.

Open: Mon to Sat, 2pm to 5pm

Many of the communities offer rooms, but during the winter season they are heavily booked. The quality of the rooms differs as widely as the character of the communities does. You will find luxurious flats with swimming pool as well as basic huts without electricity that just give a little shelter from sun and rain.

A comprehensive overview over the available accommodation is found at www.aurovilleguesthouses.org

On the outside tables breakfast and dinner is served

Youth Camp: The Youth Camp is one of the few real guesthouses in Auroville. They have accommodation for groups as well as for single travellers. You can book simple palm-leaf-covered huts for 200Rs or comfortable apartments with two rooms and attached bath for 1000Rs. They serve a very simple breakfast and on weekdays dinner as well. The area is perfect for children: They can play around the house; if they are older, they can use the nearby sports grounds or the swimming pool at New Creation.

Address: Fraternity
Tel: 0413 2622357, 9443647530 (mob)
Email: youthcamp@auroville.org.in

The seven huts directly on the beach are highly sought-after.

Repos: The beach community Repos of Auroville is very popular with Aurovillians. Sooner or later everybody shows up here to take swim in the ocean. But you can also stay in the beach-community: in palm-leaf-covered huts, some of them with balcony and a fantastic view over the beach. The only drawback is that you can't book the huts in advance. You have to drop in and trust your good luck. It's worth trying... See the activities section...

Tel: 0413 2905738
Email: no
Price: 300Rs

Sadhana Forest: This remotely located community tries living with as little ecological impact as possible. It is run by a couple with two children, so the special needs of parents are in consideration. You can volunteer in this place and help with the ongoing afforestation project. (Four hours of daily work are expected). You will get basic accommodation without electricity for free and have to pay 100Rs a day for excellent, biological, home cooked food. With parents, always one of the two is freed from the working obligation to be able to look after the children. There are always many children on the site. Minimum stay is two weeks.

Address: Yorit and Aviram Rozin, Sadhana Forest
Tel: 0413 2677682/ 2677683
Email: sadhanaforest@auroville.org.in
Website: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=4948502345

The food-situation in Auroville is pleasant. Meanwhile quite a lot of places opened up - and all of them observe high standards, so that you might even eat salads without risk of diarrhoea. All of them offer filtered water, some also dynamised water.

Clean Water: At visitors center and at the bakery you will find a free supply of filtered and activated water.

Excellent food in mediocre ambience: New Creation Corner

New Creation Corner: New Creation Corner serves excellent western food and a good adaption of Indian meals. Try the outstandig homemade caramel custard!

Open: 12noon to 2:30pm and 7pm to 9pm; Thu closed

Visitors Centre Cafeteria: The cafe at visitors centre serves food in nearly western ambience. Some of the dishes are bio.

Open: 8:30am to 9:30pm; Mon closed

Aurelec in Fraternity: Aurelec serves breakfast and a good buffet-lunch (80Rs). You can sit outside as well as inside, and the buffet comprises Indian as well a continental items.

Open: 8am to 10 am and 12noon to 2pm

Solar Kitchen: Solar kitchen is one of the social centers of Auroville. Solar power gets collected by means of big parabolic mirrors and is used for cooking. lunch will be served for Aurovillians, but guests will also be served, as long as there is enough food.

Price: 60Rs

Buying stuff in Auroville can be more complicated than you expect it to be. The reason lies in the system of cashless money they established. All Aurovillians have an internal bank account from which they draw their money. If you stay longer than one week you may open your own account and this facilitates everything. Some places like the shop "Pour Tous" and the cafe "The Terrace" accept nothing but the cashless aurovillian money.

Pour Tous: The official shop of Auroville, Pour Tous, not far from the bakery sells everything for the daily need - including nappies.

Open: Mon-Sat 10am to 5pm

Bakery: The excellent French bakery near the village of Kuilapalayam in the east of Auroville sells any kinds of bread and the best croissants you could possibly get in India. And they accept Rupies!

Open: Mon to Sat 7am to 5:30pm

There is a public health centre at Aspiration near the village of Kuilapalayam. The centre is open from Mon-Sat 8:30am to 1pm and 4pm to 6pm. Tel: 0413 2622123

If you prefer homoeopathic treatment, contact the Italian Marika at Pitanga or ask for Sigrid at Prayatna.

Getting to Auroville is easiest if you first go to Pondicherry and take a taxi or rickshaw from there (150Rs). See Pondicherry for details how to get there.
If you arrive by bus from the north you could ask the driver to let you get off at the village of Periyarmudaliarchavadi. This little settlement is closest to Auroville on the East Coast Road. From there you might walk several kilometres to your place, take a rickshaw, or even hope for a ride with one of the helpful Aurovillians passing by on their motorbikes.

Getting around in Auroville is difficult because public transport is next to inexistent. If you visit Auroville for more than a day-trip you will have to organise your own transport. Motorbikes and scooters are main means of transport, but a bicycle will do, too. You can rent motorbikes in many places starting from 80Rs per day.