Hi all.

What is your opinion of this place ?
Has anyone ever visited as a guest or lived there some time ?

Advantages:
Obtain an x visa to immigrate
Build your house
Stay forever (if you like it)

http://www.auroville.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auroville


Possible drawbacks:
Stuck to the place (if you leave, so does your "citizenship")
Follow rules (less liberty)
Getting close to sectarianism

Have read the blurb & it sounds a bit dodgy to me - AURO-VILE might be more appropriate.

Shades of "Passport to Pimlico" - anyone remember that?

From their website:
- no recognition of the fact that for well over a year X visas have been restricted to PIO's & spouses, or that for some years it has been more or less impossible for FN's to renew X visas here.

AndyD 8-)#

AndyD 8-)#

Hi there.
I agree with you Andy.
I found an interesting article about Auroville: http://www.cnngo.com/mumbai/visit/fi...erience-795318

What is furthermore interesting is that I never saw it anywhere in any Indian visa application. But googling entry visa for auroville refers to the vfs center in France where it is incredibly stated as a valid acceptable clause in the entry visa requirements.

http://www.vfs-in-fr.com/images/pdf/...Entry_Visa.pdf

Absolutely astonishing!


.

Saw it from a distance years ago, it was mostly empty land then. Pondicherry is still a Union Territory, and when handed over by France apparently there were 'special arrangements' agreed. I suppose that means Auroville can invite people there for long-term. It must be like a prison though.
I wonder how other Ashrams manage. Went on a guided tour of the Osho, Pune 2 years ago and found it a weird, rather sinister place.

No Nicotine. No Alcohol. So Utopia could not be a GOD creation?
__________________________________________________ __________

( Alledgedly)
When the French left Pondicherry they offered French citizenship to all.
The few that took up this offer now get a full French pension.
Leaving those that went for Indian citizenship sick as a Parrot.:curse: