Self sustainability,reforestation,co living community-Sadhana Forest, Auroville, Pondicherry

Tripoto
7th Dec 2019

https://youtu.be/UrISauwJNFo

Photo of Self sustainability,reforestation,co living community-Sadhana Forest, Auroville, Pondicherry 1/1 by Aravindhan

I had arrived at Auroville four days before and I was still thinking about how to make my first vlog. Though I have visited Pondicherry a million times I have never heard about this sustainable living community Sadhana Forest, thanks to a fellow traveller who spoke to me about this place which gave me the inspiration to go out there and see the place for myself and also make this place my first ever vlog.

So on the fifth day I packed my bag with food, water and my camera and with help from google maps I started riding towards Sadhana Forest. It was around 10 KMS from where I was staying and as I kept getting closer the world famous google maps let me down as usual. It was hard to find the place as there were no signboards on the road. So as always I stopped my bike and tried asking some people about the place and to my utter surprise nobody knew such place existed there.

After 20 minutes of riding around I found the entrance to Sadhana forest. I was not sure if I could just walk inside or was there any ticketing system in place. I looked around for a while but I couldn't find anyone. So I just took a deep breath and started walking inside. As I kept walking I could see sign boards like "way to common area", "way to kitchen" and so on. I followed the sign board towards the common area and I saw there were many huts for people to live, a library, kitchen and many more huts I guess people use as a workshop on either side of the pathway. When I found the common area to my surprise I saw at least 60 to 70 people standing around the place and not one took notice of a stranger walking inside.

Though I felt awkward I kept walking towards the center of the common area where finally a person took notice of me and started welcoming me and invited me to have lunch with them.

That is when I found out that on every Friday free lunch is provided to all the visitors which we all eat together sitting around in a circle after which we introduce one another to the group and get to know each other. Few hours after lunch we are asked to take a small walk towards a tea stall which is part of the community which provides organic tea and snacks to all the visitors.

A day in this community showed me that this project lets people from around the world to come and stay with them and help them rebuild the forest that has been lost over years of human activity. They generate the own electricity, they cook their own food from the produce from the forest, pump their own water, use bio toilets and take care of the nature which made us all.

To watch the full video do use the link provided

Day 1