Auroville, a place for cycles
Auroville, the global community of people from over 100 countries is committed to using cycles for commuting. The Pondicherry based world's most unique experimental community of people living together for over half a century. The project conceived in 1954 as a "Dream" by Mirra Alfassa (known as "the Mother") a French spiritual guru, an occultist and a collaborator of Sri Aurobindo, who considered her to be of equal yogic stature to him and designed by architect Roger Anger was finally set up in 1968 and has been growing steadily since.
Auroville Cycles
The following details are from the Auroville weblink
Cycles can be hired from Visitors Centre Kiosk, 7 days a week, 9.00-5.30:
130 cycles available including: singlespeed lightweight Decathlon mountainbikes, 7 or 21 speed geared Decathlon, sturdy Hercules mountainbikes (with mudguards and back carriers), Ladybird ladies cycles – from Rs.50-60/day or Rs.280-330/week according to model - check for availability by phoning 0413-262-3034
A number of guest houses provide/rent cycles to their guests (e.g Centre Guest House, Verite’, and others); cycle rental is also available at Segar Mechanical Works (opposite AV Health Centre); and from many places in Pondicherry.
Auroville is intended as a city for up to 50,000 inhabitants from around the world. Today its inhabitants number around 2000 people, drawn from some thirty countries. Since the very beginning, Auroville has received the unanimous endorsement of the General Conference of UNESCO in 1966, 1968, 1970, 1983, 2007. Governmental and Non-Governmental Organisations in India and abroad have funded various development programmes, and donations have been received from foundations in Europe and the USA, from Auroville International Centres, and from private donors around the world. One of the most remarkable concepts of Auroville is its master plan, laid out in form of a galaxy - a galaxy in which several 'arms' or Lines of Force seem to unwind from a central region.
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At the centre stands the Matrimandir, the “soul of Auroville”, a place for individual silent concentration.
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Radiating out beyond the Matrimandir Gardens are four Zones, each focusing on an important aspect of the township’s life:
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Industrial (north)
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Cultural (north east),
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Residential (south/south west) and
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International (west)
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Surrounding the city area is a Green Belt consisting of forested areas, farms and sanctuaries with scattered settlements for those involved in green work.
INTERNATIONAL
Europe offers one of the finest cycling circuits in the world given its terrain, winding roads and psychedelic colours of scenery and ancient cities. Almost the entire Europe is dotted with amazing cycling tracks and where there is none, it is a place for adventure. There are camps, ferry ways, and assistance all over the Europe especially areas adjoining water bodies like Rhine River. We are cycle to future are excited to see many Indians taking to not just sightseeing Europe in the conventional way but on ubiquitous two wheels, Cycles! We present below one of the finest collection of memories from a recent trip by a bunch of Indian adventure enthusiasts this time deciding to take to cycling on their European sojourn. The piece was originally designed for publication in the AutoTrack Magazine! You can experience the full version in the PDF links given below. Happy Reading!
