City as a Living Curriculum: Insights from the Auroville’s Developmental Model

City as a Living Curriculum: Insights from the Auroville’s Developmental Model  

UNU-FLORES recently hosted a conversation about development that shifted the focus away from numbers and sustainability targets to the essence of community living. At the onset, the conversation highlighted the impact of conscious living on the developmental models. On the 24th of September 2024, Lalit Kishor Bhati from Auroville and Dr. Keya Chakraborty from Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design & Technology shared their insights on how conscious living and collaboration can create meaningful progress. 

Auroville: The City of Dawn 

Founded in 1966 with the vision of bringing people together from around the world, Auroville is not just any city. Auroville is located 9 kilometers north to Puducherry on the eastern ghat in south part of India. Currently, 3500 people from 60 nations live in the city. The city is supported by UNESCO since its inception and by the Government of India.   

In this context, sustainability is not a distant goal but a natural outcome of living with awareness and purpose.

As Bhati fondly says the term, he coined in the context of Auroville, that the “City is a Living Curriculum”, Auroville provides a hope of alternate developmental models. Bhati described Auroville as a "Living Curriculum," where every aspect of life—from building homes to nurturing gardens—becomes an opportunity for growth and learning. In this context, sustainability is not a distant goal but a natural outcome of living with awareness and purpose. He likened the planning process in Auroville to yoga, blending both physical and spiritual dimensions to support the well-being of the community. 

Bhati explained that the aim of this city is to transcend the usual divides of religion and politics. He emphasized that Auroville’s focus is not solely on achieving sustainable development; rather, it fosters a lifestyle that organically nurtures sustainability through human unity and conscious living. 

Engaging People for Real Change 

Adding to the discussion, Dr. Keya Chakraborty shared her work on innovative stakeholder engagement. At Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design & Technology, she focuses on finding new ways to involve communities and stakeholders in meaningful projects. Her approach emphasizes not just getting people to the table but ensuring that everyone feels valued and heard. 

This perspective aligns well with Auroville’s emphasis on participation and collective growth. When individuals are genuinely involved in shaping their environments, the outcomes become more sustainable and impactful. Bhati and Chakraborty illustrated that with the right mindset, communities can thrive without chasing after sustainability. 

Nexus in Development 

The insights shared during this dialogue highlighted crucial points: development doesn't have to be complicated, and sustainable development is an outcome. When people prioritize conscious living and collaboration, sustainable progress often emerges naturally. Bhati’s and Chakraborty’s messages suggest that rather than viewing sustainable development as a target to reach, we should recognize it as a natural result of unity and collaboration. 

Nature is a complex system of nexuses, and it only supports the functions that have those nexuses. Therefore, to be supported by nature, the development or progress of humankind should be in harmony with other parts of nature. This is possible when the development is carried out through the conscious mind. This way we can be on the path to achieving one main goal, that is living in harmony. Harmony with nature, with each other and with oneself.