As the sun set behind the trees, the flames of the bonfire start blowing in the wind and Vera from Auroville start playing her bells. The soothing sounds of her carefully striking of metal plates with a number of different gongs took over the serene scene, with many people beginning to meditate.
Aurovilleans from different communities then gathered around the Inuksuk, a Canadian Inuit stone structure, and reaffirmed their faith in The Mother’s vision of the International Zone with their name written on pieces of stone. In front of the Inuksuk were symbols representing the 49 different countries represented in Auroville as well as symbols for the countries that were yet to come to Auroville.
Saturday’s ceremony, which took place in the place meant for Canadian Pavilion, which is to come up in the future, was a way to show that the community was still committed to bringing in pavilions for the different countries around the world. While the buildings may take some time to come up, the international communities from the various countries would now be focusing on events that they will conduct, one of the members said.
Currently, in the International Zone in Auroville there is the Bharat Nivas or Indian Pavilion as well as the Tibetan Pavilion.
In the pipeline, there are several other pavilions. In the place of the Canadian Pavilion, the Inuksuk was erected five years ago.
It is expected that the African, German and Russian Pavilions will be established soon. While there may not be any physical structures yet, there will definitely be activities planned.
The ceremony for the Rededication of the International Zone was a way to show that all the communities were one and that they could all live in peace.
