any interns coming to Auroville from all corners of the world would have come face to face with a torii gate at the International House, outlying the Solitude Farm and the Tibetan Pavilion.
While the torii does not lead on to a Shinto shrine, the torri epitomises a habitat that can challenge, and even change, some long-held beliefs.
To the first-time visitors to this part of Auroville, nothing is what it seems. And, the more you lounge about the place, the more you are likely to experience the illusory feeling.
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The gabled roof is actually derived from recycled and compressed tetra packs, the pillars supporting the four-storeyed house are palmyrah trunk and the flooring is actually styrofoam mixed with concrete to give a smooth look and a light feel.
Cut to the elegant balustrade on a winding staircase; it is actually discarded hose pipes from gas stations while the fancy looking window is in reality a discarded motorcycle wheel.
“The challenge was to design and build a self-sustaining educational and residential facility in an area which had no infrastructural resources, such as power or water, said Bill Sullivan, now known simply as “B” after he dropped the “ill from the Bill.”
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A teacher and filmmaker in California, B joined Auroville in 1974 and worked in propagating plant species and construction. As one of the founders of Centre for Scientific Research (CSR) and the ecological settlement known as “Verite,” he has led the development of Zero Waste Auroville to use “waste” that was going into landfill for construction and other uses.
The dorm at International House consists of single rooms a few double rooms. The fourth floor yoga deck provides a community space for recreational activity.
Every year, scores of students, volunteers and scholars from all corners of the globe book into one of the rooms at this ‘eco-dormitory.’ The stay usually ranges from a few weeks to several months.
“The House is open to students from everywhere. The dorms are packed during the peak season which December through March,” said Mr. ‘B’, who has also authored the book “The Dawning of Auroville.”
The structures here feature earth and waste materials in construction, solar power, rain water collection, and dry compost toilets. It is not that International House does not use modern gadgets, but the refrigerator or water heater that is used here is totally solar powered.
The outer steel pipes transport the rainwater, collected from the roof and channelled along massive guttering, into a large underground tank. From here the water is pumped up to the water tower. All water used here at present is originally harvested rainwater.
International House has a great garden filled with hibiscus, papaya trees and a variety of vegetables apart from an everlasting supply of Rosella flowers. A reed bed packed with layers of gravel and sand with Canna plants on the surface works as a water filter — part of the water irrigates the banana farm nearby.
Though B currently lives in the International House in International Zone as part of the caretaking team, he plans to move into an adjacent building under construction with recycled waste and local materials.
This is a building that has earned the sobriquet, the Trash Mahal, as it recycles discarded bottles and trees felled by Cyclone Thane.
Indeed, when the world around has been pulling down trees and unleashing violence against the environment in the name of development, the International House stands as an epitome of sustainable practices.
“We facilitate the educational side to Auroville’s spiritual dimension,” said “B”, who is always seen in a trademark panama hat.
And, guess what the hat is made from? Apparently, the hat is a crochet work of discarded magnetic tapes of audio cassettes!