Auroville (; City of Dawn French: Cité de l'aube) is an experimental township in Viluppuram district, mostly in the state of Tamil Nadu, India, with some parts in the Union Territory of Puducherry in India. It was founded in 1968 by Mirra Alfassa (known as "the Mother" or "La Mère") and designed by architect Roger Anger.
Etymology
Auroville's name is derived from the French language: , meaning "dawn", and , meaning "town" or "city". Additionally, it is named after Sri Aurobindo (1872–1950).
History
thumb|2018 stamp sheet of India dedicated to the 50th anniversary of Auroville
At its Annual Conference in 1964 and with Mirra Alfassa as its Executive President, the Sri Aurobindo Society in Puducherry passed a resolution for the establishment of a city dedicated to the vision of Sri Aurobindo. Alfassa was the spiritual collaborator of Sri Aurobindo, who believed that "man is a transitional being." Alfassa expected that this experimental "universal township" would contribute significantly to the "progress of humanity towards its splendid future by bringing together people of goodwill and aspiration for a better world". Alfassa also believed that such a universal township would contribute decisively to the Indian renaissance.
Alfassa's first public message in 1965 stated: