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Auroville
Experimental township in Villupuram district and Puducherry, South India

Auroville

Auroville 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.

Plan a trip to Auroville→From Chennai

It was founded in 1968 by Mirra Alfassa and designed by architect Roger Anger.

Get in

Getting to Auroville

Auroville is 16 km by bus from Pondicherry and 163 km by bus from Chennai. Trains are also available and they take 6 hours. The nearest airports are at Pondicherry, 11 km and Chennai, 142 km. By rickshaw (₹300-400) or taxi (₹400-500) from Pondicherry (January 2023). The local drivers have prices strictly fixed; even Uber drivers will cancel the trip if you do not agree to the above rates.

See

Worth seeing

  1. 01
    Matrimandir

    Meaning "Temple of the Mother" in Sanskrit, this is the geographical and spiritual heart of Auroville.

  2. 02
    Tibetan Centre

    A beautiful building with a Dalai Lama seat.

  3. 03
    Kaluveli Bird Sanctuary

    A Ramsar site near Auroville.

Do

Things to do

There are a lot of activities in Auroville like Yoga, Tai-Chi, Watsu, different kinds of alternative healing and courses. The variety is wider during the visitors' season from December to March. There is a plethora of social/economic/environmental/agricultural projects going on regularly.

Eat

Where to eat

  1. 01
    Ganesh Bakery

    Very popular, serving full meals and baked goods, vegan food, snacks, tea, coffee, and fresh juices.

  2. 02
    Le Morgan

    At the Town Hall is this French restaurant which is open for lunch and also some dinners, please check.

  3. 03
    Aurelec Cafeteria

    It serves breakfast and a wonderful buffet lunch for a fixed price of mainly north Indian food.

  4. 04
    The Secret Garden Restaurant

    Auroville Road.

  5. 05
    Sustenance Farm & Cafe

    Auroville Main Road.

How locals move

Getting around Auroville the local way

  • Get inBy rickshaw (₹300-400) or taxi (₹400-500) from Pondicherry (January 2023).
  • Get inMany buses between Chennai and Pondicherry pass the turn off to Auroville - you can exit along the ECR (coastal highway) and into one of the waiting rickshaws at the junction (₹200).
  • Get inHitchhiking between the ECR and Auroville is very easy.
  • Get inYou can also rent scooters in Pondicherry and drive yourself for a day trip or arrange to keep the scooter for a few days or more.
  • Get aroundRickshaws and taxis can be ordered for trips out of the town.

From Wikivoyage: Auroville, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.

Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Wikimedia Commons (see Commons), Wikimedia Commons.