Auroville

Auroville is a township near Puducherry built around the golden Matrimandir. This guide covers Matrimandir Viewing Point timings, the free pass and how to reach the Visitors Centre.

Auroville is an experimental township founded in 1968 by Mirra Alfassa, known as the Mother, and designed by the architect Roger Anger. It lies mostly in Viluppuram district of Tamil Nadu, with some parts in the Union Territory of Puducherry, about 12 km north of Pondicherry city. Its visual centre is the Matrimandir, a golden metallic sphere with a spiralling ramp leading to an air-conditioned inner chamber of polished white marble.

Most visitors come for the Matrimandir Viewing Point, which Auroville's own website says is free: you collect a pass at the Visitors Centre after a short introductory video, then walk about 10 minutes to the viewing point, or about 30 minutes on the longer route with stops. A free electric shuttle is available for people who find the walk difficult, and a free bus runs back.

The Visitors Centre is reached by travelling about 6 km west from the signposted turn-off on the East Coast Road at Bommayapalayam. Wikipedia notes that visitors receive temporary accounts and Aurocards for payments inside the community. Beyond the Matrimandir, the township's gardens, forests and craft units can be explored by bicycle or scooter; plan a half day at minimum and check the Visitors Centre for the day's access arrangements.