The Systems Engineering Galaxy of Auroville: As Approved by the Mother by Paulette Hadnagy.

In 1985 I moved from the Sri Aurobindo Ashram to Auroville. After working for one year at the Matrimandir construction site, on the roof, I joined the Laboratory of Evolution (research on Integral Yoga) and the Centre for Human Unity (archival documents and the Mother’s statements on all aspects of life in Auroville). Located in the Bharat Nivas compound, both research centres, complementary to each other, were instituted by Kireet Joshi and initiated by Bhaga. The purpose for the initiative, with regard to the Centre for Human Unity, was to share research and documentation on Mother’s vision of Auroville, along with her practical guidance for the establishment of a model town of 50,000 inhabitants, whose planning she had entrusted to Roger Anger. The funds for my work, which was designated as a team-project and signed accordingly by all other members, came from the Government of India. This activity resulted in a series of stencilled compilations, distributed for free to the entire community via the Auroville News, focusing on the Matrimandir and the town as they kept emerging, interacting with the Mother, and, simultaneously, her guidelines — along with in depth exploration of Integral Yoga charting the path.

This sustained research had been instrumental in calling back Mother’s architect, after an eight years self-exile from Auroville. On October 15, 1987, a seven hours non-stop meeting re-installed Roger Anger as the one architect the Mother had chosen for the Matrimandir; building the town was the next step. As we became a reference point, I received more and more documents, many of which never shared before, from Roger Anger, Suresh Hindocha (the town in five years through systems engineering), Oscar (the editor of the Auroville Gazette), and others. Oscar had also given me the photographs, some of a very large size, of all the layouts for Mother’s town; the two photographic exhibitions we displayed, in the eighties, stirred something deeply within the community: we had reintroduced Her town.

Those were incredible years, living with nothing: the enthusiasm for our day-to-day discoveries was our strength and sustenance. Nothing else mattered: we saw Her town, Her people, real, vibrant, alive. Merged into an immense, breathtaking throve, we felt at the edge of something unprecedented ready to manifest, if only the Force could be channeled: we had the proofs. This ever-growing awareness, lifting us to a totally different dimension, reached the peak when one day, sitting behind his desk in plain executive’s clothes, someone I had never met (I was introduced by the Aurovilian trustee of Aurelec, a much promising computer factory) handed over to me a copy of the magic folder no one in Auroville had seen, crowned by Mother’s letter to the Ford Foundation, 13 March 1969, with the request to help funding a feasibility study to build the Galaxy — the only plan the Mother approved for execution — in five years via the systems engineering. The documentation leading to Mother’s resolve, and how this will evolve up to the United Nations requesting in 1971 Sidney Firstman (Planning Research Corporation) to submit a plan, completed the folder.

That man was Suresh Hindocha, who played a role unique regarding Mother’s vision of THAT town, beyond time and space, eternally real, forever. Suresh is the nephew of Huta and the son of the late Laljibhai, the Pondy-based industrialist (Horizon Sugar Mill — a reincarnation from Egyptian times the Mother said) whom the Mother had put in charge of Auroville’s industrial zone. The Hindocha family will purchase most of the land for the Matrimandir, and Huta was the one who made the Mother reminisce her old formation, in the thirties, where Sri Aurobindo would have been living at the centre of his town.

The Suresh Hindocha folder is my adesha: this is the town the Mother approved for execution.

Twenty-two years later, cycling in Nehru Street (Mohini Dadlani, Kireet’s friend, kept my cycle at her place) I saw from behind a man on the sidewalk. I jumped down, patted him on the shoulder, he turned… Suresh, I knew it was him! Whom I had seen only once, and who had since then settled in London… I was so intimidated at that time, yet now I greeted him as an old companion, so happy! I invited him to speak in Auroville and he, reserved and grave when he gave me that folder, immediately accepted; he, who had asked me to keep confidential the truth on the play of forces that short-circuited the Mother’s submission to the Ford Foundation, came to the Auroville Town Hall and told the full truth.

Below is the text of Suresh Hindocha’s speech, officially hosted by L’Avenir d’Auroville, and recorded by the Auroville Radio, on 24 February 2009.

Planning of Auroville using systems engineering

On completing my electrical engineering degree course at Aberdeen University [Scotland] I returned to Pondicherry in April 1967. I started teaching English, electricity and electronics at Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education. I also joined the Auroville team as a technical advisor.

At that time I was a subscriber to a prestigious and respected journal, Scientific American. There was a special edition of the journal on cities and urban planning. It was very interesting reading as it was extremely pertinent to Auroville. It was mentioned that a typical city has more than 2000 identifiable systems. Each system could be broken down into sub-systems. How these systems interact among each other was the key to planning a city.

To plan a completely new city, like Auroville, understanding the concept behind it was of crucial importance. The Mother’s vision had to be understood completely in order to plan it properly. In those days systems engineering was the mantra for historic missions like the Apollo Moon mission and Voyager mission.

In that particular issue of Scientific American, there was an advertisement, by Planning Research Corporation, promoting urban planning, using the latest systems engineering techniques. This immediately got my attention.  I wrote to them regarding Auroville. I wanted more information regarding their previous planning efforts. I asked them if they were interested in helping us to plan Auroville, using these latest techniques. I got a reply from Dr. Sidney I. Firstman. It was quite positive. They had provided planning for Maryland near Washington DC. For example providing public transportation, for residents, which was no more than a few hundred yards from any house. They showed how to locate firefighting stations, for maximum effect with minimum cost. They were also involved in the Apollo Moon mission.

More correspondence followed leading to a preliminary meeting at Paris in December 1968.
This meeting was funded by my father, Laljibhai Hindocha, as Auroville was in no position to do so. My late younger brother Harish and I went to Paris for the meeting. The meeting was held at Roger Anger’s office. It was attended by Dr. Firstman, Roger Anger, André Morisset, Gilbert [Gauché] and others whose names I cannot recall. A lot of discussions took place with a very positive reaction from Dr. Firstman. He felt that it could be possible to complete the whole project within a time frame of about 5 years. He said that it was quite a privilege to be involved in this unique project of Auroville, for his company and himself.

He had a few suggestions for Auroville. It was quite clear that, as soon as a project like Auroville was started, land speculators would move in with a view to make a quick profit. Since an organisation like UNESCO was involved, the Government of India could be approached to declare the land, in and around Auroville, as a special development zone. Land could not be bought except by Auroville, at a fair price, fixed by the Government. This would also protect the local land owners from selling out to land speculators at an unfair lower price.

To finance the project, he proposed setting up Auroville Industrial Corporation, an international entity, perhaps with headquarters at Paris. This corporation would sell bonds, which could be bought by financial institutions or governments. The funds generated by these bonds were to be used to promote profitable high-tech industries and to buy land. The profits generated by these industries would initially be used to promote more industries and to buy more land.

There was already a plan, by Auroville planners, for two industrial zones. One would be an external zone for polluting industries and those industries which would donate only a minor part of their profits to Auroville. The internal industrial zone would be for non-polluting industries, which would donate 100% profits to Auroville. The external zone was to be built at land already owned by Auroville on the road towards Vanur/Mailam.  An example of such an industry was Aurofoods near that zone.

Of course water would be needed in great quantities for industry. When the Mother was asked about this she asked me to bring a map of the land. She pinpointed a spot on the map with a red marker pen. A test bore well was drilled at the exact point marked by the Mother. It was a real bonanza as it yielded almost 14,000 gallons per hour.

Once surplus funds were generated, the corporation would redeem or buy back the bonds in stages. Once all the bonds were bought back, the corporation would be dissolved. Then the Mother’s vision of money-less Auroville could be achieved eventually. It was meant to be a temporary tool to get Auroville going. In fact, Dr. Firstman managed to talk to a financial institution in Paris. They became interested enough and were quite willing to underwrite these bonds. The underwriting was on condition that systems engineering techniques were to be used for planning at Auroville. The bonus for them, I suppose, was the prestige that would be generated by being involved in such a unique international project.

It was decided to conduct a feasibility study first, followed by a fully-fledged planning effort.
Dr. Firstman mentioned that a substantial amount of money would be required, to initiate a feasibility study for planning of Auroville. He promised to visit the Ford Foundation headquarters at New York, during his frequent visits to that city, in order to find out if they would consider financing such a study. He said that he would do this without any charge to Auroville, as a gesture of goodwill to Auroville, knowing full well the financial situation.

Subsequently, he managed to visit Ford Foundation at New York. By an amazing coincidence Douglas Ensminger, the chief of Ford Foundation’s India operations, was visiting New York headquarters. Dr. Firstman met him and explained the project of Auroville to him. He was very enthusiastic and asked Dr. Firstman to contact Auroville, for submitting a proposal for funding a feasibility study.

With the help of Dr. Firstman, my brother Harish and I prepared a draft proposal for the Mother’s approval. After a few changes the final 13 page proposal was signed by the Mother as the chairman of Sri Aurobindo Society.

At that time a group of traditional urban planners were working at Kolkata (Calcutta) and about to end their term. They were funded by the Ford Foundation. It was felt by Anjani Dayanand, the then chief secretary of Pondicherry and Navajata, secretary of Sri Aurobindo Society, that rather than going in for a planning effort by Planning Research Corporation, the experts at Kolkata should be called in. They were totally against the proposal to engage the services of Dr. Firstman. We explained to them that we were not proposing to do mere urban planning. Systems engineering was much more than that.

Our proposal was for a totally integrated approach taking into consideration all aspects of Auroville, including finance and industries. We were not talking about patching up an existing city. Auroville would start from scratch. It would be planned first underground for things like water, electricity, sewerage, etc. and built on that.

I would like to digress, for a moment, to mention planning of a building in Tokyo, by the renowned architect of Golconde, Antonin Raymond. While we were in Tokyo, he showed us Sophia University, which appeared to be freshly painted with a light pink colour. He mentioned that in fact no paint was used at all and it was a relatively old building. The colour was obtained by the addition of a pink pigment directly into the concrete. The advantage was that there was no additional expense of painting the tall building. Furthermore, the building never required repainting since it was an integral part of the external walls.

He then took us to another high-rise building, which was under construction. The surprising part was that there were occupants in the lower floors while the upper floors were still being constructed. He showed us how it was constructed. He used massive pipes as structural columns. Each pipe had all the utilities like water, electricity, air-conditioning, heating and sewerage built in. No-one was willing to supply such special pipes except to Antonin Raymond. Of course, it might have taken a bit of arm twisting before Sumitomo made these pipes especially for him.

Each room was meticulously planned, well before any foundation was laid. The position of each switch near a door, and electrical outlets was decided well in advance. Similarly, water pipes, wiring, air-conditioning ducts were planned in detail. He explained that he was the most expensive architect in Japan. He used to a team of great engineers, for design and planning. It took a long time to plan, but when it came to building, it was extremely fast. This meant his projects started earning money, even before the building was complete. Remember that this was well before any personal computers were available. Now CAD programs are very common now on affordable PCs.

He also explained that before he built Golconde he consulted the local elders. This was to find out the local planning practices and the sound scientific reasons behind them. He discovered that unlike Japan, the locals preferred East West orientation for the long part of the building. This effectively prevented solar absorption by the walls. This made perfect sense, in a hot country like India. In Japan, they preferred North-South orientation, in order to make houses warmer during cold winters. Well, if a building can be built from ground up in a properly planned way, a city could, just as easily, be built, from ground up, using systematic planning.

Unfortunately, our point of view was not appreciated. Anjani Dayanand explained that getting funds for the existing Ford Foundation experts stood a better chance than the systems engineering approach. The amount of money required for a feasibility study was excessive. Ford Foundation would never consider to pay this large amount. It was possible that the current experts would prove more cost-effective than our proposal.

Since the Mother was well informed, by other sources like André Morisset and Roger Anger, she signed the proposal for funding a feasibility study.

Before we were to submit the proposal to Ford Foundation, Anjani Dayanand again asked me to visit her. She asked me not to submit our proposal for the above reasons. We had to ignore her request, since the Mother had already signed the proposal, as the president of Sri Aurobindo Society.

My brother and I went to Ford Foundation, at Delhi, where we met Mr. Preston Andrade. Dr. Firstman wanted us to meet him, as per instructions from Mr. Douglas Ensminger, the chief of Delhi operations.

We were totally shocked when we were told by Mr. Andrade that, just a few days ago, they had received a counter proposal from Auroville. Basically, we were told that Auroville must get their act together, since one group did not know what the other group was doing. I do not have to elaborate the devastating consequences of this really damaging and outrageous action.

When we returned to Pondicherry, we got a letter from Ford Foundation that they declined to support our proposal to finance a feasibility study for planning of Auroville. It was quite obvious that the counter proposal also did not succeed, for the same reason.

When the Mother heard the news she told my father that she was not at all happy that they did not do the right thing.  Presumably it was the Mahasaraswati aspect of the Mother that wanted a systematic and organised approach.

I went to see the Mother later, totally disheartened. I asked Her, when will we get money for Auroville? All I got, for my deep concern, was a mild tap on my head from Her. She said with a smile, “Why are YOU worried. I am here.”

That was a tremendous lesson in recovering one’s faith. Though still somewhat down-hearted, I knew that there was going to be a long wait for Auroville, but it was quite certain that it will be built. Anyway it was a reality check for me. As a naive youngster, the world was supposed to be a nice place, with nice people, but the ugly truth was revealed to me, in the most shocking way.

Another curious thing I came across while we were visiting Egypt. We saw the temples at Luxor. There was an obelisk built by Queen Hatshepsut, an incarnation of the Mother. The guide explained that originally the queen wanted the pyramidal top of this great column covered with pure gold. The idea was that the golden top would reflect the Sun’s rays all over the city. Unfortunately the treasury ran out of money and no gold covering could be applied. At once the image of the sunlit crystal in golden disc covered Matrimandir sprang to my mind. No wonder the Mother wanted a sunlit crystal and a golden globe at Auroville. I suppose it is an unfulfilled vision from her previous incarnation getting completely fulfilled.

Things changed a lot for me from then on. Although I was not actively involved in planning of Auroville, a deep sense of belonging remained. The saddest part of Auroville’s history had started and I just stood by unable to anything against forces which I did not understand or could do nothing to counter.

Once I was met by Gilles of Srima, who was expelled from India. He asked me why there was just so much opposition to progress at Auroville. The only explanation I could come up with was influenced by science. The answer was provided by Sir Isaac Newton, who was more of a mystic than a scientist. One of his laws stated that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. If you apply force at a point, there is an equal and opposite force, at that point. So there has to be a Cosmic counterpart to this law, which forecasts resistance to forces of change. Now if the Divine applies Supramental force on the world, there is an equal and opposite force to resist the change. The maximum resistance is quite apparent, at the point of application, i.e. the Ashram and Auroville and possibly the world at large.

The other comment I would like to make is about money. If money is offered to Auroville, should it be refused? It is quite well known that the Mother refused large amounts of tainted money, while lovingly accepting a few paisa, from a devotee, for whom, even these few paisa was a truly great sacrifice. It was the attitude, behind the donation, that was important. The Mother was always happy to accept donations, which were made without any expectation from Her. It was not a commerce but a true offering.

Let us not forget that money is also an aspect of the Divine Mother, in the form of Mahalakshmi. If you are offered money or if you have a lot of money, it is probably a result of Mahalakshmi’s Grace. Would it be right to refuse the money? That would be tantamount to rejecting Divine Grace. If you reject Divine Grace, then it would surely withdraw from you.

Suresh Hindocha

THE MOTHER’S FUNDING REQUEST TO THE FORD FOUNDATION TO BUILD AUROVILLE VIA SYSTEMS ENGINEERING

In 1968 the magazine Scientific American published a special edition on urban planning; an advertisement by the Planning Research Corporation caught Suresh Hindocha’s attention. Suresh Hindocha is the nephew of Huta and the son of Laljibhai, the industrialist whom the Mother, in 1969, a crucial year, put in charge of Auroville’s industrial zone. This is the same family that purchased the land for the Matrimandir. According to archive material, shortly before the Mother signed the document to be submitted to the Ford Foundation, she wrote “Yes” to Roger proposing “Suresh for the finances” and, regarding his father Laljibhai, “He would be at his place investigating industries for Auroville.” Two days later she added, “Yes, I prefer him [Suresh], there is a wealth.  I am not mistaken.” That same day the Mother wrote this message, in French and in English, “Laljibhai Director of the organisation of the Industrial Zone of Auroville. Blessings”.

Suresh Hindocha’s letter was answered by Dr. Sidney Firstman, explaining how new towns could be built in a few years with systems engineering. This was a logical initiative, as in subsequent years the application of systems engineering to the building of new towns became routine. In consultation with the Mother, Suresh and his brother Harish maintained contact with Dr. Firstman, whom they met in Paris in November 1968, in Roger Anger’s office. Letters were exchanged between them as well with the Mother’s architect, Roger Anger, and her son André, who reported regularly to the Mother.

The outcome of Suresh and Harish Hindocha’s efforts, in consultation with the Mother, Roger and André, was that a preliminary master-plan was prepared to submit it to the Ford Foundation for partly financing a feasibility study for Auroville to be built in a few years via systems engineering. On March 13, 1969, as President of the Sri Aurobindo Society the Mother signed the following funding request that Suresh was to submit in person to the Ford Foundation.

To: Mr. Douglas Ensminger                                                               

The Ford Foundation                                                                         

55 Lodi Estate,                                                                                  

New Delhi – 3

Auroville Industry, Commerce & Finance Department,

24 Rue Francois Martin,  P.O. Box 85

PONDICHERRY, INDIA

13^th Thursday March 1969

Dear Sir,

Regarding: Proposal for partially funding the application of a systems engineering approach to the planning of Auroville.

Sri Aurobindo Society – an institution recognized by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research as engaged in research in Social Science – is sponsoring the Auroville Project in South India in order to promote “material and spiritual researches for a living embodiment of an actual human unity”.

Auroville is unique – not only is it a city being constructed from scratch but it combines the social, economic and physical aspects of the city in a manner designed to enhance the evolutionary process in man.  As such the 14^th General Conference of UNESCO held in Oct-Nov 1966 passed a resolution expressing the belief that the project will contribute to international understanding and promotion of peace, and UNESCO commended this project to those interested in UNESCO’s ideals. Again in Oct-Nov 1968 at the 15^th General Conference of UNESCO a resolution was passed calling on Members and non-Governmental Organization to participate in development of this project.  For reference copies of the resolution and other material relating to the interest of UNESCO are enclosed.

Meanwhile from the very inception of this project the Government of India has been supporting Sri Aurobindo Society in various ways as set out in the enclosed references.  The Government of India has made the project known at home and abroad through official channels.  Sri Aurobindo Society apart from being tax exempt, from the Government of India also enjoys various facilities from the Reserve Bank of India such as a blanket no objection authorisation for import of goods/articles and authorisation to open overseas bank accounts.  The Ministry of Education has extended a grant for the quarterly publication of Auroville – “Equals One” which is Auroville’s official publication.  At present the Planning Commission is considering what activities can be financed at Auroville in the fields of education and health.  However, we are expected to pursue our requests concretely when we have adopted the planning approach proposed in this letter.

It is necessary to outline what little development that has taken place at Auroville at the very onset before introducing – why we at Auroville have decided to apply the systems engineering approach, to the Planning of Auroville what this approach involves with respect to town planning, what type of development organisation and personnel may be required, and where in the above context may be possible for the Ford Foundation to supplement Auroville’s efforts in this direction.

Until now most of the work of Auroville has been of a preparatory nature.  Some 1,500 of the l0,000 acres of land required initially have been acquired though not contiguously.  On this land agricultural activity has already started quite successfully a model agricultural village named “Hope” is under construction. Deep-bore welling to raise the area’s water resources has been successful also. Construction has been taking place mainly at “Promesse” where Aurovilians working at site are accommodated, meanwhile a guest-house is also nearing completion there.

For the coming three years it is expected that major construction at “Auromodel” will be implemented in four phases.  In so far as this advanced colony will represent most of the major facets of Auroville it will provide a great deal of planning data for Auroville proper.

Meanwhile some of the preliminary ideas and planning so far accomplished are presented in a booklet form (English translation from French enclosed).  These have been prepared by our Chief Architect Roger Anger, M. Heymenn and Associates of Paris.

At Auroville various factors have entered our consideration regarding the decision to apply the systems engineering approach to the planning and implementation of Auroville.

Firstly, the Auroville project is of great proportions requiring a large magnitude of resources for its development. If an efficient method of implementation is not applied, wasteful, but avoidable expenditure can easily be committed perhaps necessitating further expenditure to rectify mistakes. It is precisely to achieve maximum result from the least expenditure of resources and time that this planning approach is suitable.

Secondly, the establishment of a complete city raises a multifaceted group of problems which require a multidisciplinary approach that this planning approach can provide, while at the same time keeping to the constraints imposed by the ideals of Auroville.

Thirdly, so far the process of Auroville has been, quite frankly, of a slow nature and unsystematic compared to the possibilities that exist with the use of systems engineering approach, which is highly goal-oriented planning and implementation approach – a process which is efficient and directed.  Hence the development of Auroville has reached a stage when the systems engineering approach for the work at hand is a necessity.

Fourthly, the systems engineering approach at the same time helps Auroville discharge its major responsibility of ensuring efficient and effective use of funds donated or granted to it by individuals, industries, charitable and other institutions, and governments.

Fifthly, the systems approach is a relatively new technique employed in the solution of complex problems.  In a way at Auroville all the problems of urbanisation will be faced at the very outset, requiring therefore, an equally all embracing technique for their solution, since Auroville is yet to be built and peopled.  Similarly, over time as industrialisation progresses with the development of the country, urbanisation will also continue increasingly within the country – presenting those complex town planning problems, which have to be resolved.  It is here that the researches and applications of systems engineering at Auroville can contribute a wealth of material in solution of problems related to the development of complete township, and partly to the existing towns.

Having outlined above some of the considerations that have prompted the use of systems engineering, we would next like to point out what the systems engineering approach to the planning and implementation of Auroville involves treated as a phased development plan, which covers the project from the beginning till its construction is completed.  This preliminary phased development plan was the outcome of our meeting in Paris in December 1968 with Dr. S.I. Firstman of Planning Research Corporation, Los Angeles, California.

The systems engineering concept for a new town development can be defined as “being concerned with planning, developing and implementing a town in a manner that achieves the goals established for the town with the least expenditure of resources.  In this process a town is conceived as a collection of organisations, activities, physical entities – that relate and work together in ways that produce the town’s functions and life styles.

Under the phased development plan, there are seven sequential and overlapping phases:

TOWN CONCEPT

FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS

CONCEPTUAL DESIGN

PRELIMINARY DESIGN

DETAIL DESIGN

CONSTRUCTION

IMPLEMENTATION

Below the first three phases, covering the first fifteen months approximately, are described in detail – as it is during these three phases that we are requesting start-up and supplementary funding from the Ford Foundation.  The remainder of the phases are also presented in an outline form.  A blue-printed Time Chart covering the time limits for each phase is enclosed within.

(1)TOWN CONCEPT PHASE:

During this phase the major activity is to establish the economic, social and physical goals for the town and to determine for them a time sequence.  Meanwhile performance goa1s can be set up together with any constraints. The results of this would be the establishment of economic, social, physical and population objectives with relevant budgetary constraints and time limits.

An important activity that has not yet been systematically carried out at Auroville is the identification of both public and private sources of funds so that a list of potential sources of funds can be prepared.  Ensuing preliminary fund raising discussion can result in a preliminary fund acquisition plan.

Also during the town concept phase a study to assess the economic potential of the Auroville area can be initiated to discover what industry, agriculture and people the area can sustain.  Hence on the basis of such a town feasibility analysis the types of industry, commerce, agriculture and other economic activities can be determined.  A preliminary economic activity plan can be then prepared.

An important issue to clarify then would be the establishment of “effectiveness measures” so that the goals of the town can be compared against these measures in a quantitative manner at a later stage of development.  Hence these effectiveness measures will lead to the establishment of quantitative goal structure.

One of the most important activities at the Town Concept phase would be the planning of the organisation that would do the town design, development and implementation.  Hence a town Development Organisation plan with positions, communications, documentations etcetera can be prepared.

During this phase also it would be determined what people will be needed in the town and a plan to facilitate their coming – this would result in an anticipated population profile and a plan to draw the preferred population.

(2) FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS PHASE

Because much preliminary conceptual work has been directed to the Town concept, substantial part of the activity under this phase has already been accomplished by Mr. Roger Anger’s team of architects at Paris.  The work done remains to be integrated with the remainder of activities that come during this phase and later phases of development.

At this stage the functions to achieve the town objectives have to be determined – these functions are transportation, education, communication, housing, industry, agriculture etcetera, for which the objective have to be defined also.  These functions may have certain normal and outside restrictions placed on them, so that for each of them the constraints have to be discovered for example in the interest of safety and health the building codes enforced by Central and State Governments have to be adhered to, this then is a constraint which has to be taken into consideration during functional analysis.

Once this is in progress the relationships between different functions have to be analysed for example between transportation and industry, housing and pollution etcetera.

The above activities will mean that we would be specifying the town concept as a system.  In the next phase – conceptual design all the above functions would be split into sub-systems.

During this phase a plan for attracting the preferred economic activities could be prepared.

(3) CONCEPTUAL DESIGN PHASE

The functions of the town would be split into sub-systems, that is each function would have its own set of subsystems. “Trade-off studies on these subsystems can be performed to determine the most suitable subsystems from a host of alternatives, and those subsystems chosen then can be specified.

Just as in the case of the functions of the town under the functional analysis phase, objectives and constraints for the subsystems have to be established, while the relationship between different subsystems have also to be determined, for example in the case of transportation relationships between the subsystems freight transport, and factory site and housing are important.

Inducements to attract specific economic activities (factories, stores etcetera) have to be determined.  Also planning can be commenced for the integration of the town into the regional economy, the transport network, and the social structure can be carried out; such that we would have a regional integration plan with its design and planning requirements.

PRELIMINARY DESIGN

Technical

Activity

Examine design options Perform subsystems trade-off studies.

Output

Detailed design specifications (detailed Town Plan)

• subsystem operations requirements
• subsystem interface definition (e.g. pedestrian safety requirements for roadways)

Project Management Support

Activity

Funding acquisition (continuing)

Interaction with Potential economic activities

Estimate overall project cost

Plan for minimum cost cash flow (preliminary)

Determine development time requirement and time phased development objectives

Design effectiveness analysis – to overall system objectives

Output

Funding commitment

Commitments of economic activities

Preliminary financial plan (for minimum-cost cash flow)

Preliminary program achievement, time and cost estimates

Suggested design and operation plans modifications

DETAILED DESIGN

Technical

Activity

Design by subsystems

Output

Procurement specifications.

Construction specifications.

Service and social subsystems specifications; curricula, social services, health services, family services, cultural activities, fire communication and data etc.

Project Management Support.

Activity

Funding acquisition (continuing)

Interaction with potential economic activities (continuing)

Coordinate investment in public facilities (hospital, schools, etc)

Determine specific cash requirement and timing of its flow

Plan minimum cost cash-flow

Design effectiveness analysis to overall long system objectives

Plan construction and implementation phase

Output

Funding commitments

Commitments of economic: activities

Detailed financial plan (minimum cost)

Suggested design and operation plans modifications

Detailed construction and implementation plan.

CONSTRUCTION

Technical

Activity

Evaluate bids

Technical direction of physical construction

Output

Physical elements of town

Project Management Support

Activity

Interaction with potential economic activities

Coordinate investment in public facilities

Contract for construction

Maintain control of construction timing

Maintain control of resource flow

Maintain control of design modifications

Maintain control of interfaces

Plan initial provisioning of town

Plan for training of social and service activity personnel

Plan staffing of social and service activity organisations

Prepare software for integrated data system

Publicize town and attract preferred population

Output

Commitment of economic activities

Minimum cost construction

Minimum cost provisioning plan

Integrated staffing and training plan

Data system collection and processing plans and computer programs

IMPLEMENTATION (Start up)

(Starts during CONSTRUCTION phase)

Technical

Activity

Output

Project Management Support

Activity

Control sequence of’ implementation activities

Perform implementation activities – by subsystem

• City services (fire, water, education etc.)
• Social programs (training, development…)

Acquire initial provisions

Train services and social activity personnel

Work with entering population

Measure performance of physical, social and service elements of town-all subsystems

Determine need for subsystems design or operation modifications.

Output

Orderly sequence of implementation activities

Service and social elements of town

Adjunct social development activities and programs

Design and operation modifications

The type of development organisation and personnel necessary to implement the preliminary ideas set out above play an important role in determining approximately the supplementary aid needed by Auroville in starting this project.

For this purpose two organisation charts – (Chart I and Chart II are blue-printed and enclosed) – have been developed suitable to undertake the type of work envisaged above.  The initial organisation presented in Chart I will mainly be applicable for the Town concept and Functional Analysis Phases lasting for some eleven months.  It is suitable in that not only does it take into account the situation existing at present at Auroville, but also helps implement the systems approach.  This also takes into account the fact that a great proportion of the planning work has been carried out at Paris such as the geographical split under the overall co-ordination of the Project Director has been designed until during later phases of development work can be transferred to site.

At the summit of the organisation is The Mother, who is also the President of Sri Aurobindo Society and will guide the work of the whole organisation.  The overall responsibility for the execution of the project 1ies with the Project Director, who has a Project Management Team of five highly qualified experts specialised in Law, Economics, Town Planning, Social Planning, and International Relations.

After the Project Management team the organisation is split geographically between Paris and Auroville.  At Paris it is expected that systems analysis will be applied to the studies that are performed there, and also that Paris would be Auroville’s European fund raising centre.

Meanwhile at Auroville systems analysis and economic analysis will be carried out on the points outlined in the first two phases of development.

In Chart II the initial organisation, although retaining some of its features such as the Project Director and the Project Management Team, is changed such that it would be suitable for all the phases of development starting with the Conceptual Design phase.  As can be seen on Chart II that the Paris work in respect to planning diminishes while that at Auroville develops into a Design Section and a Project Management Support Section under which major functions of the town will be organised, and under which economic and systems analysis would be continuing respectively.

At this point we would like to stress the importance of the Project Director’s role especially in providing leadership and making the project work.  Sri Aurobindo Society has just such a person capable of fulfilling that role with many years of developmental experience both overseas and in India.

The personnel needed to fill the positions within these organisations are out on the organisation charts.

For the initial organisation period lasting for some eleven months covering the Town Concept and Functional Analysis phases the total manpower needs expressed in man years is about 35.5.  Of this total the Sri Aurobindo Society will provide 27 man years, while the difference representing the services of experts to an extent of 8.5 man years the Sri Aurobindo Society would like the Ford Foundation to help finance, so that our efforts at applying and starting the system engineering approach to town planning at Auroville can be supplemented effectively.

Similarly forthe ensuing organisation covering the Conceptual Design phase lasting for some four months the total manpower needs expressed in man year is about 16.1.  Of this total the Sri Aurobindo Society will provide 11.3 man years, while the Society would like Ford Foundation to finance the difference of 4.8 man years representing experts’ services.

Hence for the first three phases lasting 15 months, the Sri Aurobindo Society would appreciate Ford Foundation’s help in supplementing our planning capabilities by partially funding the services of consultants and experts to an extent estimated below.  These estimates of manpower costs are quite conservative and are very rough.

For Initial Organisation (11 months)                                                  Manpower cost in $

Sri Aurobindo Society:

For 27 personnel

27 man years                                                                                                     —

Ford Foundation:

For 6 experts and 25 consultants.

6 man year at $20,000 each.                                                                         $ 120,000

25 man year at $52,000 each.                                                                       $ 130,000

           $ 250,000

For Ensuing Organisation (4 months)

Sri Aurobindo Society:

For 34 personnel

11.3 man years                                                                                                     —

Ford Foundation:

For 6 experts and 8.5 consultants.

2 man years at $20,000 each.                                                                          $  40,000

3 man years at $52,000 each.                                                                          $ 140,000

            $ 180,000

Approximate total supplementary funding needed:                                       $ 430,000

                                                                                                               or Rs. 32,25,000/-

We will be glad to discuss and explain these estimates in detail.  Further when making a specific request for funding, we will be much more explicit.

Hence we are requesting support for the start-up phases of the project and for that part of the planning manpower that is currently beyond the capacity of Sri Aurobindo Society to provide.

An important question that has been left open concerns the financing or development at Auroville.  Funds will be necessary to buy and develop the land, to build an infrastructure, to provide commercial, industrial, university, housing and training facilities.  However, some of the land has already been acquired, while for education and training the Government of India financial aid is most probable.  The international sector of the city will be financed by various foreign governments for the construction of pavilions and related facilities.

The Sri Aurobindo Society is hoping to establish a non-profit development corporation which will acquire funds by floating non-participating preference stock to be sold to foreign governments and to the world markets.  The corporation can acquire land and build up the housing, commercial and industrial activities.  The income derived from the sale of housing, and from the operation of commercial and industrial concerns can be used for redeeming the preference stock. However this overall financial plan needs more careful determination and study.

We would appreciate discussing the above further and await your suggestion for an appropriate time to meet again.  We will be pleased to meet at your New Delhi Office.

Enclosures:

1.Auroville in UNESCO                                                                                             2 copies

2.Resolution Number 4.131 Adopted in the 15^th General Conference of UNESCO on “AUROVILLE” held in Paris October 1968                                       2 copies

3.Indian National Commission letter dt. 28^th April ’67                                              2 copies

4.Indian National Commission 1etter dt. 28^th April ’67                                             2 copies

5.Indian National Commission letter dt. 11^th July ’67                                                2 copies

6.Indian National Commission letter dt. 2^nd Dec ’67                                                 2 copies

7.Gazette Notification                                                                                                      2 copies

8. Memorandum of Association and Rules and Regulations of Sri Aurobindo Society

9. Sri Aurobindo Society Pamphlet

10. Blue Print Time Chart for seven phases of development

11.Blue Print Organisation Chart                                                                                    2 copies

a. Organisation Chart I for the initial organisation of Auroville

b. Organisation Chart II for the ensuing organisation of Auroville

12. “First Approach to Town” – a study with detailed illustration (In French).

13. “First Approach to Town” (A translation to English of the above study).

14. Auroville Universal Cultural Township Project First Phase of Development 1969-1974.

15. Auroville Literature (Green folder)

1971: request by the United Nations for a feasibility plan to build the Galaxy via systems engineering

As Suresh Hindocha unveiled in his speech at the Town Hall (see Part One), Mother’s request had been sabotaged by Navajata (secretary of the Sri Aurobindo Society) submitting to the Ford Foundation, on Mother’s back, a plan by a traditional Indian planner; so both requests were dismissed. But Suresh Hindocha, Roger Anger and Mother’s son André kept exchanging letters with Dr. Firstman, and on 29 December 1971 the latter informed Suresh that the United Nations, solicited by the Government of India, had asked him to submit a plan.

The Pakistan war short-circuited this too, but the fact remains that the one plan the Mother approved for execution was the systems engineering Galaxy, at that time the highest available option – and that the Government of India and the United Nations offered their help, as this letter shows:

“PLANNING RESEARCH CORPORATION

1100 Glendon Avenue, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90024 . 479-7725

December 29, 1971

[Scribbled: Roger Anger; unreadable]

Suresh L. Hindocha

Auroville Industry, Commerce and Finance Dept

P.O. Box 85

Pondicherry, India

Dear Suresh:

I was fearful that you had been ill during the long time that you had not written. I am happy that you have recovered, and hope that your holidays are joyous.

An interesting thing happened recently. Enclosed is a copy of a job description from the United Nations. I believe it is self-explanatory. This was given to me by the United Nations in New York, with a request that I accept the role as Town Planner described, and go to Auroville for two months. Apparently, the Government of India was actively seeking help for Auroville and requested the U.N. to send me. I assume the Sri Aurobindo Society go[t] the request started, and I’m flattered.

I told the U. N. that I would very much like to perform the planning work requested, because of my personal commitment to the Auroville project. However, I told them that I cannot—for both personal and professional reasons—leave the country for two months at the present time. I suggested an alternative which would place me in Auroville for one month to prepare a preliminary working document, per the terms of their job descri­ption, and then to return after 4 to 6 weeks to work it into final form. This would allow me to work with the people at Auro­ville to prepare the preliminary plan, and then for the Aurovillians to have the opportunity to reflect upon the plan, con­sider it in detail, prior to my coming back to work with them again to finalize the document.

Unfortunately, the conflict with Pakistan erupted while the UN was considering my response and evaluating my professional qualifications. This put a stop to all further consideration by the U.N. of the Indian request—for an indefinite period, they said.

I will keep you posted on the progress of my dealings with the United Nations, assuming they reopen the subject. If it moves as I hope it does, I will be seeing you sometime soon there in Auroville. I look forward to that very much.

Sincerely,

Sd/- Sidney I. Firstman, Corporate Director for Urban Programs

[The Request from the United Nations follows]

Technical Assistance Recruitment Services, United Nations.

New York 17.

29 October 1971

UNITED NATIONS

Request from the Government of the Republic of India

JOB DESCRIPTION I: ND-630-158-TA

Post Title : Town Planner

Duration : Two months

Date required : 15 November 1971

Duty station : Auroville

Duties: The expert will advise the Sri Aurobindo Society for the Government of India, on the composition of an expert team required for the preparation of a technical feasibility report which is needed for the development of Auroville, a new town project being established as an international cultural centre. In particular the expert will:

1. Review with the Society the nature of the pro­posed project, its principal elements and the major problems (institutionally and technically) that are related to its implementation;
2. Prepare a draft discussion document as a preli­minary to the final report in mid-mission for the Society, identifying the principal areas that would appear to require primary focus on the part of an expert team in its preparation of a technical feasibility report (to be used for discussion purposes prior to final report); and
3. Prepare a final report for submission by the Society to the Planning Commission, Government of India, which will outline the nature and content of the proposed technical feasibility study, set forth its objectives, describe the principal areas requiring study, establish the type of assistance required, number and type of experts, with job descriptions and/or consul­tants and the terms of reference for the lat­ter, and length of time required. That expert should bear in mind that, for this purpose, the township to be created is not the usual type of new town. Particular attention must be gi­ven in the report to the special quality and concept of the community to be created and to the establishment of basic design criteria for achieving this concept.

The expert must have:  A degree in town planning, with training in archi­tecture, architectural history, or the arts, or equivalent preparation, and Experience in new towns planning, preferably from design concept through implementation stages.

Language:  English

Background information: The Sri Aurobindo Society, Pondicherry, India, a nongovernmental organisation affiliated with the Indian National Commission for UNESCO, is presently engaged in early planning for the creation of an international cultural township to be known as Auroville. Development is proposed within township limits of approximately 11,000 acres and would include an international sector and cultural pavilions, with each national pavilion to contain residential quarters (for students, permanent residents and visitors), and cultural and national objects of that nations; a university; a Sanctuary of Truth; conference facilities for international youth programs; a seaside tourist/resort; administration buildings; housing; Institute of Health Sciences; a model village for 100 Harijan families; an industrial zone; an industrial training institute and a model agricultural village and 1,000 acre farm with Polytechnic Institute. The Society has proposed this project as an international environment within which people of different countries could live together in harmony as one community and engage in cultural, educational, scientific and other pursuits in order to contribute to international understanding and the promotion of peace. The Society, its objectives and proposals have been endorsed by UNESCO, and Member States and international non-governmental organisations have been invited to participate in the development of Auroville. Land acquisition is already under way.

*

About the Author: A senior member of Auroville, Paulette Hadnagy is a photographer, author and compiler whose published works include titles like At the Crossroads: the Evolution of the Spiritual Being, Immortal India—Towards the Ideal Society, The Gnostic Cycle—Towards the Supermind, Avatarhood—Human and Divine, Sri Aurobindo—Compassionate Grace and Laughter, Being of Gold—Our Goal of Self-Perfection, Becoming One—The Psychology of Integral Yoga, The Process of the Integral Yoga, Crossroad: the New Humanity, The Little Child and the Holy Knight — A Vedantin Tale. Regarding Auroville, she has published: The Auroville Foundation Act and the Mother’s Guidelines: a Comparative Study and The New Being and the New Society: A Compilation of the Mother’s Words and Archival Material During the Formative Years of Auroville and Interacting with UNESCO during Mother’s years.