Amal Kiran's Correspondence with The Mother

10 October 1967

Dearest Mother,

I intend to publish in Mother India this handout on Auroville. But I have made a few changes to bring in accuracy and to avoid the pompous or rhetorical note. Your French phrase “l’union d’une harmonie compréhensive” is clear — it provides an excellent definition of the kind of union wanted, but the literal English translation, “the union of a comprehensive harmony”, sounds like an incomplete expression with one of the two expected terms for “union” left out. I have suggested: “a union of comprehensive harmony”. That seems to give the proper definition in English. Here, as in one other place, accuracy is sought to be served by my alteration. Elsewhere you’ll see an attempt at a simple, unforced and natural note. Do you approve of what I have done?

It is all right. The changes are indeed very good. I wish this new version should be adopted, if more copies are to be printed.

(The handout on Auroville mentioned above was published in the Mother India of October 1967. Its opening sentence, which was written by the Mother in French, is reproduced below in Amal’s English translation.)

On February 28, 1968 the whole world will take part in laying the foundation stone of Auroville... the town dedicated to the youth of the world in order to establish a union of comprehensive harmony within Auroville.

10 October 1967