The Spirit of Auroville

I received a note from Narad on 19.3.74:

Dear Huta,

In a long meeting with Roger and Piero and Shyamsunder, Roger agreed that the 'Petals' of the Matrimandir could be done in a grass or green ground-cover if we can do it. Huta, it will be done by Mother's grace.

My love at the Mother's feet.

Narad

Narad's letter was in connection with the twelve gigantic meditation rooms (60 feet high!) around the Matrimandir, without windows and fully air-conditioned. This idea is impractical and artificial.

a) When electricity fails...

b) Feeling of suffocation from going underground.

c) Diseases are likely to spread from one person to another in a confined space.
d) Sheer waste of money, time and energy—for people will not bother to go on meditating in each and every room!

Above all, this is not the Mother's vision or wish. Nevertheless, she named these twelve colossal rooms, because she had to:

Sincerity, Humility, Gratitude, Perseverance, Aspiration, Receptivity, Progress, Courage, Goodness, Generosity, Equality, Peace.

The Mother, Words of the Mother - I: Matrimandir

Suggesting something to the Mother and insisting on it, and accepting her own Will are two quite different things. She often had to say 'Yes' to suggestions given to her, because various considerations pressed them upon her attention —technical, financial, legal, political, and so on. But truly speaking, this 'Yes' or ‘With my blessings' do not signify her willingness, vision or wish. So many things happened in this way.

Several times the Mother told me:

Child, do not believe it when people take my name and say 'Mother has said this', 'Mother has said that', and so on. Only believe what I say personally to you and write to you directly.

On another occasion she said:

You know, my child, people only talk. They do not want to do anything—they do not mean anything. They come to me and assure me that they will do exactly according to my wish and instructions. In front of me they say: "yes, yes." But as soon as they go out of my room, they do quite contrary to what I had said, explained and asked for.

So many times the Mother expressed her wish that the Matrimandir must be surrounded by natural beauties, as I have stated earlier.