VISIT AND VOLUNTEER

Auroville belongs to nobody in particular. Auroville belongs to humanity as a whole. But, to live in Auroville, one must be a willing servitor of the Divine Consciousness.

from the Auroville Charter

Where is Auroville?

Auroville is located on the southeast coast of India, near the beach, between Chennai and Pondicherry. Auroville exists among the traditional villages and the restored tropical dry evergreen forests of Tamil Nadu. The traditional village lifestyle is present in all Auroville life.

You will find traditional arts and crafts studios and shops, traditional South Indian foods such a dosai, village chai and tamil coffee shops, wellness centers drawing on traditional siddha medicine. Innovation and cutting edge technology coexist with the renaissance of Tamil culture as well as the many other international traditions that call Auroville their home. Auroville is an immersive experience of traditional village and global culture, all in service of true human unity.

For an overview, see Where Is Auroville?

Visa Requirements

US travelers to India need a valid passport and a Indian visa. For information on obtaining a visa, go to the government of India Visa Application Portal. The visa application process is straightforward. Tourist visas range from 10 years passport visas which can take up to 3 weeks to process, to 30 day eVisas issued in 24 hours by email.

Since 2023, the maximum stay in India is 180 days per calendar year, dependent on the visa. You will no longer be able to exit and reenter India if you have spent more than 180 days in the calendar year.

The tourist visa allows you to visit and experience the richness that Auroville has to offer. A tourist visa will not allow you to officially volunteer in Auroville, but you will be able to participate in all Auroville activities informally. Long-term volunteers in Auroville require a special visa issued by Auroville Volunteer Services, SAVI.

Note: There are other websites for visa processing which provide similar services as the official Visa Application Portal, for a fee. Lengthier application processes for longer term visas may be simplified by working with third-party agency. Others, especially the eVisa application, are identical. For those living at some distance from an Indian Consulate who wish to obtain a 10 year visa, an agency may be helpful. The requirements for visa processing change periodically and we do our best to post up-to-date information.

Travel

Most visitors to Auroville traveling from the US fly into Chennai International Airport. Flights can be tracked and compared on Google Flights, Expedia, Skyscanner, Kayak, Yatra or other such services. The flight duration ranges from 18 to 30 hours. All flights have a layover in Europe, the Middle East, or Delhi. Trans-Pacific flights will have layovers in Japan, Korea or Thailand.

For transportation from Chennai airport to Auroville, a taxi must be booked ahead of time. Auroville has created a not-for-profit Shared Transport Service, which will allow you to share a ride with other travelers heading to Auroville. Service is available from Chennai, Pondicherry, or Bangalore. For a private taxi, you can book ahead online using Unity Transport Service.

Auroville Guest Services is available to help you navigate travel arrangements and arrival formalities as needed. You can find them online here, email them at avguestservice@auroville.org.in, or visit in person on arrival at Town Hall. They provide a list of essential information for guests here.

Residing in Auroville as A Guest

If spending more than 48 hours as a guest in Auroville you must register with guest services. Guests must pay contribution of 150 INR/day for the duration of their stay. This must be paid at the beginning of your stay. If you extend your stay, you can adjust your daily contribution.

You have the option of getting an Aurocard, which works similarly to a bank card. You can deposit funds on your Aurocard account and use it to purchase meals and other goods and services at Auroville owned shops. Funds can be deposited by cash, debit card or credit card, both Indian and International. Once you have an Aurocard, you can also request cash withdrawals from Financial Services at Town Hall, for purchases and expenses at nonAurocard groups.

At the end of your stay, if you have a balance on the Aurocard, you may keep it for your next visit, or withdraw it at your departure.

Volunteering

If you would like to volunteer in Auroville, you will need an Entry Visa. Information for the Entry Visa is available here.

To find out more about becoming a longterm volunteer in Auroville click here

Accommodations

Auroville has an excellent website for searching and booking accommodations – guesthouses.auroville.org
The “high season”, which includes the months of December through February, are the months with cool, fresh, mostly dry and pleasant weather. During this time, Auroville’s guesthouses are usually fully booked well in advance. So be sure to plan ahead and book early.

Health and Safety

No vaccines are required for travel to India. CDC recommends that your routine vaccinations are up to date, as well as additional vaccinations for typhoid and hepatitis A. Travel in India, with the exception of travel in jungle areas is considered low to medium risk for contagious disease. Consult your doctor for advice on vaccines for travel in South India. For more information visit the CDC Travelers’ Health page on India.

The Auroville website states:
“Malaria is not endemic in our area. Using medication to prevent malaria occurrence is a personal choice. Using long sleeves and trousers along with (natural) mosquito repellents in the evenings already helps to prevent mosquito bites.”

Filtered water is available throughout Auroville. You should not drink local tap water, and if you buy bottled water be sure that the lid has a true seal. For more information about staying safe in Auroville see Travel safely in Auroville and nearby places on auroville.org.

Climate

Auroville’s climate is tropical and humid with a year-end monsoon. From December to March the day-time temperature range is 24 to 30°C (74 – 85ºF) . From April onwards, the temperature rises and can reach a peak of about 40°C (105°F) in May-June; occasional rainfall from July starts to bring the temperature down. The main monsoon period usually starts around mid-October and continues to mid-December. Nights are generally about 5°C cooler than the days.

Visiting Matrimandir

Regulations around visiting Matrimandir change from time to time. There are tours of the Matrimandir Gardens as well as bookings to visit the inner chamber. Visit the official on Auroville.org for the most current updates. For booking a time to meditate in the inner chamber, email mmconcentration@auroville.org.in.