Matur Udyanam After The Cyclone

I already wrote something about the devastation brought by the cyclone Thane.  Jasmin from Matur Udyanam keeps me informed on how things are going there, after the terrible event. Here some pics.

Her words are touching and I want to share them:

Dear friends, Some days after the cyclone, we received a moving account of what it meant to live through the cyclone from Tine in Aurogreen (whom many of you know well as previous AVI representative from Auroville). With current now essentially restored in many places, but still coming and going, I am only now able to share it with you all (with her glad consent and greetings to AVI). We visited Aurogreen a few days ago, and lost our way several times, as familiar forest roads are blocked, with new paths having been opened through a drastically changed greenbelt. To our surprise we suddenly found ourselves in Fertile, where Johnny welcomed us warmly as always, and spoke to us how in his experience the cyclone has been (naturally among other things) a deep, deep lesson of humility for Auroville and Aurovilians… And so we continue, in a mood of prayer and contemplation, on the road of recovery, healing, and transformation… With warmest greetings to you all, Jasmin & Aravinda

[From Tine’s email:] “I felt like being in a non-ending horror film, one shockwave after the other. I woke up at night with the most strange feeling, undescribable. I also believe that Aurogreen is one of the most hit places, we are right on the east side, on the hill, exposed to the sea and the wind (only lower lying cashew in-between), Aurogreen is quite a big piece of land, few people and fully forested. We haven’t even started to clean up the forest, one week two chainsaw teams (paid by some relief fund) were busy just around the house, the horses, and Peacock Palace. We employed more workers. It is a lot of physical work, our legs are scratched from thorns, some scratches infected, and I am just running all day long to keep things going. The first shockwave is now over, and I get used to the new bleak environment, you won’t recognise the place anymore when you come next. So much ‘negative’ energy was able to penetrate and hit right at the core. In such a cyclone, there are no distinctions, everything is interwoven. We need to change dramatically, that’s clear. When the supramental spreads more, nothing will stand anymore in our present condition. We don’t have the time anymore to fool around. But looking at Auroville’s condition it is difficult to imagine that things which are out of hand would change so suddenly. I keep on praying that there is a hidden miracle coming forward. But I know that change, also inner change, may happen suddenly on a larger scale and we in Auroville may just be swept up with it and benefit from it like as if a shower of grace had descended. It happened so often in the past, it just needs to be larger and scoop up larger portions. We will grow wings, it needs to happen quite fast. One thing is sure: 2012 will be a year full of surprises and change, we have to work on the collective basis and pull out the weeds, and we better lose any attachments and become plastic and flexible to the need of the hour. Still I feel sad: so many animals died, two beautiful huge hornet nests were blown down, I found small dead birds with curved beaks, heard their cries in the cyclone and could not save them. Four green parrots lived in a hole in a tree, but the tree is gone and the parrots are flying around, looking for their home. The peacocks just stood there in what was once the garden, dazed, disturbed, looking around (much like us!). After the Pondicherry Electrical Department destruction which clear-cut a stretch of 350 meters / 10-12 meters wide under the high tension lines with two JCBs [bulldozers] during two days, also through our garden, totally unnecesarily uprooting flower bushes like hibiscus and Grace plants and bougainvillea fences. The whole nature was again deeply disturbed and disoriented. Spirits floated by who didn’t know where they belonged. Perhaps they lived in the uprooted trees? Everything and everybody was in a shock and disorientation. Now, with the chain saw teams cutting down bent and fallen trees and branches, whatever remained of the ‘garden’ is now completely destroyed. BUT our solar pump is running, we manage with the water we get, and the solar system is re-adjusted (some solar panels flew away), so computer, internet, light, even the solar fridge is directly powered by the sun. We are lucky ! We will just rebuild everything, again, and again, and again. However long it takes. May THEIR Will be done, may they give us the wisdom and the vision, and the strength and power to realize Their Will against all odds. “Men, countries, continents! The choice is imperative: Truth or the abyss.” – [The Mother’s New Year’s message on 1.1.1967] “… for the hour is often terrible, a fire and a whirlwind and a tempest, a treading of the winepress of the wrath of God; but he who can stand up in it on the truth of his purpose is he who shall stand; even though he fall, he shall rise again; even though he seem to pass on the wings of the wind, he shall return.” [Sri Aurobindo: The Hour of God]”