Logo Logo small
Saving...

  • Vision
    • The Auroville Charter
    • A Dream
    • To be a True Aurovilian
    • The Galaxy Concept of the City
    • Matrimandir - Soul of the City
    • Founder: The Mother
    • Visionary: Sri Aurobindo
    • Words of Wisdom
    • Integral Yoga
  • Activities
    • Matrimandir
    • Planning & Architecture
    • Green Practices
    • Education & Research
    • Art & Culture
    • Health & Wellness
    • Social Enterprises
    • Media & Communication
    • Rural Development
    • City Services
  • Community
    • Auroville in Brief
    • Testimonials & Support
    • Organisation & Governance
    • Society
    • Economy
    • History
    • People
  • What You Can Do
    • Visit & Stay
    • Volunteer & Intern
    • Study in Auroville
    • Join Auroville
    • Workshops & Therapies
    • Donate
    • Shop
    • Contact Auroville
    • Contact Nearby Centre
  • Flags
    • العربية
    • Български
    • 中文
    • Dutch
    • Français
    • Deutsch
    • हिन्दी
    • Italiano
    • 日本語
    • 한국어
    • Polskie
    • Português
    • Русский
    • Español
    • Svenska
    • தமிழ்
HomeWhat you can doVisit & StayFood
Last updated: May 9, 2022

The Solar Kitchen and Prosperity Area 

The solar bowl
The solar bowl

A hub of community services for residents


The Solar Kitchen and Prosperity area began with the construction of the Solar Kitchen and its spacious dining room in the late 90s, which served as the main hub for the community members to gather for lunch. You can judge the scope of this community dining hall by knowing that it was serving close to 1500 lunches per day, including food for Auroville school children during the pre-pandemic days.

On the huge terrace of the Solar Kitchen, also known as SK, a cafeteria known as “La Terrace”, began serving multi-cuisine snacks and meals. This self-service restaurant has steadily gained popularity over the years. Alongside this food outlet, the Auroville Guest Service was created where guests could use the wifi to browse or gain more information about Auroville. Both Solar Kitchen and La Terrace do not accept cash payments. Payment is accepted only through a Financial Service account.


Cooperative solutions for food, clothing, mobility

In the same complex other important cashless community services came into being on the ground floor. These became a meeting point for Aurovilians, Newcomers and Guests (only registered guests with aurocard). The following services are part of Prosperity, the name given by Mother to cover the essentials needed by Aurovilians to survive:

PTDC – Pour Tous Distribution Centre, the co-operative food service run by Aurovilians, Newcomers and Volunteers. It provides groceries and lunch to members.

Free Store – Where everything is free and on donation basis: clothes, books, DVDs, toys, shoes, etc. Any resident can give away clean, reusable items in good condition.

Nandini – Coordinates distribution of new clothing, as well as tailoring requirements for the use of Aurovilians and Newcomers. Nandini Tailoring is situated at a different location.

Prosperity Office and Service Link – that manage logistic support for these activities to run smoothly.

Food Link – collects from the farms and distributes to main outlets (SK, PTDC, PTPS) as well as individuals.

ITS - Integrated Transport Service provides transport solutions for eco-mobility within the city area.

LOT - The Library of Things shares miscellaneous items including home appliances, tools, camping gear, etc.

Bicycle repair – provides handy and quick repairs for bicycles of residents.

Recycling area – barrels are provided for recycling glass jars, tetra packs, etc as Auroville aspires to become a zero waste township.

Parking and a battery recharge point for e-vehicles.


A space for informal events - Farmers Market, Theatre Seat Reservation, Polls

More and more, this area is becoming an informal meeting point, where Aurovilians converge for lunch, dinner, getting supplies from PTDC and FoodLink, visiting the Free Store and Nandini, repairing their cycles or just hanging out for an exchange of ideas. Sometimes community wide theatre ticket stations are situated in the SK area as residents frequent this complex much more often than other areas. An easier diffusion of information is possible also through the notice boards that put up posters of current events such as exhibitions, theatre shows, concerts among other happenings.

An occasional street market happens in the open space in front of the area, which is also chosen by the Residents Assembly Service for collecting polls, opinions, feedback from the community about organisational and social issues.

If Matrimandir is the “Soul” of Auroville, and Town hall the “Head”, this area is most probably the “Belly” of Auroville!

Visitors will require permission to access this complex.

Vision

...a place where the needs of the spirit and the care for progress would get precedence over the satisfaction of desires and passions, the seeking for pleasures and material enjoyments.

  • A Dream: Envisioning an Ideal Society
  • Sri Aurobindo's teaching and spiritual method
  • Background
  • Greetings from Auroville
  • The Auroville Charter: a new vision of power and promise for people choosing another way of life
Share this page

Modal title

Related contents

Solar kitchen 1825
The Solar Kitchen

Visit & Stay

Visitorscentre
Visitors Centre: your discovery of Auroville begins here
Wifi
Wi-Fi Internet Browsing
Matrimandir lotus pond
The Advent of a New World
Guest service 7332
Auroville Guest Service
Unnamed
ITS - Integrated Transport Service
Kinisi electric bikes auroville
Kinisi electric cycles for rent
Covid 19
Covid 19 Regulations in Auroville - updates
Viewing point 3105
Visiting the Matrimandir
Trying out an electric bicycle
Transportation - Moving Around Auroville
Visitors center
Your First Steps into Auroville: A Quick Guide
Aurocard
Aurocard: the smart, safe way to financial transactions 
India auroville 2
Where is Auroville? How does one reach there?
Security safety
Travel safely in Auroville and nearby places
Faq
Frequently asked questions on coming to Auroville
Guestcontribution
Guest contribution
  • Vision

  • The Auroville Charter
  • A Dream
  • To be a True Aurovilian
  • The Galaxy Concept of the City
  • Matrimandir - Soul of the City
  • Founder: The Mother
  • Visionary: Sri Aurobindo
  • Words of Wisdom
  • Integral Yoga
  • Activities

  • Matrimandir
  • Planning & Architecture
  • Green Practices
  • Education & Research
  • Art & Culture
  • Health & Wellness
  • Social Enterprises
  • Media & Communication
  • Rural Development
  • City Services
  • Community

  • Auroville in Brief
  • Testimonials & Support
  • Organisation & Governance
  • Society
  • Economy
  • History
  • People
  • What You Can Do

  • Visit & Stay
  • Volunteer & Intern
  • Study in Auroville
  • Join Auroville
  • Workshops & Therapies
  • Donate
  • Shop
  • Contact Nearby Centre
Disclaimer Contact Sign in

Sign in

Forgot your password?