Bamboo Workshops in Auroville

This weekend I'm dodging cows, dogs, and goats on my moped through the streets of Tamil Nadu. The engine lets out a constant scream as I ride full-throttle at 40 kph. My usual preference for a cycle is impractical for this weekend's agenda--I'm attending a Bamboo workshop at the Bamboo Center in Auroville.

This weekend I'm dodging cows, dogs, and goats on my moped through the streets of Tamil Nadu. The engine lets out a constant scream as I ride full-throttle at 40 kph.

On my 4-day weekend break from work, I took a 7-hour bus ride from Bangalore in Karnataka to Pondicherry in Tamil Nadu. Auroville is an incredible community with more wisdom per-capita than I've ever experienced in any town or city. Any traveler should land here with the intention to stay a few weeks, and the will to stay a few months. There's volunteer opportunities at every corner, with immense potential for useful knowledge in permaculture, sustainable architecture, community, and spirituality.

Mikey is smiling for the camera. He is wearing shorts, and his hands are covered in brown mud. In front of him is a wall made of panels of mud. Other panels can be seen covered in mud--some are exposed, showing a lattice of bamboo beneath the mud. A girl is standing just behind Michael. Above them is a bamboo lattice roof. — Wattle and daub

A document titled "Training Course Certificate" from "Auroville Bamboo Centre" says "This is to certify that ___ has successfully participated in a training course from ___ to ___ for Bamboo Furniture & Construction" It is stamped with "Auroville Bamboo Center, Autoville, Tamil Nadu" — Bamboo Workshop Certificate

Mikey smiles as he shows off a bamboo hinged door that he built — making a bamboo medicine cabinet

Mikey is laying in a bed taking a point-of-view shot. HIs wallet is on his chest, and his feet are stretched out in a bed. He holds a paper that reads "redBus.in eTicket, Bangalore -> Pondicherry" — Indian Bus to Auroville

Mikey is holding hist wallet with a sheet of paper over it. The paper reads "Auroville Bamboo Center" and lists an illegible number of rupees. — Bamboo Workshop Receipt

Mikey stands under a sign that reads "Govt of Tamil Nadu Welcomes You" — Tamil Nadu

Mikey stands on a bridge next to a sign that reads "Welcome to Kerala State" — Kerala

Mikey stands in front of a landscape of rolling hills covered in lush green tea fields — Tea

An auto rickshaw displays the Indian flag on Indian Independence day — Independence Day

A plate has 3 small bowls on it filled with different colored indian gravies. There's also 4 fried vada on the plate. — Vada, sambar, and chutney

A bicycle with Mikey's pannier is leaned against a sign that reads "Auroville Bamboo Centre." Next to it is a hexagonal brick road. Along the road is lush, green, and full of trees. — Auroville Bicycle

Mikey stands smiling in front of the Matrimandir in Auroville — Matrimandir

Mikey stands over a thick book titled "Bamboo In the Field of Construction in Northeast India" — Bamboo In the Field of Construction in Northeast India

Mikey holds a bamboo joint that he made — My first bamboo joint

An Indian man is seen holding a wood chisel in his hand. He is cutting into a short length of bamboo, which is propped on a table and held in-place with his toes. The table also has various carpentry instruments on it, including a drill, wooden drill bits, a vice, and a hand saw. Behind the man is are bamboo in all shapes and forms (ie: long, cut short, and latticed). — Making nails from bamboo

Mikey stands in an infinity pool — Infinity Pool

This weekend I'm learning how to build furniture purely out of bamboo--even the joints are made from bamboo pins & bamboo nails. Next weekend I'm learning bamboo construction: flooring, roofing, walls. I've already made many great friends in Auroville, and I plan to return for many weekend trips in the future. Next I hope to learn to visit Sacred Groves, where they're building dirt-cheap homes from cob.

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