Savitri Around the World
Please allow me to share with you an event of great love and aspiration that is taking place now. The Opening Ceremony for the Olympics in Pyeongchang with its singing of “Imagine” was certainly another global expression of this hope.
The complete continuous reading of the longest poem in the English language, “Savitri”, is about to begin on Youtube. This is the name of the epic’s heroine, based on an ancient tale and yet so relevant for today! The project has been in the making for almost one year and has 471 readers representing 99 locations around the globe. “Savitri” was written by Sri Aurobindo from 1916-1950. He was educated at Kings College, Cambridge and has a masterly command of English. His poetry is remarkable.
Watch the YouTube broadcast live here.
Originating in south India, this event is for the whole world. Beyond any religion or philosophy, this occasion is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Auroville, the international township recognized by UNESCO . As you can see from the map, the endeavor encircles the globe.
Auroville is well known for its experiments in education, afforestation, women’s empowerment, vegan food, recycling, solar and wind energy. It has been given many awards, including the Ashden Award for Sustainable Energy in 2004 by Prince Charles.
This recitation begins at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram. It moves around the country and then travels westward with the sun through countries in Central and Western Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas, Oceania, East and Southeast Asia, before ending in Auroville.
The Nakashima Foundation for Peace did a reading which was held in NYC at the ecumenical Cathedral of St. John the Divine around the Nakashima Altar for Peace. Here I am with Mira, George Nakahima’s daughter. The 3 candles represent the Altar and the 2 other Sacred Peace Tables we placed: one in Moscow for Europe and the other in Auroville for Southeast Asia.
As you can see and feel, our planet and societies are in flux and change.
May the words of “Savitri” raise the vibrations of all who hear them and help our globe and all beings. Amen
Savitri around the World begins at 6am IST (Indian Standard Time) on Monday, 2/19, which is 4:30pm on Sunday, 2/18, in NYC and goes for 35 hours.
Watch it live here on YouTube.
Happy 50th Birthday to Auroville on February 28th, 2018*!*
To learn more about this experiment in human unity, you can read my blog about my 2016 visit there with my daughter for an international peace event.
Savitri around the World
The Course of the Journey
Here is a rough outline of the timings to be expected, showing Books, Cantos and Locations.
Book One –The Book of Beginnings (5 cantos, reading duration about 5 hours) Starting Time (IST): 6am 19.02. 2018. Location: India: Sri Aurobindo Ashram Pondicherry; Sri Aurobindo Bhavan Kolkata; Sri Aurobindo Centre Guwahati, Assam: Sri Aurobindo Nivas, Baroda; Sri Aurobindo Memorial School Bangalore;one reader in Goa. Then other centers and individuals in Karnataka,
Book Two –The Book of the Traveller of the Worlds (15Cantos, reading duration about 10 hours) Starting Time c.11 am IST Location: India up to the beginning of Canto 10 (6pm) Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Sri Aurobindo Ashram Branch in India’s capital. We continue in Cantos 10-15 in New Delhi and leave India via Uttarakh and in the Himalayas going to Central and West Asia: Nepal, Tibet, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan and then Egypt, the first country in Africa (total duration 11am to 9pm IST).
Book Three –The Book of the Divine Mother (4 Cantos, reading duration c.9-11.00pm) Africa Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Madagascar, Reunion, South Africa, jump to Somalia in the East and back to West-Africa, Ghana, Senegal, Algeria and we cross the Mediterranean sea to Europe Greece, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Book Four –The Book of Birth and Quest (Four Cantos,reading duration 11.00pm–0.50am, a new day!) Europe: Montenegro, Bulgaria, Moldova, Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Lithuania, Poland, Finland and Sweden.
Book Five –The Book of Love (3 cantos, reading duration0.50 am–1.50am) Europe: Norway, Denmark and Germany.
Book Six –The Book of Fate (2 cantos, reading duration 1.50am to 4.30am) Europe: Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and France.
Book Seven –The Book of Yoga (7 cantos, reading duration 4.30am to 9am; Cantos 1-4, Europe: France, Belgium, the Netherlands, United Kingdom and Ireland. Cantos 4-7 North America: several states in Canada, USA and Mexico. Central America and Caribbean: Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, then ends in South America: Brazil
Book Eight –The Book of Death (1 canto,duration 8.50-9.15am) South America: Brazil, Uruguay.
Book Nine –The Book of Everlasting Night (2 cantos, duration 9.15-10.30am) South America: Argentina, Chile, Ecuador and Colombia.
Book Ten –The Book of the Double Twilight (4 Cantos: Canto 1: Oceania: Tahiti, New Zealand, Australia, duration 10.30-10.55am. Canto 2: East Asia: Philippines, Japan , Korea, China, Hong Kong and Singapore (
Book Eleven -The Book of Everlasting Day (1 Canto: duration 2-4pm) in Auroville.
Book Twelve –Epilogue: The Return to Earth (1 Canto: duration 4 to 4.30pm on 20.02.2018) in Auroville.