22/07/2026
Shradhanjali was founded in Auroville in 1980.
It was a different time.
The landscape was barren.
The soil was red laterite with hot winds blowing the red dust across the plateau.
The tropical monsoons would wash away any topsoil into the ocean.
Water was a scarce and a precious commodity.
All tree saplings that were planted by our early Auroville pioneers had to be watered by hand and protected from hungry cows and goats.
The main means of transport was walking, cycling or bullock carts.
While regeneration of the soil and the land was the primary necessity, income generation for the growth of Auroville was also important.
Everyone put in their own resources and gave everything they had to this incredible (and somewhat crazy) experiment.
For Shradhanjali, it has been 46 years. Today, we grow all our flowers and plants organically in our own garden. We harvest rainwater, reuse grey water through drip irrigation, and run partially on solar energy.
Every time-intensive step — from growing to packaging — is done by hand, ensuring a minimal
environmental footprint and
honouring the value of hand work.
In today’s world crisis between development and taking care of the environment and people, the question is: what are our priorities?
