Sports & Recreation

One of Auroville's oldest communities, Certitude is home to some 35 Aurovilians and the Certitude sports ground. While the more recently constructed School Sports Complex at Dana in the Cultural Zone is more specific for Auroville's school-going youth, the 'old' Certitude sports ground is still a well-attended place, beloved by many. Featuring a clay-surfaced basketball court, 2 tennis courts, a table tennis facility, a volleyball court and football pitch, every weekday at roughly 5pm the whole entry area to the Certitude settlement becomes a hive of sporting activity for Aurovilians of all ages. Early mornings one also finds teams of Nepali 'gurka' night watchmen sporting there as well, ridding themselves of nightly stresses and gloom..

(Table)tennis, basketball, badminton, football

A covered table tennis area often plays host to serious tournaments lasting more than a few days. The basketball court usually sees five to six fast-paced games frantically played out before fading light stops play. Tennis, on the other hand, under a powerful bank of high-mounted spotlights, isn't affected by the setting sun. On occasion badminton enthusiasts spring about on the badminton court, and in the past Certitude has seen pretty aggressive vocal football matches on the athletics field.

Social scene

A disused outdoor cinema projection booth has been converted into a small snack bar to serve cold drinks and savoury dip on fresh bread, free of charge, from 5pm on. In between games, sweaty, dust-covered basketball players will pile in to drink two or three glasses of chilled purple hibiscus syrup and water, while parents with young children relax on granite benches, gossiping. Larger children normally occupy a large sandpit filled with wooden horses on springs, climbing structures and a swing-set.

As night falls, only romantic hopefuls remain silhouetted on granite seats, chatting with intimate enthusiasm in blissful anonymity, far from daylight gossip.