Mother and Abhay

Foreword

This short memorabilia is presented by the dear relatives of a departed person. But its appeal surpasses one single individual. For death has an ever widening net. It some way or the other affects every family. Interestingly, when death of a person evokes a response from a wider circle of people it tends to give it immortal character. This baffles the rough hand of death. It even revives the dead. The Greeks spoke of Katharsis, tears that wash clean a grieving heart.

I intimately knew Abhay for a long time. It gives me immense joy when I am associated with this touching tribute.

Samir Kanta Gupta

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Abhay Singh Nahar

His father's name was Prithwi Singh Nahar. His mother's name was Suhag Kumari. They hail from Rajasthan. They are the descendants of a Royal family—and royal in every way, in the blue-blooded aristocracy, in culture and high pedigree. They migrated to Azimganj in the district of Murshidabad in Bengal and started residing there since 1766. Prithwi Singh was born on 3^rd June 1898 at Azimganj. The Nahar family shifted to Calcutta in 1908. Their residence at Indian Mirror Street became in course of time a landmark for cultural activities. Abhay was born in Calcutta. Although born as a Jaina, Prithwi Singh was free from all bigotry and sectarianism. He wanted his children also to grow up in an atmosphere free from all narrowness. That is why he with his family shifted to Shantiniketan in December 1929. His house at "Nichu Bangla" became a centre of pilgrimage for the elite and the artists and scholars. Young Abhay imbibed from the unique place a taste for art and refinement and love for Nature.

In 1932, when Prithwi Singh lost his wife on the day of "Vijaya Dashami", his life-plan underwent a complete change. While on a pilgrimage to South Indian temples he chanced to visit Pondicherry. After having darshan of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother he decided to take shelter at their feet. In 1938 he with his eldest daughter Sujata became ashramites. Then one by one all the children followed their father.

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At the first darshan Abhay told the Mother, "I like you. Will you keep me?" The Mother readily agreed and asked him to meet Pavitra and decide upon his work with him. Initially his work was to keep the workshop clean and to wash the cars. This mini workshop was below the living room of Pavitra and adjacent to the existing garage. Abhay did smilingly all these tasks. In course of time the Ashram expanded with many departments. Grown up Abhay now became the head of nineteen departments—transport, construction, agriculture, flowers and fruits supply, petrol bunk, etc. During his leadership there were no labour troubles. His ashramite colleagues loved him. This was a long and romantic journey.

The end came dramatically. On 14^th August 2001, at five o'clock in the evening he was walking down from his residence in the ashram to the nearby apartment of his sister, Suprabha. The eyewitness Ada says, "He suddenly stopped walking in front of the laundry. His eyes calm and peaceful gazed at the far horizon. Slowly he sat down on the ground, as if in a gesture of prayer. Then he lay prostrate, as though doing a pranam. There it all ended. The sun had set."

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4 July 1902:

A few minutes past 9 p.m Swami Vivekananda entered Mahasamadhi.

Next day—There was a little blood about the eyes, mouth, and nostrils, a sign that his life breath had passed out of the sahasrara,

Most probably something similar happened in the case of Abhay Singh also.

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