Champaklal Speaks

Birthday Cards

I do not remember when the Mother started giving birthday cards. Children used to receive flowers from her when they came to her. They would be given extra flowers on their birthdays. On those days she also started giving roses.

I always had a liking for children who were open to Mother, whether I knew them personally or not. I wanted to give something on their birthdays to make them specially happy, something which they would learn to value when they grew up; but I wanted that my present should be associated with Mother or Sri Aurobindo. So I began to paint flowers and asked Mother to write the name of the child and “blessings” on the card, so that it became priceless. She might write the name, blessings and the date, or maybe only blessings, though on birthdays she usually wrote the name. I would present these cards to the children of visitors even if it was not their birthday. I used to give my card in Mother's hand and Mother would write on the card in the presence of the child so that the child would remain for more time in Mother's presence, would bf happy to see her write and also, if the child were wise, would lean many things from that experience. But this was possible only because in those days there were very few children. Some children used to put both their hands on Mother's feet and look at her so expressively while she was writing that it was a very interesting sight. On some occasions, when I did not give a card, Mother asked: “Champaklal, you have nothing for this child?” That made me feel bad, and so I started making cards for all the children Mother was very happy about it. Soon I also started making card; for adults. But I was not painting for everybody: pictures of Mother and Sri Aurobindo were pasted instead.

When people learnt that the Mother was using folders for this purpose, they started preparing and offering them to her. Mother would look at them and remark: “Pretty”, “Very pretty”, “Excellent”, “Beautiful”, “Wonderful”, etc. Sometimes she would say that the picture was useless, quite useless, and would give it to me for covering up. I would cover such pictures with Sri Aurobindo's or the Mother's picture or that of some landscape, bird or animal and take the card back to her.

When some people wrote to Mother enclosing their letters in fine envelopes she would ask me to cover her name on the envelopes so that they could be used again. In the beginning I had hesitation to cover Mother's name. But she wanted it and I obeyed; then she would often ask me to fetch a particular one from among them for her use. Of course, not all the envelopes that came were beautiful. I still have many of them.

While writing to people Mother would either choose the folders from her own collection or ask from mine, indicating which photo it had to have. At times she was particular that it should not be her own photo. Sometimes she would say that the person could not read and so she asked me to give pictures of beautiful flowers, landscapes, birds etc. Occasionally she would give me a memo in advance for special folders for the birthdays of certain people, even six months in advance in some cases. And when the cards were prepared she would always express her happiness. She would sometimes ask for a quotation that was “encouraging”, or “strong”, or “inspiring”. She would ask for a few quotations and would choose one herself. Rarely would she write out a new message.

It is interesting to know what the Mother once said about these cards. She said that sometimes the card would speak the name of the person to whom it was to go!

To some Mother used to write one card every day and I myself had to go and give the card to them, and that too at their convenience. This led to certain comments but I got used to them. All this is good you may say. But what would you say if I tell you chat some chose to return the card that was given to them by Mother with so much love!

At times it so happened that she gave a card other than the one prepared for the person or asked for one more beautiful than the one previously chosen. To some Mother would give Sri Aurobindo's books or her own, sometimes more than one. That became a tradition and many asked for books on their birthdays; some wrote beforehand, some sent a long list, some asked for only one or two. Mother would give some all they asked for, to some only one and to some none at all.

One interesting fact. To some Mother refused to give books because she considered the person unworthy of it. To some she refused, saying that it will prevent them from paying attention to their departmental work as they would then spend all their time in reading or in meditation and, during meditation, waste time by slipping into Tamas. In this too many changes came about.

There was a time when Mother used to give toffees to some birthday persons—sometimes the number corresponding to their age.

Thus birthdays received great importance.