Champaklal Speaks

Cartier-Bresson and Photographs

Madhav: “Champakbhai, do you remember Cartier-Bresson who was allowed to take photographs of Sri Aurobindo? If I remember right, Sri Aurobindo had not been photographed after he retired in 1926. I have heard that when Cartier-Bresson stood to photograph Sri Aurobindo and Mother giving Darshan on 24.4.50, his hands shook, and we see it in the haziness of the Darshan photograph we now have. Do you recollect?”

C: Ah, yes.

The day after the Darshan, when the Mother was distributing flower garlands downstairs, he took a number of photographs. Mother went down for the function specially early that day. Later, she came to Sri Aurobindo and said something to him. After she combed his hair, she asked how long it would take to get ready. We said Carrier-Bresson was coming up at 9 a.m. Then she said: “Let him take photographs of the bust only.”

C: “If he is coming to photograph, why not the full figure?”

Mother: “If Sri Aurobindo says so...”

C: “If you want it, he will not say no.”

Mother: “Ask him.”

I asked Sri Aurobindo and he consented. I also asked Sri Aurobindo if I could rearrange his sofa and see that the light was enough. He indicated his approval with a smile.

Then I went down and told Cartier-Bresson that he could come upstairs earlier to the room and arrange things as he desired.

But he came only at the scheduled time and took a number of photographs. But of the full figure he took only one; at any rate he had only one finally.