Champaklal Speaks

Combing Sri Aurobindo’s Hair

You want to know how Sri Aurobindo's hair was combed by Mother? Well, I shall describe it as faithfully as possible.

Before his accident in 1938, Sri Aurobindo used to comb his hair himself. So also for washing his eyes, he would himself pour the lotion in the eye-cup. What is described here is the daily routine after the accident.

Generally, before Mother comes, Sri Aurobindo is resting on his bed. When it is time for Mother to come, we straighten the back-rest and make the arrangements for him to sit back on his bed. Then both Nirod and myself wait for Mother's arrival.

Usually Sri Aurobindo's hair is divided into two plaits for his convenience. Before Mother comes we remove the ribbons, undo the plaits and spread his hair behind his neck over the back-rest. On a small stool nearby we keep one lotion bottle, one small saucer for holding the lotion, one small toothbrush which Mother uses to apply the lotion to his hair, one ordinary comb, and one small comb with fine close teeth which, however, is rarely used. Also a small box for keeping the hair that may come out, and two small ribbons to tie the hair.

One large towel is kept on the back-rest. When I see Mother coming I lift up Sri Aurobindo's hair and place the towel over his back. Near the bed there is always a low stool on which the timepiece is kept. As soon as Mother enters, I remove that stool and keep the other on which we have arranged the necessary things.

First, she pays her respects to him and then they look at each other and smile. Then she stands on the right side of his bed. I open the lotion bottle and hand it to her; she pours some lotion in the small saucer which I hold in my hand. I move with the saucer in my hand and stand just behind his head, behind the back-rest Nirod stands on the left side. Mother starts applying the lotion with the little tooth-brush and combing the hair. Whatever hair come out in the comb while combing is given by her in my hand. I keep them in the box. Then she plaits the right side of his hair. I put in her hand the ribbon which I have kept on the right side of the back-rest and she ties the plaited hair with it.

After the hair is thus done on the right, Nirod moves to the, right side of the cot and Mother goes to the left, to do the hair on that side. I continue to stand in the centre at the back throughout.

Then comes the washing of Sri Aurobindo's eyes.

As you know, Mother's bathroom has three doors—the eastern opens into Sri Aurobindo's room, the western into the long passage above Nirod's room, and the southern door, which is the main one, opens into the little vestibule one enters from the staircase. After combing the hair, Mother goes into that bathroom from Sri Aurobindo's room to prepare two eye-cups. She brings them to Sri Aurobindo's room and leaves one cup in the saucer and puts A other one in another saucer which has been kept on the stool. She holds the saucer with one eye-cup in front of him; he takes the cup in his hand and dips his eye in it. After one eye is washed, Mother puts the used eye-cup on the stool, takes up the other cup and gives it to him. This whole process normally takes from three to five minutes.

Mother always brings a small napkin when she comes and puts it in Sri Aurobindo's lap. After washing his eyes he wipes them with it.

Now remains the washing of his hands, face and mouth. This too I shall describe to you.

While Mother goes to the bathroom to fetch the eye-cups, I keep the following things on the stool for washing his face and hands: two big bowls with water, one for washing his hands and the other his face; two napkins to wipe his face; a small towel; a tooth- paste tube (Neem or Gibbs); a big porcelain feeding cup with water for gargling—to the water I have added some drops of an antiseptic that Mother orders from France; a small cup to keep his ring while washing the hands; and a small bottle of Oriental Balm to massage his gums. I also keep a towel on the back-rest and a spittoon on the floor.

I pour water into one of the bowls—warm in winter and cold in summer—and place it in Mother's bathroom when she is occupied with washing Sri Aurobindo's eyes. When she goes back to the bathroom I follow her. She puts some scent or perfume in the bowl I have kept there. I bring the bowl and place it on the stool beside Sri Aurobindo's cot. One of the napkins for wiping his face is put in the scented water bowl. I go to Sri Aurobindo and put in his hand the opened tube of tooth-paste. With his finger he rubs the paste over his teeth and gums. Before he begins, I lift his beard and place a napkin under his chin. After the rub, he stretches his finger for me to pull the ring off it. I take the ring and place it in the small cup intended for the purpose. Then he dips his hands in the bowl, rubs them a little and takes them out. I hand him a napkin to wipe the hands. Thereafter I hold his finger, wipe it again and put the ring back.

I enjoyed very much this operation of taking the ring off his finger and putting if back on; it gave me great ananda. How sublime was his physical touch! And I got this opportunity several times a day. The ring was taken off and put back several times: while washing his face, going to the toilet, at breakfast time, at lunch time, while taking his bath, and at dinner time.

To come back to the narrative. It is now Nirod's turn. He takes the feeding cup with gargling water and puts it in Sri Aurobindo's hands, having placed a small towel under his chin. Then he holds the spittoon for Sri Aurobindo to spit out the water. When he returns the cup, Nirod gives a towel with which Sri Aurobindo wipes his mouth. Next, Nirod takes the bowl of scented water, dips the napkin in the scented water and rubs Sri Aurobindo's face with it in his masterly way—forehead, ears, under the eyes, and face. His hand is truly masterful because it moves with so much confidence. (I know how difficult it is to do something like that on Sri Aurobindo's body. And Sri Aurobindo allowed him to do it. Nirod cut Sri Aurobindo's nails with the same confidence.) After the face wash he wipes Sri Aurobindo's face with a dry towel.

Then I put the opened bottle of Oriental Balm in Sri Aurobindo's hand. He puts one finger in it, takes a little balm and rubs it on one cheek, takes a little more and rubs it on the other cheek, then again takes some balm and rubs it on the inside of his cheeks, and finally on his gums. Rarely he takes the balm a second time for the gums. I then give him a napkin to wipe his hands with. At bedtime he repeats this massaging with the balm.

After everything is over, he takes a pastille.