Champaklal Speaks

Sweet Memories

Roshan: “Champaklaiji, did you know English when you came here the first time? In which language did you communicate with the Mother?”

C: “When I first came here I talked very little with Mother but I listened attentively to whatever she said. In childhood I had learned a little English, so I could talk with her when necessary. But in those days Mother did not meet the sadhaks in the way she did after taking charge of the Ashram; she remained mostly with Sri Aurobindo. Thus she had more time for herself. She loved to talk and laughed freely, often bursting into peals of melodious laughter which was a joy to hear and made me very happy. Later this laughter became quite rare and in the last days I never heard her laugh.

“Gradually, I could talk freely with her in English. Now I realise that it was actually she who made me speak.

“Mother said so many things but much of it cannot be related, for two reasons: firstly, I do not have the power to express it in words; secondly, personal matters of the sadhaks should not be divulged. Those days I always wondered why Mother was telling these things to me. Mother was not meeting people then but due to my work I was with her most of the time, even during her breakfast and lunch. It was only late in the night that I went to my room and returned early next morning. I had no time to come in contact with others, no opportunity to talk with them. I am talking of the very early years, after I began working with the Mother.

“Once, in reply to one of my questions, Sri Aurobindo said, 'Reading is not indispensable. Knowledge can come even without reading. You can read the letters written to Motiben by the Mother; there she has explained how work itself is a sadhana.' But at that time, I did not care to know anything except how best to serve Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. So I did not even care to read those letters. But now when I want to read them, they can not be traced. Motiben used to give them to X to read; perhaps she never got them back.

“When Mother lived in Library House, she used to take her bath very late in the evening; while bathing she would sing very sweetly. I used to listen sitting on the terrace above the verandah where today notices are kept. In those days most of the southern side this verandah had a tiled roof and the terrace I sat on was a small one. Incidentally, in the verandah downstairs, under the tiled roof, Nolineshwar, a Bengali sadhak, used to cook a few dishes, especially luchis, for Sri Aurobindo. Later the Mother named the terrace Champaklal's terrace.”

R: “Champaklaiji, you keep writing 'went home' but where is that house?”

C (laughing): “I should have written 'to my room' instead of 'home'. First I stayed in Guest House with Punamchandbhai in the room which had been the Mother's. Then I was given a room downstairs in Library House, the one which is now the Reception office; then, when Mother moved to Meditation House, I was allotted her old room upstairs in Library House, the room where my aunt Motiben is now staying. After Sri Aurobindo's accident, I moved into Meditation House. Since then I am staying there. What a grace! She has always showered her infinite Grace on me.”