Moments Eternal

Bangladesh — a new birth for East Bengal

Bangladesh was born in 1971, on 16th December. East Bengal regained its soul by cutting itself off from West Pakistan. ‘East Pakistan’ was abolished forever. We were simply overjoyed.

As soon as the Mother came to know about the liberation of Bangladesh She told Dyuman-da to start preparing sweets. Dyuman-da went running to the Dining Room and requested that rasogullas be made. Everybody was unbelievably excited. Anandamayi-di, Renu-di and a host of others made big rasogullas and the next day we all received the Mother’s prasad even as we prayed in our hearts with love and goodwill for Bangladesh. The Mother’s inexhaustible love had helped liberate Bangladesh. During those difficult times it was the Mother’s untiring dynamic power that gave strength and limitless courage to the youth of Bengal. This part of history is known to all and we were its witnesses.

My birthday is on 31st December and so I went to the Mother with a bunch of ‘Victory’ flowers. As soon as I entered Her room I exclaimed:

“Victoire à la Douce Mère!” (Victory to Sweet Mother!) The Mother was delighted.

“You are saying ‘Victory to Sweet Mother’? Everyone has been telling me the same thing since this morning.”

I offered Her the ‘Victory’ flowers. “Mother, Bangladesh is my country.”

The Mother took both my hands into Hers and said: “Ah! So you are from that country?”

“Yes, Mother,” I replied happily, “Bangladesh is my country. I came from there.”

The Mother pulled me closer to Her and looked at me with affectionate eyes. I could not take my eyes away from Her. My whole being, my heart, mind and body accompanied by the Mother went wandering across Bangladesh through every town, village, open expanse, river, hill and paddy field. I had never had such an intense experience of love for my country.

Bengal of Gold, country mine, I love you in every soul, Your sky, your breezes in my heart forever with

music roll. An intense prayer had surged up in me from early morning:

May the Mother protect my country,

Let both parts of Bengal awake and become one. Bengal’s hearts, Bengal’s minds, brothers and sisters in

every Bengal home, Let them all become one, O Lord, One, One, One.

The Mother gently pressed both my hands and nodded Her consent. I understood that the country would be safe and united, come what may. My prayer was answered and my whole being spilled over with gratitude and love. I bowed to the Mother and came away.

How tremendous has been the Mother’s force behind this rebirth of East Bengal. The Mother followed the progress of this war in great detail. In the end Her force vanquished the Pakistani army. The Mother’s children proved once again that they were not cowards. They offered their lives in order to free their motherland and this happened during Sri Aurobindo’s birth centenary year. This was also the Mother’s intense aspiration and Sri Aurobindo fulfilled it.

The two parts of Bengal finally became one with the birth of Bangladesh. The Bengalis of East Bengal sought and got this name for their country from West Bengal which yielded it with delight. In that moment who could object? Not for giving a name. That East Bengal was finally free was what overjoyed everyone’s hearts. West Bengal gave proof of her inner magnanimity. Both the Bengals were tied with the same string. Two brothers came together again and this was amply proved during the war.

When Vivekananda visited East Bengal he wrote:

At last I am in Eastern Bengal. This is the first time I am here and never before knew Bengal was so beautiful. You ought to have seen the rivers here — regular rolling oceans of fresh water, and everything so green — continual production. The villages are the cleanest and prettiest in all India.

He wrote again:

I paid a long visit of two months to Assam and the different parts of East Bengal. For combined mountain and water scenery this part of the country is unrivalled.

O earth of my country,

My head is bowed at Thy feet.

The Mother of the Universe holds you

In her love embrace so sweet.