[Bibha-di gives us the following account of the work she had done in the Ashram. Bibha Biswas is the younger sister of the late Sanjiban Biswas who was an ashramite and an artist. She came from Chittagong in 1941 and has been here since then. Now she runs a small handicraft department “Batik Work” in the Ashram.]
I was twenty-one years old when I came to the Ashram. I was accompanied by my mother and younger brother. This was in 1941. A few days later, Nolini-da called me and asked me, “Will you do some work? The Mother has given you work with Bimala in the Hand-Weaving [handloom] Section. She would like Sanjiban’s designs to be hand-woven.” I did not know Bimala. “Never mind,” Nolini-da said. “Bimala will contact you herself.” So my work started in the recently-formed Hand-Weaving Section. This was a small building situated on the street opposite the present-day automobile workshop of the Ashram on Rue Saint Gilles. There was a big loom which was used only by Bimala-di. She had ordered a smaller one. Till it arrived I did different jobs in the section. Once the smaller loom was set up, I started working on it. We made small gamchhas (Indian towels), bed-sheets and bed-covers which were given to our Ashram Store, for general distribution. Once we made some handkerchiefs also, which the Mother liked very much. She would distribute these on the occasion of Darshan. Once I wove six sarees with a red border. These were of five metre length. When I placed the packet containing them on the floor in front of the Mother and opened the packet, She was surprised. “What!” She exclaimed, “You have done these sarees on the loom?” “Yes Mother,” I replied. She was so happy and kept looking at the sarees for some time. Then, She called the others who were present there, to show them these sarees woven on our loom. Immediately She gave the sarees to a few sadhikas present and She just heaped up on my palms flowers of so many different kinds. I was indeed blessed!
About a week after my starting the work with Bimala-di in the Weaving Section Nolini-da wanted me to see him again. “The Mother has given you work with Anjali,” he said. “The work starts at 6 p.m. She washes some clothes used by Sri Aurobindo. You are to help her in the work.” A song of gratitude and joy welled up from my heart. How did the Mother know my long-cherished dream? When I was about 7 years of age, I had seen a movie on Chandidas, the saint-poet of Bengal. In the film, a young lady, his devotee, was washing his clothes. At that time itself I had the firm conviction that I too, one day, would wash the clothes of such a lord. Now, after so many years, how did the Mother fulfil my wish? Later I came to know that the names of four young ladies had been suggested to the Mother for this work. These names were written on different pieces of papers. The Mother picked up the bit of paper that contained my name. So I joined Anjali to help her in this work. This work I did along with my work in the Weaving Section. (A more detailed account of this work will appear in a later issue).
Within a few days of my arrival, as I was coming out of the Dining Room Tara-ben took me to a room situated in the Dining Room premises. This she used as a kitchen where she did some cooking for the Mother. It was nearing the Darshan Day of the 15th August. Tara-ben wanted to send a dish to the Mother decorated in a special way. For this she gave me some mashed potato which was coloured red by the addition of beetroot juice. This she asked me to mould into the shape of a lotus flower. So I formed a lotus flower for her. This red lotus was placed in a glass bowl; its centre was kept empty. Tara-ben placed a small bowl of soup in that place. This was sent to the Mother on Darshan Day. Again, a few days later, Datta called me for the same work. She wanted a white lotus to be moulded, for the same purpose. Later, when the Mother’s kitchen was organised, Lila-ben who was in charge of that kitchen, invited me to work there for this type of work. I continued doing this too.
I had worked in the Weaving Section for five years but as there was not much work in the section, the Mother asked me to leave that work and work in the School Library, with Medhananda.
In 1946, Amrita-da sent me a note: “Please go to the Ashram Press from today. The Mother asked me to inform Pantulu [who was in charge of the book-binding section of the newly-started Press] and I did it last night.” The note was dated 12.7.1946, and the time indicated 6.30 a.m. So I left the work in the school and from then on I worked full time i.e., 7.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. in the morning and again from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the afternoon. This I did for six years. My work of washing Sri Aurobindo’s clothes every evening from 6 p.m. continued along with the work in the Press, till 1950.
When the School Library was shifted to its present premises along with the main Library which till then had been in the Ashram main building, Medhananda who was looking after the School Library was put in charge of the whole complex. The Mother called me and said, “Medhananda needs you.” And then with a broad smile She added, “I knew that you are indispensable.” The Mother told me that the collections of Her art books were now sent to this place. She wanted me to take care of these books. If any repair was needed, they should never be sent out for that work. I should myself do that work. Thus I started my work in the Library. I worked there for thirteen years.
Let me recount to you an interesting incident. Once, the Mother sent us a volume of Arya for repair. The binding of the book was eaten up by white ants. The pages were detached. The white margins around the printed matter on many pages were also damaged badly. Medhananda showed me some notes written by Sri Aurobindo on the bottom margin of quite a few pages. He informed me that these were written by Him when he was explaining to the Mother something about the Tantras. What was remarkable was that the book was so badly damaged by the white ants but their onslaught stopped wherever there was some writing in Sri Aurobindo’s hand. Not a single handwritten letter was touched by the vermins. “But,” I told Medhananda “we do not have the requisite materials for this work.” We needed onion-skin paper and a small press to keep the book under some pressure after the pages were repaired. The damaged place for the page had to be carefully pasted over using this special paper and then put under even pressure. After some time the paper can be taken out and the rest of the binding procedure could be continued. Medhananda informed the Mother regarding our problem. The very next day a press was delivered to the Library. Udar had been asked by the Mother to get one made for the Library and as was Udar’s wont, it was immediately made and given. But what about the onion-skin paper? The Mother did not have it with her. The very next day, however, Medhananda arrived at my work place with a radiant smile and gave me a file containing a sheaf of onion-skin paper. How? From where did he get the paper? Well, it seems that the very next day after our appealing to the Mother, She received a packet offered to Her by someone in Bombay. That packet contained these papers. Inscrutable indeed are Her ways of working.
The Mother was scheduled to visit the Library. I completed the repairing of the book given by Her and kept it on my long work table. She first visited the other rooms of the Library. When she entered my work room, she immediately recognised the book—the volume of Arya She had given us for repair. She was very pleased with the work.
I had also to take drawing classes in the School twice a week. During this period, I continued doing all the different types of work given to me by the Mother.
Unfortunately, I suffered a mild stroke soon after this and was unable to do my work for some time. When I recovered somewhat, I prepared a few handkerchiefs with Batik work. These I sent to the Mother on my birthday. The Mother sent me one Blessing packet through Amrita-da. She had instructed him that I should continue this work. What is interesting is that without any conscious planning, I chose to do the Batik work on the very spot where the Mother had taken her seat during her visit, years back in 1947, to my room. Gradually a few ladies learnt Batik work from me and we organised and formed a department. Later, on 9.8.1969, Nolini-da opened the newly-formed department. He gave us a board with the name given to it by the Mother. The board bore the name BATIK WORK written in the Mother’s own handwriting. We informed the Mother that we would try to run the place without asking for anything from Her. We were informed that She was happy with our decision.
I have received so much love all through my life! Is it possible without Her Grace? How She has moulded me at every step. “Whenever you do something, do it for me. Then whatever you do, you will be able to do it beautifully,” was Her luminous guidance. Again, I remember, I had once a bad type of stomach pain. She asked me, “Do you eat in Dining Room?” “Yes, Mother.” She said, “Whatever you eat, always think that you are eating for me.”
Every now and then we received such guidance and help from Her. The Mother was so enthusiastic about our work. I find that I myself get the joy of losing my identity in the work I am doing. This gift is also Hers. Now, when completing 86 years of my life, I still like to work without wasting time. This is Her grace. And I pray that for the rest of my life She may guide me as She always has.
Mother India, July 2006 pp. 531–534
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