An interview : 'You have come, I am happy'

3

"You Have Come, I Am Happy"

  Dayanand

An Interview with Dayanand

Dayanand: My contact with the Mother started in 1953, when I came here as a student of the Post Graduate Course in Ecology in the Botany department of Annamalai University. My professor Dr. T.C.N. Singh had brought us here, so that he could place the entire team who were working on "The Effect of Music on Plants" before the Mother. She used to encourage that experiment. The first time I saw Her in 1953 was in the playground where activities were going on. We stood in a line and I bowed down at Her Feet. She straight away gave me the Hymn to the Mother Durga, which was the first book I received from Her. I thought it was over with that. All the students who were with me left and I too was going out but just stood at the entrance to the playground and looked to my right,—by then She had moved from Her seat near the map to the classroom where She was taking the classes. As I stared, I saw a column of light and I was stuck to the place. Tears were rolling down my eyes; I could not move. I do not know how much time elapsed till somebody came and prompted me, "Come on, all the people have left." So, that was my first contact with the Divine Mother. It started like that and never left me afterwards.

While I was studying I always kept a blessing packet with me all the time. After finishing my education at Dehradun I left for Chennai; there was a break— destiny had to work itself out. Then in 1963, I came with my wife Anjani and had darshan of the Mother. Later on, in '64, we came with Satya, our child. I got involved in Auroville at that stage, 64-65, without my knowing about Auroville. I didn't know about Sri Aurobindo's Yoga, I knew that the Mother was the Divine Mother—once and for

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all I knew—not from the head, from the heart, that was all. The mental part I never knew.

In 63-64 Navajata called me and said that there is a project like this - Auroville project — and we have to buy land. "While you are on your tours would you like to go around, perambu-late Puthurai and Pattanur areas and be of assistance and as-sess the land. So that was how the first contact with Auroville started. Every time I began tours it was planned in such a way that I was here in the night. I kept the car in Golconde and in the daytime went to Pattanur and perambulated the land. At that time it was presumed that Auroville would be surrounded by a large water-body—that is what the Mother wanted—and so Puthurai area was the first to be purchased. But later on because the area was too small, the location was shifted to Irumbai, which was spread over Idayanchavadi, Bommiarpalayam and Kottakarai villages.

In 1966 I was selected by the Government of Tamil Nadu under the Colombo Plan for a one year study at Oxford Univer-sity. I chose as a special subject for my thesis 'Reclamation of Saline soils with special reference to Kaluveli swamp'. I chose the subject since I had been informed that the Mother had said that at some future date there was a likelihood of Olympics being held at Auroville and at that time reclamation of Kaluveli swamp would be useful.

On return from Oxford, I was welcomed with open arms by the Mother, when I went for Pranam (11-07-1967). She wel-comed me with open arms with the words, "So you have come back, I am happy." I had no intention of resigning my job but something inside me prompted me to to ask whether I should resign. Since my attempt to come on deputation was not ap-proved by the Government, the Mother approved my resigna-tion and offerered to help financially for refunding the amount spent by the Government for my training in Oxford—I had taken the plunge.

One particular experience I would like to share. During my entire stay in Oxford, I had so regulated my life that at 6 am local time, I would sit in meditation. I had written to the Mother about this and She had blessed me. Throughout my entire stay I was conscious of the Presence; this is what kept me going.

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Auroville office actually started where Purna Prema is now staying.¹ We were the first people there—upstairs—and down-stairs was the Auroville office. I was the first person to start the Auroville office. Thereafter Roger came and said that Indira Gandhi might be coming and the downstairs portion was made into an exhibition, to show to Indira Gandhi. The Auroville office functioned from that place for quite a long time till it shifted to beach office—when we got the building from Padmini.

My regular work in Auroville started straight away on my return from Oxford. I was looking after land survey, estate man-agement, agriculture, water resource development etc. It was an exhilarating experience for me. I had three survey teams and we worked with meticulous care to mark out our lands with granite stones marked "AV". For the work, I had to peram-bulate, walk, and see that the stones were laid correctly. Every tree was enumerated. If there was anything interesting like seed, flowers or the soil of Auroville, — every Sunday I used to take them, to the Mother. She was delighted to see them. And we even had raised a crop of paddy in the Matrimandir area — a short term saline variety of paddy. I remember taking that paddy, in a white porcelain bowl. How She blessed it! Then, at that time, She wanted the planting of transformation trees — 24 in number, in Matrimandir area. Along with survey work, many things were going on side by side: development of the infra-structure, exploitation of water resources, —that is drilling a series of bore wells taking the water to different areas of Auroville, taking care of the estate, thousands of cashew and mango trees, Jackfruit trees, Palm trees, all the produce of the area etc. — Multiple sort of activities were going on. They were too complicated and very few people were there at that time. Actually the Mother told me, "You are doing too much work. So, you should not take up teaching in Auroville." (They asked me to teach also.) She said, "No." You see the infinite care the Divine Mother bestowed on you, to each individual person's physical needs — which is astounding. One day when we had gone to the Mother, Anjani told Her that I was not taking food properly. And I was amazed that She wrote a chit to Purna Prema to see that I got non-vegetarian food—chicken—for my

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body and that continued for three months. That was Her level of concern for each and every individual.

Then we began doing different projects also, like the 'Saline water irrigation research project'. And the biggest project that Auroville had undertaken was the Farmers' Education and Training Project so that the local villagers were integrated with Auroville. Farmers from 30 villages, about 15,000 farmers, were trained in a very systematic manner so that they understood and got integrated to Auroville in some way or another. And it went on for five years.

Q: What about "Om" of Matrimandir.

There are hundreds of fossils [fossil: The remains (or an impression) of a plant or animal that existed in a past geological age and that has been excavated from the soil.] in Auroville, especially in the Aurobrindavan area. At the time of the inauguration of pillars², (She always used to write with brushes) She had put 'Om' on a fossil and sent it to Matrimandir. I do not know whether it is still there or not.

(......) So far as I remember, it was put under the

Mahalakshmi Pillar foundation.

Dayanand: Well, the fossil will be there... One interesting thing is that there was nothing to worry about. As I said, if anybody asks me whether I have lived in heaven, I say I have lived in heaven on earth. From 1963 up to 1973, definitely I lived in heaven. I had no worry at all. For any problem you can run to the Mother and ask Her. She would sort out everything. So, I say that I had the experience of living in heaven. It was a wonderful occasion; supramental had practically descended on earth.

Q: (.....) I think the Mother gave you in 1971, "a sweet year"

card. Can you tell something about it?

Dayanand: Why can't you take it? I am still keeping it. Some other things I have already handed over to the Auroville archives. Things regarding Ganeshji, I gave to Kusumben.³ This is still with me; it has to go to Auroville. Someday I can hand it over when the new Secretary comes. That was for the Sri Aurobindo's Centenary. It started in 1971; Mother was in such a fantastic state, a joyous state. And that was how it should be celebrated and that is why she wrote "A sweet year". She gave

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it to Champaklalji. I would like to hand it over as soon as possible — it belongs to Auroville and it does not belong to me. It was meant for Auroville. It was a sweet year, 1971.

A tragic incident happened in the beginning of Auroville because the people there were not used to vehicles going into their village. It was an early experience to them. So whenever a motor vehicle went through the village, children would run after it. Then X started the school there in Idayanchavadi. I think the school van ran over the child and the child died. The Mother wanted to know how to sort out the situation at my level. I said that the only thing left was compensation. (You cannot compensate loss of life, it is a ticklish issue.) You must remember that we are talking about the 60's. Then I gave my assessment. I told the Mother, "In my assessment we can give Rs. 5,000/- to the parents of the child." She took Rs. 5,000/- and wrote "Dayanand" on the envelope, put it there, and said, "You go personally and in the presence of the entire village, give Rs. 5,000/- to the parents of the child. Say we are sorry and it will not happen again." I remember going to Idayanchavadi. And in the presence of the entire village, on the main road, I gave Rs. 5,000/- to the parents and the matter was settled.

When the time for Auroville Administration Committee had come, Navajata informed me that he had a particular person in mind to represent the committee, whether I had any objection. I said I had no objection. But when he returned from the Mother, She had suggested my name instead of that particular person. That is how I got into the CAA. (Comite Administrative d'Auroville)⁴

There are many more things to share, perhaps at a later date and time.

All I have stated is a recollection from memory. There will be mistakes for which you will have to excuse me.

One-pointed to the immaculate Delight,

Questing for God as for a splendid prey,

He mounted burning like a cone of .fire.

Book I, 5

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