Recollections of Jharna Ghosh including her first Darshan of The Mother, her life in the Ashram spanning 50 years & more, her interaction with sadhaks & more..
It is said that time is like a flow of water, that which has passed by doesn’t return. But in a man’s life the years, months, days, hours, now and then leave a stamp which remains with him even after decades.
It is more than five decades that as a girl entering her teens, I came to the Ashram in the early fifties.
From then on time has gone by and event after event have left some interesting memory, ever lasting memory.
So one day I felt like going deep down in me and see what I still remember.
1953, on 19 February in the evening, with one of my father’s cousins, I arrived in Pondicherry. That was the period when there were no bus service between Pondy and Madras; Pondy being a French territory. The only route available was the railroad.
A place called Kandamangalam was the International Boundary between the two territories and thus there was a custom office there. The train from Egmore station would arrive at Kandamangalam where all the passengers destined for Pondy had to get down and allowed to be body searched. In the main custom office there was a small room full of goods where the passengers were led to be body searched man by man and woman by woman.
Surendra, who was a friend of my uncle Suren Datta was given the charge to represent the Asrham for all the custom formalities. He was also in charge of the dairy where the local milkman came twice a day to milk their cows. A few Ashramites would be present when milking was done. It was then weighed and then sent to Dining Room. (There was another dairy just by the side, it was looked after by Jalad-da and there the cows were Ashram property). Surendra-da or Kaku as I called him, being a friend of my uncle, was also in charge of going to different local offices to pay taxes for electricity, water, houses etc.
I may mention here that the Ashramite in general were not encouraged to have any social inter action with the local people. As a matter of fact there were three Sadhaks who dealt with the outside world be it local or some where out of station.
The one being (Surendra-da) Kaku who was given this work but also after Pondicherry became an Indian Territory he was to see that all goods coming by train or bus were brought and sent to their respective departments for which the consignment arrived. Even for personal railway parcels one had to take his help as they were not allowed to involve themselves with anything other than the work given to him/her by the Mother. The second being Kameshwarji who looked after anything regarding the police department. He would also visit the banks daily to deposit or draw money as he was asked.
Then there was Tulsibhai who had the permission to go out of station any where in India for Ashram work.
There were lots of restrictions, like not to eat outside cooked food, washing vegetable & fruits with potassium parmaganet if bought at the market, ladies to go to market only in Sari or Salwar Kameez etc. etc.
Then there were only two trains from Pondy to Kandamangalam; one in the morning and one in the late afternoon.
Now, Surendra-da who had to leave Pondy by the morning train had to take his meals along with him. In that period the Sadhakas hardly had any cooking arrangements at home. If any they could just may make a cup of tea in their rooms. A few, very few were allowed to cook and that too I believe if there were children at home or needed something other than the D.R. preparation.
So Kaku was supplied with an Ikmic cooker. I don’t know whether this contraption is still found in some household, just a brief description may give some idea to the new generation.
It is a tiffin carrier encased in a metal body. At the bottom there used to be a tray like bowl in which one had to put coal or charcoal and above in the carrier with 3/4 bowls measured rice, dal, water and ingredients. Put fire on the charcoal/ coal and let it take its course. The amount of coal or charcoal regulated the fire. Kaku used this till Pondy was a part of Indian Territory. For me who had come across only of wood burning oven, spirit stove, this particular cooker certainly was a novelty.
On 19th February early morning we arrived at Madras central station. From there how we reached Egmore I don’t remember. But after reaching the station a middle aged man informed that the next train was only in the afternoon; so we had no other option but spend the whole day at the station. And the day passed for me gazing at the people around us, not so much for their dress or stature as much for their language. We were but dumb witnesses to all that passed around us. Uncle with whom I travelled was for a short time in the army so he could speak some sort of Hindi. His English was zero, except a few words and that too pronounced in Bengali intonation. The middle aged gentleman was there with us and tried to help us with our meals. He bought some idlies in the morning and in the afternoon two packets of rice mixed with sambar.
When the train arrived he showed us the compartment and in return as far as I remember uncle gave him a rupple or so. By evening we reached Kandamangalam. A tall and robust gentleman entered the compartment, walked directly towards us and asked my name. Beside him was another gentleman whom I recognised not very assuredly as my uncle Suren Dutta (I was meeting him nearly after a decade). We took the train for Pondy and reached the French territory at about 8.30PM.
In the fifties there were no rickshaws as we see them today. They were pulled by men; we can still find them in some localities in Kolkata. On the way I was shown the Ashram building. Next day being a Sunday, was the day for blessings. In the fifties the Mother used to come down to the Meditation Hall and give blessings three days a week: Sunday, Tuesday and Friday. I believe even before that she used to come for blessing everyday.
Before coming down to the Meditation Hall she came for Balcony Darshan, the northern balcony on the first floor. Balcony Darshan was daily whereas I mentioned there were only three days a week of Blessings. She would come to Balcony any time between 9 am and 11 am. But on blessing days she would try to come by 9 or 9.30 am.
Balcony Darshan at that particular hour and also Her coming down to Blessings came to an end when in mid-fifties She was indisposed; thus an old routine of the Ashram came to an end. From then on the Balcony Darshan shifted to early morning between 6 - 6.30 am. This continued till she stopped coming down to the first floor. After that we saw The Mother on four Darshan days on the eastern balcony of the second floor and if she permitted then on our birthdays; we would go to the second floor in Her room or in The Music room and received Her Blessings.
As I have mentioned about he Balcony Darshan, it may interest some to know a few interesting points. If one was observant then in a few days time one saw a distinct pattern of The Ashramites coming, going and taking there place in the gathering.
In earlier days by nine in the morning one could see Thakuma (Charu Dutta’s wife), Puti-di or Pratibha Devi, a relative of C. R. Das and his nieces (Sahana-di and her sisters), Charubala-di - sister of freedom fighter Suryasen of Chittagang, Mridu-di who used to cook for Sri Aurobindo, taking their respective places on the footpath in front of Mridu-di’s house. Around them there would be Priti-di, Minoo-di; Amita-di, Arati-di, Lilouben, Pushpaben, Chitra-di and others. One could say every one had his/her fixed place to stand and wait for the Mother. And I believe by this the Mother was also aware of the Ashramites present for Balcony Darshan. For if She found someone absent (in earlier days) She would ask Amrita-da or Nolini-da to find out whether the individual was unwell. This reminds me of an incident I heard from one of the old Sadhaks.
This particular individual was still visiting the Ashram as a visitor and in those days whoever even visited the Ashram tried to learn a few French sentences or words thinking that if the Mother said something in front of them, they may be able to understand a little of what She spoke. So often they would catch hold of Benjamin an old and ancient Sadhak and try to learn smattering of French sentences or words. This particular gentleman did the same and instead of going to the Balcony Darshan he had gone to Benjamin to learn French and became late. The Mother must have marked his absence so when Amrita-da and Nolini-da went to the Mother for their daily work, She asked Amrita-da to find out why so and so’s brother was absent for Balcony Darshan.
After the work when Amrita-da came down he asked one of helpers to go and ask the individual to come and meet him. This visitor has been praying to the Mother to accept him in the Ashram but the Mother always assured him that she would call him at an appropriate time. She did exactly that, when She needed his service. So at Amrita-da’s summon he rushed to the Ashram thinking that may hap the Mother has decided to make him an Ashramite, only to be charged by Amrita-da, “Why were you absent for Balcony Darshan ?”
“How do you know that I wasn’t present?”
“I didn’t”, replied Amrita-da, “The Mother told us so.”
“But I thought the Mother didn’t know me” was the lame excuse.
“Just remember this”, Amrita-da in his mild way admonished, “She knows each one of us, never make this mistake.”
Going back to Balcony Darshan most of the Ashramites would gather on the road below the balcony. In the early fifties one of Sri Aurobindo’s nieces lived for a period in the Ashram. She used to stand on the footpath by the side of the small door of the staircase going up to the first floor. The Mother would come out and step directly to the eastern side of the balcony, look down on this lady and give a board smile. Then Her look would move from near to far; after taking note of those present she stepped to the northern side and in a long sweeping look as if she gathered everyone in Her fold concentrated for a few minutes or so. Then She stepped back and the gathering dispersed.
My first Darshan of the Mother wasn’t at the balcony but at the time of Blessings. I still remember 20th Feb.1953, a Sunday. And it being a Sunday those who worked in different departments were free. So two of my aunt’s friends came too, I believe out of curiosity, to see what type of material I was made of. They sort of decided what frock I was to wear, how I should comb my hair before going to the Mother and after being ready; with my uncle I went along with them to The Ashram. We entered the Ashram premises and what struck us was flowers, flowers, flowers every where. It was a fairy land of colours and fragrance.
We were shown the Samadhi and after offering our pranam we stood on a queue to go to the Mother.
On the turning corner to the Meditation Hall, the circle in which there now is a bush of “Joy of faithfulness,” there was an adult pine tree and under it stood an imposing figure of a middle aged man with a big Vermilion tika on the forehead. He was simply dressed in a dhoti and chadar, who very much resembled a priest of a temple, particularly that of a “devi” temple. Step by step we advanced towards the Meditation Hall and from a point one could see, the Mother seated and three or four people around Her.
Expression on Her face varied according to the individual in front of Her. But most of the time it was smile of great beauty.
We approached Her, She gave us each a white flower with very long petal and we moved out of the Meditation Hall. We didn’t have the time to see anything around, as She was the centre of gravity, the focal point. One didn’t have the eyes for anything else.
The silk cotton tree is a very special landmark of Pondicherry town. Though the house in which was this giant tree belonged to a local gentleman, yet it was rented to the Ashram. The house was called “Chettiar House”. Chettiar might have been the name of the proprietor.
When this particular property was in the hands of the Ashram, it had three buildings. On the eastern side there was a long building with a narrow verandah in front: it had five or six rooms and were occupied by some Sadhaks. Then there was an annex to the eastern building; two Parsi sisters lived in that and lastly on the south there was the main building used as the tailoring department of Albert-da.
There was a long courtyard running from south to north and at the north most side was is this giant silk cotton tree. And this courtyard was under Nirmal-da’s care.
Nirmal-da, was one of the gardeners of the Ashram like Parichand-da, Jotin-da, Jiban-da, Atal-da (Maret Garden).
Nirmal-da loved dearly the children and particularly the boys. He had a very soft corner for the boys of green group. He had built a hut under the silk cotton tree, probably to store his gardening tools. But it so happened that some young boys fell in love with that hut and wanted it as their nook of special retreat. Nirmal-da willingly handed it over to them.
The green group boys who are now of grand parent’s age began to feel very special. They would just get into the hut and sit inside whenever they had some free moments.
In the fifties there wasn’t a lot of money around and neither were there any individual or family connected with the Ashram and yet lived a private life. For young Ashramites there were no night out or such amusement but only one picnic after the 2nd December programme. So whenever the youngsters wanted a little diversion they would bring slices of Ashram bread, butter (which was distributed every Sunday and that too quite generously) and some bananas and have a picnic in that hut.
These green group boys had a brilliant idea and that was to grow vegetables for The Mother. They approached Nirmal-da with their proposal, naturally Nirmal-da was extremely happy to help and be their guide. He supplied them with seeds of radish and ladies finger, asparagus and some other vegetables. He chalked out a small plot for each one of them.
The work began in earnest. The young boys learnt to till the ground, remove pebbles and stones, add manure, smooth the surface, make the bed and sow the seed.
Sowing over, one has to wait for the germination. For the enthusiasts it was a test of patience. Whenever there was a short break in school one or the other would rush to Chettiar House to find out if there was any further development.
One morning, before the school began there was great excitement among the young gardeners. In whisper the news spread among them that a layer of green is visible on the surface. At 9.30 break most of the members of green group rushed to Chettiar House to witness the miracle. As days passed, the plants grew, the leaves sprouted, then one of the boys discovered that there was also bud like growth on the ladies finger plant. The radishes were naturally underground thus it was not possible to examine their growth.
Meanwhile Nirmal-da informed them that the Vegetables have to be tender for the Mother’s kitchen. When he realised that it only made him visit those plots a few times a day at the insistence of the young gardeners, he assured them that he would let them know of the correct harvesting time.
At last the eventful day arrived and Nirmal-da gave the green signal. The first lot of vegetable were the radishes. They were uprooted and with Nirmal-da’s help washed and dried with great care and love.
It must have been Nirmal-da who found a brass plate to carry the produce to the Mother. The boys washed and polished the plate till it shone like one of gold.
The radishes were arranged in that plate and were covered with a beautiful crocheted cover.
It was the period when the Mother came thrice a week to give blessing in the morning. She used to sit where there is Her enlarged seated photo at present in the Meditation Hall.
The boys in a group stood in front of Her and offered Her their labour of love. She took the plate, removed the cover, saw those tiny radishes so beautifully arranged and then looked at the boys and gave a smile. The smile She bestowed upon them was a gift for one’s whole life time.
Mother blessed the boys, gave each an extra flower (a rose) in addition to the regular one that she distributed in general. The young gardeners’ joy knew no bound.
The girls of the same group too began to grow vegetables for the Mother but they were unable to continue. As to the vegetable cultivation by the boys continued for a period and then it stopped. But the hut remained in their possession. The ownership was handed down from generation to generation of green group boys till the house was sold off to someone.
First December 1953
It was in 1953 that I went to the stage to perform for 1st December Programme. In that epoch the vacations were meant for the preparation for 1st and 2nd December celebration.
The academic year ended by the 31st October, and the rehearsal for both the dates would begin in full swing. It is, I feel necessary to mention that many an item used to get prepared for the 2nd December by 18 October. It is Pranab-da’s birthday and members of green and red group would compose quite a few items to demonstrate on this particular occasion i.e. Pranab-da’s birthday.
The members of these two groups would compose and practice the items when Pranab-da would likely be absent at the Play Ground or Tennis ground.
I am reminded of a very amusing incident that occurred one year. A teenage boy joined the Ashram and as he was of Red group age, he became one of the members (At present he is a guru some where in the west). This young member had learnt some drills from the West Bengal Police Force. When the preparations for 18 October began he proposed to teach us a rifle drill. As it was something new everyone became very enthusiastic and it was decided that if successful it will be performed also on 2nd December.
As mentioned it was a rifle drill, but from where will we get the rifles at least some thirty or so of them? Then there was a talk that Udar-da who was in charge of Harpagon would make some wooden replicas and those will be used for the drill.
Some how the local police came to know about this particular item and they objected to our learning or presenting it. They were upset imagining that Ashram was giving training to young boys and girls how to handle fire arms.
I believe The Mother was informed about the displeasure of the Pondicherry govt. and so She didn’t approve even of wooden replicas. Ultimately we performed the drill with long wooden sticks. And as far as I remember the local police objected even to that.
It was but one amusing incident out of many that we witnessed when young.
So as I stated the vacations were meant to prepare for the two celebrations. First December: the anniversary of the school, Second December: the anniversary of the physical education.
For 1st December Anuben, Normam-da, Amita-di, Shobha-di would put up their ideas and suggestions in front of the Mother for Her approval.
In1953 among other items there was a dance drama based on Sri Aurobindo’s poem “Love and Death”.
The story being of Ruru and Priyumvada, a young couple deep in love lived an enchanted life in Nature till one morning Priyumvada is bitten by a snake and she dies in Ruru’s arms.
The separation was most painful for the loving bereaved husband and he decides to go to the abode of Yama in search of his beloved wife. In his journey to the other world he passes through different planes and finally reaches his destination. He brings back his wife only in exchange to half of his life span.
There were many scenes in the dance drama depicting Nature and other worlds. The cast had to be big. So one evening Amita-di just asked me to follow her while marching was going on and we were waiting for concentration and distribution. We went to her house which is at the opposite corner of the same street, there on the Verandah she showed some steps which were ballet steps and asked me to reproduce them. I was terribly clumsy and failed miserably. They needed very many people to depict so many characters. So I was not rejected out right. They found out a very very small part for me.
I was to be a bird flying through when Ruru passed. Even that was foreign to me as my knowledge of dance was limited to moving hands and legs in graceful ways and that too with songs.
I believe my uncle and aunt sat with great expectations on the day of the Programme, as they had seen me rushing out of the house anytime of the day for rehearsal.
When my turn came I entered the stage from one wing making flying movement and exited from the opposite one.
Can one imagine the disillusion state of my poor aunt and uncle regarding my ability to dance?
In the fifties the Programme for first December consisted of various items. There were western vocal music; if Monique was visiting then there would a ballet dance; a dance drama choreographed by Anuben with the help of other dancers, a play written by the Mother and lastly some passage from Savitri. Amita-di always played the role of Savitri. One year the programme began at 6 pm and ended at one in the morning. Then there came a period when it was decided that on the first December only Sri Aurobindo’s work will be presented. But then once in a while the Mother made an exception, one such year was 1961.
A French inmate of the Ashram had written a symbolic play and wished to present it on the 1st of December.
Mother approved of the idea and rehearsal began in earnest.
The author of the play wished to choreograph and direct it and that too was granted by the Mother, but I believe Anuben was asked to help in the work. The author had her own ideas about the cast and the first priority was the height of the participants. She wanted everyone of the cast to have at least 160cm in height. Naturally the hunt began. We were still students and at that age anything can become an occasion to make fun. We would ask each other, “160?” and then either laugh or say something quite derogatory. But for Anuben who was asked by the Mother to help was no joke. She had to find that many individuals of that height for the play.
One bright day it was announced that the young ladies who had a height of 160cm or above should meet Anuben in the Dancing Hall.
The students who dance would participate was taken for granted provided they were tall enough.
As I said in the beginning the play was symbolic; it was the golden journey of the male & female elements of the ultimate truth. These two characters’ journey through different stages and levels of consciousness.
First, the most important characters were chosen and the list was sent to the Mother for Her approval; secondary characters were also chosen and then came our turn. We were the minnows for any cultural Programme. But as I was just 160cm in height I was chosen to be a part of a tableau of a group of six. This tableau was to represent the evolution of nature and I was to represent trees, plants and flowers. I still remember how one afternoon I was called to meet the director. I went to the Dance Hall as instructed and there were the director, her mother (an old lady) and Anuben. They were all three there to give me an idea as to what would be my role. The director very seriously explained the role and commented that it was a great privilege given to me, to be able to be a part of the play. The old lady after all these talks played a few notes on a harmonium and I was told that, that was to be my music.
Actually, those notes were taken from a composition of The Mother; but I could not understand how three or four notes could be enough for a complete dance. (Later I realized that there was no dance to be danced but walk slowly to the centre of the stage, make a few gestures with hand and arms and then retreat to a corner to stand immobile for an hour or so).
While we were walking back to the Ashram I asked Anuben, "How could these few notes represent a music and that too for a dance?”. She was, like the director, serious about the matter and answered, “It is a symbolic play, everything from dress to music have to be unique.”
The notes were taken from the Mother’s organ music, who dares to question?
Millie-di who was in charge of greenroom, costume and make up, generally tried to make use of all that was in her store and then only she made new if it was absolutely necessary.
But in the year 1961 as the play was symbolic the costumes also tended to be very different.
The Mother might have been informed about the costumes and she began to send pieces of material from her own personal stock velvet, taffeta, crepe, silk etc. Tailor Govind was entrusted with making all the costumes as he had his training in a foreign country, it was deemed that he could execute it the best.
The director and her mother would make some sketches and studying those poor Govind had to stitch the dress. Most of the sketches were so impractical looking that Govind had to run time and again either to Millie-di or to the director to find out what was expected of him. He wouldn’t touch a piece of cloth and spoil it as they were mostly from the Mother’s personal stock. I must say our director had imagination! There were so many varieties of dresses; long, short, full sleeves, sleeve-less, some like huge lamp shades!
For our tableau the tree and the snake were to have full length dress but the other four: from short to very short ones. Those who were to wear very short dress were promised that tights from France were coming and they will be supplied with Purnaprema or Purna, as she was known to us all, the Mother’s grand daughter, had still not settled in the Ashram. She used to visit regularly so the Mother sent her a word to come that year before 1st December so that she could bring from France whatever was necessary for the play. Apart from the tights she was also asked to bring makeup of different color and hue.
The Mother had stopped going to the Play Ground after 1958. Till that year She participated physically in many of the rehearsals and gave suggestions. She would even change a whole scene if She thought it not to be appropriate. After 1958 she would meet the artists on the first floor of the Ashram from where now the message for the Darshan is distributed and give Her opinion or suggestions.
In 1961 however She decided to go to the theatre to grace a rehearsal. Did She wish it Herself or was requested we would never know. The fact that She wished to come to the theatre was good enough to be happy. For to perform in front of Her was everyone’s dream. We speculated about the time of Her visit. Would it be early evening or late afternoon? She sent a word saying that She would come at 2pm in the afternoon.
On the appointed day we had a very early lunch and by noon we were all bundled in the vegetable van. (That was an old van used for collecting vegetables and fruits from gardens of the Ashram). Most of the day this particular vehicle would stink of rotten vegetable or of cow dung.
Our scene was at the very end of the play. So the moment we reached the theatre Milli-di ordered us to go and take some rest so that in front of The Mother we did not look tired. Chandrakant-bhai, who was and still is one of the most important hands in the theatre, had a go down. He herded us all in that hot stuffy room, spread a piece of tarpaulin and asked us to lie down on it.
An hour or so passed, then we were called for make up. I, being a tree was made up with the green colour; that is lips, eyes and eye brows were all painted green. The moment I looked into the mirror after the make up I knew what I looked like.
Many an Ashramites began to trickle in, for they wanted to see the play along with the Mother. Of these a few even ventured into the green room. One lady saw my face and exclaimed, “God! What a monster!” Then she might have realized that it was a wrong thing to say, so approached me and nearly took me in her arms with consoling words, “Sorry child, it is really not that bad”.
It seems those who had come on that day to see the rehearsal with the Mother, found the piece highly innovative and some even it seems have had some inner experience. “Périple d’or” for us was a terrible D’or. But then time flows and it is now more than forty years that I stood on the stage in a green dress and green make up for some one to exclaim “what a monster!”
At present nearly every Ashramite has a TV set. But in the early fifties very few possessed even a radio set. There were a few gramophones, which are lost or once in a while which are seem in an advertisement, were the only means to enjoy songs by Rafi, Lata or Talat Mahmud. It was the habit of the young boys and girls to visit those friends who possessed a gramophone and sit around it listening to the hit song provided there were any in the collection.
We are told that in the Ashram there was only one radio set in Pavitra-da’s room. His duty was to listen to the news and when he went to meet The Mother, he would let Her know all that was important and relevant.
As the Mother’s permission was necessary for having a cycle or a radio set, she would decide whether to permit or not. Mahalaya is an important occasion for the Bengalis as it is the beginning of Devi Paksha: thus Durga Puja. So the Bengali Ashramites especially the ladies would go in big groups to those who had a radio set to listen to “Devi Mahatya”. And the broadcast begins at 4 or 4.30 in the morning. The Mother even once, it seems said to some one who wanted to buy a set for his daughter, “Radio? Why? There is no war!”
But by and by She began to permit the Ashramites to have radio sets and Dhruvajyoti-da was one of the first to buy a set. His daughter was in our group; so now and then we would go to their place to hear Hindi or Bengali songs, provided it was not the hour to broad cast news.
I said there were very few sets, but there were quite a few individuals who were interested in what was happening in the outside world, may it be political, scientific or social. Inside the Ashram building there was a news paper reading room. At present it is used for fruit distribution.
There would be news papers of different vernacular languages along with two or three English papers. The vernacular papers were always old by a few days or may be a week and those who hadn’t good knowledge of English were handicapped.
One evening we found a group of elderly Ashramites near the small tiffin room. Everyone was listening to some one very attentively. Out of curiosity some of us went near to find Dhruvajyoti-da in the centre of the group. He was reading something from bits of paper. Asking his daughter we came to know that he noted down all that is broadcasted at news time and till then was sharing only with his friends. It must have been someone’s suggestion that if he read the news in the Play Ground, a lot more would be able to hear what was happening. Thus news reading became a regular feature in the Play Ground.
It must not be out of place if I say something about the Play Ground at that hour or hours before the March Past.
The Play Ground activities began at 4.30pm.
The children of green group, the younger ones would have their activities in the Play Ground from 4.30 to 5.15-5.30pm.then there would be Gymnastics of different groups. Twice Green group, twice Red and twice White and Grey groups. In those days the groupings were a little different. So by the time the Mother came to the Play Ground, after playing Tennis, around 5.30-6pm there would already be a group doing gymnastics or exercises.
Between 6.30 and 7 pm most of the other groups would return from Tennis, Volley ball or Sports Ground. And by 7 pm the Play Ground which had a deserted look all through the day would team with people. For not only the group members but also most of the Ashramites and visitors would be present for the March Past.
The schedule time for March Past generally was between 7.15-7.30pm. But if the Mother consented to give an interview to someone (it could be any one, some one visiting or an inmate) then March Past would be only when the Mother was ready for it.
So, often there was ample time in our hand. In the Mother’s class room many would sit and study; some completing a home work for the next day, other getting some explanation from a teacher. Then there were different groups all gathered around the Play Ground.
Apart from the group listening to News from Dhruvajyoti-da, there would often be a group around Kabi Nishikanto listening to his incredible ghost stories, his contact with Rabindranath, pranks at Shantiniketan, his painting session in and around Pondicherry. But once in a while he would select a word in a vernacular language and ask those around to translate it in another which when translated could mean something not so refined or hilarious. Regarding the group around Dhrubajyoti-da, it was something very unique. Because in this group, there were Sisir-da, Nalini Sarkar-da, Tinkori-da, Amal-da and quite a few others. These elderly gentlemen would wait impatiently for the arrival of Dhruvajyoti-da. If he was late he would nearly roll into the ground for he had a rolly polly figure. When Dhrubajyoti-da began reading news from his bits of paper and if any of us made a loud noise nearby or spoke loudly, then we were sure to see some frowns and irritations on some faces. Broadcast over Sisir-da, Nalini-Sarkar da would go to sit discussing the issues. But the moment the Mother stepped out of Her room every activity would cease and one got ready to participate in the March Part actively or otherwise.
In course of time the Ashram News Paper reading room was changed into fruit distribution room. Once while having some light talks with Rabindraji I had asked why the Reading room was taken up for fruit distribution. He laughed his characteristic laughter and answered, “Because both are nourishment”.
For us, the school children, every day was a day of happening, of celebration if 1 may say so. But Sunday was something very special. It was a day when we were free to spend as we liked till 5pm when the group activities began. There was naturally music class with Sahana-di which she used to hold in the Play Ground old gymnastic hall.
Just a small sketch of the day may give an idea how some of the children spent the Sunday. There were naturally cricket tournaments in the winter but other than that we were free all through the year.
A few of us who arrived in the Ashram in a period of five or six months time bonded into a group and that too a mixture of boy and girls nearly of same age. All of us just entered our adolescence, thus bundles of energy. We actually didn’t know how to spend it as the Mother being the generator replenished us every moment of the day through Her presence.
Even now I find that if there is no school then the children feel lost. We were in the same situation, “How do we spend the morning on a Sunday?”
We would certainly devise something or the other which was permitted. Going out as the children do now was a definite “no” without the Mother’s permission. And even it was arranged it had to be under some elders like Biren-da who had to approach the Mother for Her consent. But that would be a rare occasion. Thus Sunday mornings were spent playing at the Play or Tennis ground or swimming in the sea.
I don’t know when they open the Play Ground gate these days, but then it was kept open from early hours and we would go there to play Gadi for a period and then go to Tennis ground for Sea Swimming.
Yogananda-da (Parul-di’s uncle), Arun-da and Sudhi-da were life guards. It was only in their presence we were allowed to enter into the Sea. One of them (generally Yogananda-da stood on the shore ready for any emergency, Arun-da would get into the water; so would Sudhi-da. Sudhi-da short and stout; he could swim for hours. Whenever we girls went swimming he would be with us with an inflated tyre and pull us far into the sea. Once it so happened we went over a fisherman’s net, Sudhi-da realised it only after we were a few meters inside. With difficulty he had to steer us clear of it. Generally after having reached a certain distance. We just floated holding onto the tyre for quite sometime and then return. Coming back to the shore is far easier as you move along with the waves.
One day we were quite a distance from the shore and suddenly the tyre was snatched away from our hand by someone. Soon we were surrounded by half a dozen swimmers and in an eye blink we got back our tyre.
This was Biren-da’s group teaching someone how to swim. It was an interesting method though a little unconventional. Now there were two Biren-das: one was called press Biren-da or Biren-da with long hair. He had long hair up to his waist and worked at the Press. A slim figure, always in dhoti and chadar; in hand either a book or a news paper, reading even while walking on the road.
Then there was Pehlwan Biren-da who used to teach body building and also boxing. This Biren-da had a unique way of teaching swimming. If it were an adolescent or a young man who wished to learn to swim with him, he agreed. On a Sunday morning he would ask a few young men who were in his body building group and at the same time quite proficient in swimming to go for sea swimming. They always knew where they were to start, that is the old pier. (It was a little longer in those days)
When everyone present some would jump into the water and start swimming, other after getting into water wait for Biren-da to get in. The learner was then asked to jump and catch the inflated tyre that was already floating on the Waves. With all faith in Biren-da the beginner would jump only to find the tyre a little farther from his reach. Naturally in order not to drawn the poor fellow would try stroke after stroke and though it would be a test of stamina and endurance those who continued, learnt to swim in one or two sessions. For the distance was at least more than 500mts but whenever the swimmer was tired there would be the tyre to take some rest before he was forced to continue.
On the day we were involved, some one quite grown up was learning how to swim. The moment he snatched at our tyre we began to scream and in no time got it back. But later Biren-da scolded us for not learning how to swim properly.
This is how we began our Sundays most of the weeks. The Mother came for blessings three days a week-Sunday, Tuesday and Friday. Once in a while She came early and we would still be out playing or swimming. Then someone would come to inform that the Mother has already come down and She has started the Blessings.
We would then rush home, get ready in no time and run to the Ashram. For it was the period when very few amongst the young people had a cycle.
After having The Mother’s Darshan we just ambled towards the D.R for our breakfast which was kept in a cupboard by a friend on prior arrangement. After eating sometimes we would just wait half lying on the eastern Verandah to have also the lunch. But that was not the end of the morning. After lunch we often went back to the Ashram to listen to The Mother’s organ playing. For on Sundays if She were free she would play on Her organ for a short period. We all rested on the Verandah in front of Nirod-da and Debu-da’s room. Quite often we slept till someone woke us up. Then it was our rooms where a good sleep and then get ready for the Play Ground. Group activities, March Past, marching, distribution and then the Mother’s class. Later on the Mother introduced Meditation on Thursdays and Sundays which continues to these days.
It was a phase in the Ashram life, which I wonder whether many of us remember. It was in mid fifties, one day we were told that Ashram was having some difficulties on monetary side and the Mother desired that all older students work in some department or other for a period of time each week. It should be noted that in those days no student was living as a mere student. All those who studied in the Ashram school were accepted by the Mother as Ashramites and naturally everyone felt the necessity to do something for the Mother and the Ashram.
Manoj-da was entrusted with the responsibility. He was to organize the students in groups to go to work in different departments.
Many went to sweep the Ashram or the school. Some went to Atelier, some to Harpagon and others to cottage Industries.
From the beginning Manoj-da went to sweep the Ashram courtyard and continued it for very many years till some unavoidable circumstance forced him to stop.
I don’t know what made me choose the fruit room of which Ravindraji was in charge. For a few days or may be a month I washed big vessels used for washing fruits for the Mother and also the butter churner. This butter was sent to the bakery for making the Mother’s bread. The day butter was prepared I had to go down across the courtyard in front of the Samadhi, cross the Meditation Hall, then by Amrita-da’s room there was a very narrow room which had a tap for hot water. Later that was altered into Amrita-da’s bedroom.
After filling the pot I had to carry it to the fruit room. There were no rooms on the western side above Prithvisingh-da’s room. They were constructed later for Ravindraji. Now there are two rooms on the first floor, in one lived Ravindraji and in the other Anuben.
But in the fifties it was an open terrace and only stairs to go up were the ones near Pavitra-da’s office which is pretty steep and to carry up a big pot of water was quite a fit.
The room in which Ravindraji initially lived was altered in a cold storage to keep fruits. Later after the Mother’s passing away it was given to the Archive section to preserve Sri Aurobindo’s & the Mother’s manuscripts.
So for a month or may be a little more I washed the big vessels and the butter churner. Then one day entering the fruit room I found Ravindraji seated. As I took up the apron he came to the sink and showing me a tray said, “Wash these,” and instructed me step by step how to do it.
It was the Mother’s lunch tray.
The tray was of medium size and there were seven or eight small cut glass tumblers and bowls of different sizes. There were also two standard size steel mugs. The small bowls and tumblers were used for serving the Mother with different fruit juices like those of apple, pineapple, grapes, pomegranates etc. and the steel ones were for flour preparation. The vegetables used to come I believe in a different tray from Her kitchen directly. After lunch this particular tray was brought into the fruit room where Ravindraji would empty all the bowls and tumblers and the mugs and then distribute them to various Ashramites as Prasad.
The vegetables and the flour preparation especially were prepared under Sanyal-da’s instruction. By mid-morning he would go to the kitchen (which is at present Grace Office) and instruct the ladies) Then he would go to the Mother.
In the fruit room I had worked may be two or three years. Kanta was the other student who worked at the same hour. One of her main tasks was to wipe those big window panes. I still remember how she straddled on a window and stretched her arm to the maximum and wiped the panes. We never saw any dust film on those windows.
Regarding the lunch tray, now and then I would go and find no tray in the sink which meant Mother still didn’t have her lunch, and it was already past one. For we began our work as in all the departments at 1pm. Sometime after waiting for a while Ravindraji or Anuben would go to see if the Mother had Her meal, if not then I would be asked to go to the school for the afternoon session which began at 2.15pm and there were only two periods of 50 mins each.
May be after three years, I stopped that work. Not because I was tired or unwilling but because something quite irritating happened. A Hindi speaking professor joined the Ashram and he was given work in the fruit room. He would be there before me and by the time I arrived my work would be done. I naturally stopped going to the fruit room. The amusing aspect is that the professor didn’t last long, after some time he left the Ashram.
After that I went to sweep the classrooms for quite a while then this work too stopped but quite a few who had joined other departments as students still work there.
Recently may be forty-forty five years after I happened to visit the fruit room and found that the whole arrangement is completely altered.
Even the sink in which we washed the Mother’s tray is replaced by a bigger one. Nothing was anymore familiar to me, where I had worked for a period of time.
In the early fifties when I came to Pondicherry only a handful of local citizens were sympathetic towards the Ashram. On the other hand there were many who had a hostile attitude and they often tried to make some mischief or the other. Gentlemen like M. Rassendran, Dr. Purno, M. Carnaut, Mme. Subrata, some govt. officers and some others participated in all Ashram activities and functions. Some were even group members. We considered them as our own people. In that period the biggest obstacle was a political party and their leader in particular. That individual tried every possible way to hinder the smooth working of the Ashram departments having paid workers (I was told by a Sadhak who had joined the Ashram in the late thirties that the Mother was not so much interested to hire hands to do the works of the Ashram as much she was keen to help them to learn to earn his/her livelihood with dignity and self respect).
Naturally in course of time the Mother allowed the Ashram activities to expand, thus many paid workers were added. Apart from the departments there are also quite many gardens and farms: Cazanove, Riziere, High land, Irumbai, Lefaucheur and others. In some of these paddy is cultivated regularly. Thus these were a substantial number of paid workers. These labourers were quite content to work yet at the time of harvest there would always be discontent muttering regarding payment, working hours etc, etc.
In (1954-55) this dissatisfaction took a stronger turn and the labourers decided not to harvest the paddy in Cazanove. The Mother was informed about the situation and she naturally decided that the young sadhaks and older students will do the harvesting under Mona-da’s supervision.
A notice was put up on the Ashram notice board to give names. We were eager to join, few of my friends and I. But Mona-da with a stern look pronounced, “Green group? Too young to go for this type of work.” But our friend “H” continued to plead with him; finally he said, “I shall see”. We were in tenter hooks: “Will he allow us? Will he not?”
When the list was put up on the notice board with names, we found that our names were added at the end.
On the appointed day for Harvesting we assembled near The Play Ground. A lorry and some other vehicles were there to take us to Cazanove.
Sudhir-da and Kanchan-di who lived there kept everything ready for us: sickles, ropes, strings, wheel barrow and water pots with some tumblers. After reaching Cazanove we all assembled at a prearranged spot. Mona-da explained as how the work was to proceed and we were asked to begin cutting the stocks immediately. We, being youngest of the lot were asked to move behind those who were cutting, gather them and tie to be transported to the thrashing area.
The work was a great fun! We danced, sang short snatches of this and that, pulled at each other’s heap and then tied the bundles to be taken away.
After a while a young man made us not only to make the bundles but also to carry them to the thrashing area; ignorant as we were, we lifted the stocks on our arms and in no time the arms began to itch. When we complained about that, we were advised to carry them on our head. But then the face began to itch. We dared not complain again for fear of being ridiculed by many. It would be something like this; “What? An Indian girl and you don’t know how to carry a bundle of paddy! Shame, shame on you!”
We carried quite a few bundles and then sat under a tree muttering we were tired and hungry.
The breakfast was to come from the Dining Room. In its sweet time the meal arrived and some older ladies took up the responsibility to serve. Then we began to clamor for Banana leaf. When we are eating in a field, not on a Banana leaf! The idea was rejected out right and we were scolded severely for all these demands. We were there for doing a specific job and not to have fun. It was no Picnic.
As the day progressed the work too went on quite smoothly. After our breakfast the work was taken up and Sudhir-da came to inspect the progress. For it was a already time for him to cycle down to the town and inform the Mother through Nalini-da or Amrita-da how the work was progressing.
The day didn’t pass from minute to hour but ran from morning to early after noon.
The lunch arrived the same way as breakfast. We were all dirty with mud & bits of straw. In Cazanove there is a reservoir like a pond and boys just in their shorts entered into water.
The girl had no such luck. There was a very small bathroom, possibly for Kanchandi’s use, so we all took our turn and tried to have our hands cleaned at least.
As those who were serving got impatient we hurried and took our dish and sat to eat. What a delicious lunch we had that day! It was the same routine preparation of the D.R. which when we eat in D.R. often grumble saying it was most tasteless etc.
But.....!
By late afternoon we had to stop the work as no one was allowed to miss group activities. The next day we continued to work and by afternoon thrashing began in full swing. I don’t remember whether we had completed the harvesting i.e. cutting, thrashing, putting in the sun etc.
I believe the paid workers were rather dismayed that without their help the work was getting done & that they would profit in no way. They came to an understanding with the Ashram authorities and came back to work & completed the rest of the harvesting.
In 1972 a similar situation arose and the Mother decided that the inmates will do the harvesting. We who were having our work couldn’t join, which would mean leaving the classes. But the elders remembered what we did in the fifties and now and then one of them would say, “You too I believe had done harvesting. Do you remember!”
It was the period when we were privileged to learn different schools of classical dance from different visiting teachers. One who left a deep impact on our dancing was Sri Premkumarfrom Sri Lanka.
It was in mid-fifties and the Mother was still coming to the Play Ground and participated in all that was presented: dance by students, plays written by Sadhaks. For all cultural programme She consented to be present and later give Her opinion.
All these functions were generally held either on Darshan days or on rare occasions on other days also. In order to learn from a visiting teacher we were obliged to give some extra time. Where did we find it?
The regular Play Ground routine for us began at 5 or 5.30 pm. So there was an hour between 4 pm and 5 pm which would be utilized; the time between group activities and March Past and if necessary even after school after 11.30 am.
Now there were naturally regular classes of dance, music, piano but that was only for an hour or so per week. That definitely was not enough if the visiting artist was to stay, say for a fortnight. So all these periods of time were used to their maximum. Where did we practice? In the dance Hall certainly but some times even in the school courtyard or in the hall above which is now an annex to the Hall of Harmony.
Sisir-da who was the Joint Director of the Education Centre used to live in the school premises and he always had an extra key for us, when needed. So, on such occasion we were occupied all through the day.
Charukaka or Motakaka as we all called him for he was a mountain of a man and Pranab- da’s uncle but not the eldest.. He was a great admirer and connoisseur of act and artist. He used to play Pakhwaj and that too really well, it was he who had arranged a Gala program of dance of different classical styles on the occasion of the Mother’s eightieth birth anniversary.
It was again Motakaka who arranged to invite a dance teacher from Sri Lanka to come and teach us dance. Thus we came in contact with Sri Premkumar who was visiting Shantiniketan on a teaching assignment and agreed to visit Pondicherry on his way back home. He had specialized in the Kandy school of dance and we hadn’t even heard the name.
Sisir-da who taught at Shantiniketan prior to his joining the Ashram was brought into the picture. Motakaka requested him to see that all the arrangements for the artist’s stay were well organized.
The evening Sri Premkumar was to arrive, a few friends informed me in the Play Ground that I must meet Sisir-da as it was most urgent. It was simply that Sisir-da wanted me to go on the next morning to the house where the artist with his wife and daughter was put up and give them a rough idea about the programme of the Ashram especially that of the D.R.
Next day in the afternoon after school we went to meet Sri Premkumar. Anuben introduced us all individually. Introduction over we sat in semi-circle and he explained the specialty and uniqueness of Kandy dance. He was requested to show us something but Anuben cut us short saying that we were to start that very evening after group activities.
For me at least Sri Premkumar was grace incarnate. What movement! How beautiful the gesture of eyes and hands. What expression! The moment he began to dance one felt as if he was transported to a realm of beauty and grace.
Similar emotions I felt witnessing a short programme by the renowned Bharatnatyam exponent Sri Dhananjayan.
Premkumar began to teach us, the movements were stylised and slow. It was he who made us aware of the grace with which an elephant walks. Many steps in Kandy dance imitate the slow movement of an elephant.
We were more than twenty learning from him. At a certain point he realised that he couldn't present just a dance or two in front of the Mother. So he choreographed another dance; the theme being “Harvest” with a short Ceylonese song.
Sunil-da consented to compose the music for the folk dance, but for Kandy dance the only instrument required was a particular type of drum played only in Sri Lanka. Motakaka, I believe made a lot of enquiries but couldn’t find any in Pondy, ultimately Pakhawaj was used.
Folk dance was taught to everyone but he chose eight boys and sixteen girls to perform. The music was composed, recorded, the dance more or less learnt and it was nearly time for Sri Premkumar to leave. We started to rehearse even at 11.30 after school to be able to present a nice programme to the Mother. It was a fortnight when we lived, talked and breathed dance! A most wonderful experience!
For Kandy dance Millie-di stitched some skirt under Sri Premkumar’s instructions. There were no accessories other than some flowers on hair.
The evening we were to present the dance we were full of excitement. A platform quite high was erected on the western side of the Play Ground near the guest house. We got dressed and made up in the long room from where at present eggs are distributed.
The Harvest dance was performed on the ground the cast being too big. On the platform only the Kandy dances were staged. Sri Premkumar and Anuben concluded the programme with a duet.
Later we were told that after the performance when Sri Premkumar knelt before The Mother, She not only praised his performance but also thanked him for teaching such beautiful dances to Her children.
The folk dance was a great success. We danced it again and again to a point that it entered into our subconscious. Even after nearly fifty years just the music and the word “Megantere” and we are back to our period of learning with Sri Premkumar.
In the field of art, science, literature, there are periods when the history gets studded with star performers. Be it literature, painting, music or dance. In India twentieth century was one such.
In all the above mentioned fields there were super personalities and this continued till the seventies of the last century.
When we were young the world of classical dance was full of great artists. Rukmini Devi, Uday Shankar and their contemporaries pulled out the Indian dance from its obscene status and gave to it its due respectability by showing how great this particular performing art was.
The young generation consisted of guru Gopinath, Ram Gopal, Travancore sisters, Wazifdar sisters, Sitara Devi and many more.
I have had the opportunity to learn dance from one of the Wazifder sisters, Smt. Roshan Ghosh who lived for a year or so in the Ashram. It was then that she taught us Bharatnatyam.
I believe it was her husband Dr. Hiranmay Ghosh who came in contact with the Ashram in late forties or in 1950 for he had the Darshan of Sri Aurobindo.
There is a story narrated even today that when Dr. Hiranmay Ghosh stood in front of the Mother and Sri Aurobindo, on the occasion of a Darshan, Sri Aurobindo looked at the man and later commented, “Master mind”. Many of the older generation knew him as Master mind and never bothered to know his real name.
Roshanben was to perform “Geeta Govinda” on the school court yard. There was a powerful bulb at the corner of “Nouvelle Verandah” which used to light the whole of courtyard. Dr. Ghosh saw the light and wanted to know how we used that light during the programme. I replied, “We can’t use it. It is put off during the programme”.
He, at once, called his driver and asked him to buy some blue cellophane paper. When the paper arrived he asked one of the younger men who were helping with the preparation of light and screen to cover the light on the verandah with that paper. When the task was done, he looked at the light with satisfaction and commented, “Now Radha shall dance in a moonlit night. Let the light be on the through out the performance”.
This reminds me also of an incident he had once narrated to me. For it gives a glimpse of what that individual was.
During the Second World War he was in France working as a physiotherapist for the army fighting the Nazi force. This is what he narrated.
One day a young soldier arrived with grievous wounds. There wasn’t any hope of his survival. When I went to visit the wounded soldier to see what I could do to give some relief, he caught my hand and pleaded, “Doctor, please save me; I want to live.”
I promised saying I would try my best. But I knew the task was impossible, yet there is no harm in trying. So I took up, so to say the challenge and with the permission of the authorities sat by the side of the young man. My intension was that he should have some physical contact with some one. On turn we held his hand, then I sat by him most of the time but after a period I became extremely tired and needed refreshing myself. I called one of the helpers and requested him to sit in my place and be sure that there is physical contact. I went leaving the patient and after half an hour when returned found the soldier dead, the helper fast asleep and there was no contact between the two. We all were exhausted; so naturally as the helper sat his body began to relax and fell asleep. I believe as long as we consciously willed the man to live and held his hand he couldn’t die. But once the contact was gone he just left his body. But with our effort we kept him alive for two whole days.
Roshan Wazifdar married Dr. Ghosh and settled at Kodaikanal. They had a very big farm in a near by village. Dr.Ghosh not only busied himself with the farm but used to work also as a physiotherapist for a very selected number of patients. He did social work in the village for which he was very much loved and respected by the villagers.
In the early sixties Roshanben began to visit the Ashram. Anuben was then invited by friends to visit the States. When Anuben’s visit was confirmed she requested Roshan Ghosh to teach the students of the ashram. According to my knowledge of this particular school, Roshanben was a Bharatnatyam dancer par excellence. The Wazifdar sisters were as famous as the Travancore sisters of the south.
On an auspicious day we began to learn from Roshanben. And true to her learning she began with Adavus, movements of eyes, gestures of hands, neck movements. It was just exhilarating to be able to learn the very fundamentals of the art in detail, as such we had been learning items from different teachers coming from different schools. But it was with Roshanben that we began to learn Bharatnatyam in systematic manner. The younger students loved her way of teaching so much that before group activities they would gather in small groups and make, say Hastas and repeat-pataka, tripataka etc.
Roshanben was a perfectionist. She wasn’t someone to be satisfied with anything halfway done. She narrated to us how their teacher made them repeat a single gesture or a foot work till it was done to their satisfaction.
We learnt substantial amount of techniques and quite a few items, we learnt how to conduct a class, how to distinguish the talas, specially the south Indian verities. We learnt to say the bols beating on two wooden pieces and above all we realized what work a classical dancer puts in to be a true dancer.
For Roshanben dance wasn’t a simple form of art, for her it was the fifth “Veda” as the Natyashastra claims it to be. And her dance was her life and her Sadhana.
When she danced, nothing could disturb her. She entered in a different world, this complete dedication to her art gave her performance a special quality. As I said she was a perfectionist. What I am going to say may prove that.
She chose “Geeta Govinda” for one of her dance recitals. After the songs were recorded, relevant verses from the great poem recited by different renowned artists she went to Pune’s Bharat Khand Institute. There she sat with half a dozen Sanskrit scholars, who listened to the songs and recitations. Whenever they indicated an error in pronunciation, she noted down. Later she got all those rerecorded. While she gave me an audio cassette of “Geeta Govinda”, to use for our school programmes, she then mentioned that only for correction she had paid by thousands.
Roshanben not only gave us the traditional aspect of a classical dance but also made us aware of why the Mother wanted us to create something new. The Mother wanted us to break away from the old traditional schools and create something new (Anuben tried with us exactly that). The Mother always said that dance should be the expression of the entire body and not specialized gestures or movements of a particular part or parts of the body.
She certainly was for something new in the field of dance. We understood that very clearly when a dancer, Rolf, from South America visited the Ashram. He had the privilege to present something to the Mother in Her room in the Ashram. Seeing him it seems, She commented “This is what dance should be”.
For us the lessons we had from Roshanben helped us a great deal to innovate and create our style. The fact remains that whatever we may attempt to create some fundamental knowledge is essential and that we learnt from Roshanben.
The only inmate of the Ashram who had the privilege to sit on Sri Aurobindo’s lap was possibly Sadabala. Bala’s father Sada (That’s how he was known in the Ashram) was connected to this small Ashram community. He would often bring along his baby daughter and leave her at the feet of the Master and go to help in the Ashram chores.
As the baby grew she began to crawl all over the room and slowly holding on to Sri Aurobindo’s legs stand up. From that step to climb up to the lap wasn’t difficult.
Once she confided to one of the Sadhikas who was her co-worker in the Press, “I used to climb on Aiya’s lap; sit facing him and then catch hold of his beard”.
This child grew up to be quite a pretty woman. On another occasion she with a lot of regret spoke about one of her follies.
In those early days of the Ashram on the occasion of Diwali the Mother used to distribute saris & dhotis with Her own hand to the workers of various departments. Bala always received a white sari with a stitched red border. She realised that her sari was always a little old and different from what the others received. Naturally she became curious and wanted to know why it was so. And what she found out didn’t please her in the least. The fact was that she was receiving a dhoti worn by Sri Aurobindo. The Mother would take a dhoti, get some red border, give them to a particular Sadhika to stitch it on the dhoti.
When Bala found out why she was receiving same of kind of Sari, she wasn’t happy at all and went and complained to the Mother.
The Mother informed Sri Aurobindo regarding Bala’s displeasure. Sri Aurobindo then suggested that she be given a sari as the others. Thus her privilege of receiving a dhoti used by Sri Aurobindo came to an end.
When Bala became infirm due to illness she would request her press co-workers to visit her. Then she would often go back to her early childhood & narrate many incidents.
There was one in which she took great pride. She would say “It seems when my father got married Aiya had come with the others to grace the occasion. Not only that, he even partook of the marriage feast.”
Even having so much contact with the Mother and the Ashram she entered to the mundane family life. She had two sons who were neither interested in Ashram life nor had any respect for anything spiritual.
The Mother had sanctioned for Bala every thing that a Sadhak or Sadhika received from the Ashram. And when her sons refused to look after her even after getting everything from the Ashram, the authorities arranged for her a room at New Creation. Then the sons used to visit only when they needed something from her. She was sad about the treatment she received from them otherwise lived quite contented by being an Ashramite in its full sense.
I don't know how to begin to speak about my contact with Nolini-da. For it was neither very close nor very distant. There are those of my generation who may be able to say many interesting things regarding their relation with Nolini-da, again others may not. But as I had neither of the two, yet feel once in a while I was in his thoughts.
The very second day of my arrival at Pondicherry I was introduced to three middle aged Sadhaks. One was Biren-da of Press. He always wore dhoti and chadar and he had long hair which fell up to his waist. Near The Ashram gate, Suren Datta, my uncle, another uncle with whom I travelled and I, met Biren-da, Kaku (Suren Datta) introduced us. With a very soft voice and a smile he accepted my pranam. (The Bengalies were taught from their childhood to touch the feet of the elders when met for the first time). We talked; he asking me questions and I answering and then we entered the Ashram premises.
Near Puraniji's room (where there is now an office with computers) we met a short, fair complexioned Sadhak with a very endearing voice. I touched his feet and kaku said, "Amrita-da, this is my niece Jharna , and she has arrived yesterday from Assam." Amrita-da looked at me with affection and said in a Bengali which in intonation was a little different , "khub bhalo". I found it little different than the way we speak , but didn't have the curiosity to find out why it was so. At last we entered The Meditation Hall, went to Nolini-da's door and from there kaku called out," Nolini-da may we come in ?"
A deep voice gave us the permission; seeing us he said," So she has arrived?" while I touched his feet. In those days even a visit to the Ashram required The Mother's permission. It was done through Nolini-da or Amrita-da in general. That was the beginning.
I had actually come with the hope to stay back if The Mother permitted. Why at such a tender age I had decided that, I still haven't found the reason. Was it because there was a great upheaval in the life of the Bengalies, especially due to the partition?" But then, I was too young to understand the impact of it. Or was it the lure of an enchanting life of which I heard from a few who used to stop at our house while coming to visit the Ashram!
After The Darshan of 21 February there was nothing much to do. We just visited different departments, and thus a month had passed. Then a letter came from my father asking us to return.
But I had already felt a great pull towards the life of the students of the school , seeing them so free, alive, full of enthusiasm in everything they did that I decided to ask my uncle to do something . He too might have had the same idea. So he went to Nolini-da with me and spoke to him about my wish . He, after a while said," Come with her on next blessing day to my room". As asked we presented ourselves and he asked us to follow him. We went to The Mother and there he informed Her that I wanted to stay back. The Mother looked at me and asked "Do you want to stay here?" By hearing Her speak to me I was petrified and couldn't answer Her. She asked for the second time still I remained dumb. There She said "are baba!"
I took that as a "No" from Her and my inability to answer Her in English was to me a real failure . I was heart broken; in the evening kaku went to Nolini-da and informed him about my unhappiness. Nolini-da heard and said," The Mother has accepted her".
After that for very many years I just met him in the Playground or in The Ashram or even in the Dining Room. Now and then he would say a few words, he asking and I answering. It went on till I began to arrange and choreograph dance programmes. After presenting a few programmes whenever I met him afterwards he would enquire whether we were thinking of something new. So when it became clear to me that he took keen interest in these cultural programmes, I began to inform him about all our projects. And he always wanted to know in detail. In the beginning Nandita-di and I would develop together a theme and present it: She, looking after the music side and I, the dance and choreograph aspect. One incident I remember when we staged "A God's Labour" as a dance drama. I went to his room and gave him in full detail what we intended to present. He listened with lots of interest asking me questions. One day Suresh Joshiji came to school and gave me a note saying Nolini-da had sent it. There it was written "don't forget to present The Buddha and The Christ". I showed it to Nandita-di and we felt we were in right path in presenting the poem. It so happened, one day a senior colleague caught me by surprise for he said he had had been looking for me to suggest that I shouldn't bring in either the Buddha or The Christ. I just showed him the note that I received from Nolini-da
Nolini-da came to see the programme and sat through. While walking out of the theatre he made this remark "She has understood the poem". For this particular programme we had to face a lot of adverse comments. But after a few days when I met Anima-di and she conveyed to me Nolini-da's opinion , I was naturally very happy.
1978 was the Birth Centenary year of The Mother. we decided to present " Mahisasur Mardini" We had to train very many young men to participate either as Gods or as Asuras. Most of these participants never danced a single step. Yet when they began to work it was a pleasure to see their enthusiasm and sincerity. They were quick learners and in two months time we gave quite a good shape to the dance- drama.
Nandita-di as I mentioned earlier was in charge of music. She did a wonderful job by setting most difficult sanskrit shlokas into music to be sung and at the same time composed impressive orchestra pieces. The dance-drama was ready to be presented in the month of August. I went to Nolini-da to inform him about the date. Any programme in the Ashram is announced through a poster which often is done with painting and drawing to convey the sense of the programme. It is then put up in The Ashram main building for all to see and know what it is about. Nolini-da wanted to know what would be the name of the dance-drama. It was to be "Twam Swadha, Twam Swaha". He had written about these words and wanted us to read them and know the true meaning of the words.
By this time he had stopped going out but he consented to come for the programme for a few minutes. But he sat through. Anima-di who used look after him was worried; this long duration may exhaust him. But after the programme he walked to the car and it seems he was in a meditative mood all through.
He remembered the birthdays of the inmates of the Ashram. Many of us used to go and meet him on our birthdays. One year it became clear to me that he expected us to meet him on this particular day. On one particular birthday I was a little late going to his room. From outside I heard him asking Anima-di" It is Jharna's birthday and she hasn't come yet?" Just then I entered and said, "Nolini-da, here I am." That was the year his book "Veda Mantra" was published and he had signed one to give me.
On another occasion I was asked to go to his room; entering. I found him seated on his chair; looked up sensing someone in front, "Oh eshe cho!" then he took a picture -post card from the table and gave it to me saying , "eita tomar jonye " Some one had sent this post - card from Malayasia. It was a picture of a few young Malayasien women dancing a folk dance. These and other small incidents made me feel that now and then I was in his thought.
We have heard the older generation call him "Sri Aurobindo's manas putra." And why not! He is certainly one who has followed the guru's footsteps with utmost sincerity and love. A great sadhak, a writer who has given most valuable thoughts regarding Sri Aurobindo and The Mother's Yoga and much more. His critical work on writers in Bengali, English and French are of great value for those who would like to study those authors. His essays on Rabindra Nath Tagore show his mastery over the poet's work. He took keen interest in anything new and exceptional. When the book "Johnathan Livingstone Seagull" was published, we had a reading session with him. He was inspired by the book, translated relevant parts in Bengali and read them in The Playground for those who didn't know English well. And now I will just mention two comments regarding Nolini-da.
After the merger of Pondicherry to India, Jawaharlal Nehru came to visit and at the Ashram gate he was received by Nolini-da, Amrita-da and other senior sadhaks. Nolini-da accompanied him to the Samadhi and then to The Mother. It seems Nehru commented about Nolini-da " To-day I met someone who looked like the rishis of The Vedic age."
It is also said that in one of Her conversations The Mother it seems commented that he can reach Sachchidananda in a few minutes time. "
In the last couple of years of his life one of his photo's used to be distributed to all who went to wish him "Bonne fete." Looking at his eyes in those photos one can feel how true the observations are.
Amrita-da
I have already said something about Nolini-da and when one speaks of Nolini-da, one can't stop there without saying something about Amrita-da. They were two of the pillars on which The Mother and Sri Aurobindo founded their Ashram. There were Pavitra-da, Purani-ji, Dyuman bhai and others who had also dedicated themselves to their creation as the pillars. There had also been others who had given themselves completely to the service of The Ashram. In the early days each and every Ashramite in his big or small way contributed to its growth and well being. As the Ashram was the creation of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo, to be able to be a part of that creation for them was and still for many is a great privilege. It is the "Punya" acquired through many lives that one is given a chance to participate in making of something of this magnitude.
Amrita-da was a Tamil brahmin. After coming in contact with Sri Aurobindo, abandoned all the "samskaras" he had been brought up in and surrendered completely to the Guru he had chosen. He was a man full of peace and happiness (that's the impression one had); had a child like nature. It seems The Mother used to treat him like one. She wouldn't hesitate to scold him as one does to a child if he made a mistake; whereas if Nolini-da made any, She with a very slight gesture make him aware of it. They would go together to The Mother for The Ashram work; Amrita-da, The Manager and Nolini-da, The Mother's secretary. They it seems sat side by side on the floor and worked with The Mother.
He had the most endearing nature; soft spoken, always ready to help. One could approach him more easily than Nolini-da as Nolini-da was quite a serious person, in appearance at least.
I liked Amrita-da because he always gave me the impression of someone who would always be there if it was needed.
After The Mother stopped coming to the first floor we would go to the second floor for our birthdays or on any other occasion if She consented to see us. For that we had to write to Her a note praying for Her permission. I always took my letter to Amrita-da to give it to The Mother.
Amrita-da's small little gestures were full of affection and concern. For instance while waiting to go to The Mother we would wait in the passage room leading to the second floor staircase. Amrita-da going to The Mother for his work would look at everyone seated, wish "Bonne Fête" and say something like, "See you don't hurt yourself while getting up", and show the edge of the cupboard near which one is seated.
There would be other occasion when we could not go to The Mother due to her tight schedule or for some other reason then we could send flowers to The Mother through Amrita-da or Nolini-da. If The Mother wished to give quite a bunch of flowers and the vase was small then while giving the flowers to the one who has sent would say "why didn't you send your flowers in a bigger vase, The Mother had so many more to give"? That he had to carry it with all his things for the work didn't matter. Amrita-da was always there for us, we had to but approach him with our difficulties, he would listen and then quietly say "alright, I will let The Mother know of your problem."
Millie-di
Millie-di was in charge of The Green room of our theatre. Even when we didn't have a theatre and every programme was presented on The Playground, she looked after the costumes and make up. We met only whenever we presented a dance programme. Millie-di did not only supplied the costumes but also decided what to give whom. It was only in all these occasions I came in contact with her and one could see that she was a born artist. Her conception of dresses and accessories often didn't fit in to our conception, but when looked upon them very dispassionately one could see the novelty in her suggestions.
She was looking for someone to help her in her theatre work; for the first generation helpers were not all that young anymore; I was asked and as it is to do with dance and dramas I opted for it. It is after that I came to know about her ideas a little better.
The most striking aspect of her working method was that though we had more than six / seven huge cupboards full of costumes, she knew what was where. She remembered the number, the colour, the year it was used in First December programme especially. She even often mentioned the character that had put it on.
In earlier days, quite a few families who joined The Ashram offered their best dresses and saries to The Mother for whatever way they could be put into use. Thus we could see richly worked saries, dresses, lehengas in her collection. She would use them once as they were, if they suited her idea; then after it a little for a second use and slight repeated alterations she made it serviceable for quite a few more times.
In the early period of our cultural programmes Millie-di tried to use all that was at her disposal and spend as little as possible for dresses. One year she with the help of a crafts' woman got accessories and jewellary made out of coloured glass beads. As far as I remember they were created for the dramatic versions of "Vikramorvashi" of Sri Aurobindo. Practically everyone of the cast: The King, the apsaras, the other characters wore those creations. They looked so grand that one just looked at them with great admiration; and if it had happened in present era, one could have exclaimed "awesome!".
These accessories had been used for years till they broke to pieces. Once in a dance - drama I was to dance as "Goddess Kali". She took a red sari with a zari border and asked me to get a yellow blouse. On the day of the programme she just made me wear the sari as we generally do, and then altered the length of the pleats in such a way that it resembled a stitched dress. For crown she chose a necklace. Now one could very well ask why didn't she give ma a stitched dress or a regular crown? Well, I believe that would have been too traditional!
This incident will show how creative she was. A dancer from South America "Rolf" began to visit The Ashram in late sixties. On the occasion of a "New Year" he presented recitation from Savitri with some Ashram artists. The dresses were stitched according to his model. After that particular programme she didn't discard those dresses for being quite strange to our eyes. She stored them as was her habit.
May be after 15 / 20 years there was a scene from " Savitri". She took out those dresses, chose some, got long black, blue and silver ribbons stitched the whole length coming around the neck. The costumes took a new look and we used them quite a few times after wards.
She had a very able group of ladies who used to help her in her theater work. For dressing and hairdos there were Suman ben, Shakuntala bhavi, Krishna ben, later on Bharati and others joined the group. For make up in the beginning we had Minni-di, Sutapa and even Chimanbhai (The photographer); later on Gauri Pinto and Jhumur came in to help with make up and then there is Sharat-bhai who still continues with Sharda and her group.
For distributing the dinner there were mainly Usha ben and Jayshree ben, later on Varuni and others came to help. Jayshree ben would collect lemons from The D.R. Squeeze them the whole afternoon, make juice to give a fresh lemonade to the participants which sometimes reached 200 mark. The dedication of these ladies only made one realise how they gave themselves completely to The Mother's work.
There were days when the cultural programme finished around 12 or 12.30 A.M. After that there would be dinner, a small discussion, clearing up everything after dinner, putting back things in there respective places, and we would return to our rooms sometimes at 1.30 or 2 A.M. But as all of us worked in some department or the other, next morning everyone would try to be in there respective department on time. And that was the beauty that we witnessed in all those old Sadhiikas.
Sunayna has written extensively about her in her book. So Millie-di's work upstairs in The Ashram, her department of embroidery, batik, fabric painting must have been spoken in detail. It is my contact with her as an artist and as an helper which I feel can be shared with others.
Ravindra ji
Ravindraji was a sadhak who evoked awe in some, anger in other and even dislike in a few. When I became an Ashramite as a student in 1953, Ravindraji was one of the most important sadhaks in charge of quite a few departments.
A tall and well built individual, fair complexioned, who was never in a hurry. He was in charge of deciding the department in which one was to work when accepted by The Mother as a sadhak; distribution of meals in The Dining Room. Again distribution of butter on weekly basis (which stopped); tea and sugar distribution on the first of every month for those who wanted to take their quota at home. But according to me the most important of all his duties had been his personal service in making butter and fruit juice for The Mother.
He was also in charge of the Hindi section of our school and later had to look after Laundry and Bakery.
He lived in The Ashram premises by the side of the Prosperity office. The Mother sanctioned two rooms to be constructed above his and Prithwi Singh da's room. When he shifted on the first floor his old room was converted into a cold storage. Fruits were stored there; but after The Mother 's passing it has been altered into a storage for The Mother's and Sri Aurobindo's manuscripts and also other important papers of The Ashram archive.
The fruit room was and still is above the Prosperity office. On the western side of The Ashram building near Ravindraji old room there is a window. The fruits arriving from different Ashram gardens were taken inside through that window and then the trays were lifted to the first floor which was quite a heavy work. So Ravindraji suggested that there should be an automatic lift for those trays, hearing which The Mother it seems said "Don't my boys and girls do physical exercises? They should be able to pull up the trays in a lift worked manually." The lift was installed and it is still there near the Prosperity office.
There is a cold room adjacent to the fruit room. After receiving the fruits from the gardens, Ravindraji took hours to select fruits for The Mother and store them in that small cold storage. The rest was distributed next morning to the Ashramites. Even today the distribution continues.
when I joined the school I often heard a group of youngsters calling Ravindra-ji "Vandi-da" The genesis of this special name is quite interesting and amusing. There were many sadhaks even in those early days, who had such duty that they couldn't go to The Dinning Hall in time fixed for meals. So their meals were sent home in tiffin carriers. I have seen the process at that period. Damodar bhai, a sadhak pulling a hand cart with tiffin carriers and Ravindraji walking by the side. But earlier it was Ravindra-ji who would fill up the tiffin carriers, put them in the mentioned hand cart, pull it from house to house and distribute the carriers. Thus he was called by some "Vandi - da"; vandi in Tamil meaning a vehicle.
As I have already mentioned he was also in charge of distribution of meals in The Dining hall. Thus on Darshan days we the younger generation were permitted to help in The D.R. Work. Some washed or wiped the dishes, spoons etc. others distributed food at the counter. We were seven, ten girls working at the counter. There were Urmilaben, Kanta, Sumedha, Parul, Usha-ben (Urmilaben's sister), myself and some others.
On Darshan days The Mother distributed Messages, and all Ashramites and visitors went to the first floor to have the Message from The Mother's Hand. The chair on which She sat is still there near the door at the right side of the chair now a sadhak sits to distribute The Darshan Messages.
At about 10.30 A.M. Ravindraji would come from his work in the fruit room and join the queue and we all who worked in The Dining Hall counter would follow him to go to The Mother. As long as there was the distribution of The Message by The Mother, we always followed Ravindraji.
Anuben was in charge of our dancing section. Initially she taught all the students herself. Later she began to hand over some classes of younger girls to the senior students. After I had learnt for few years she asked me to teach a small batch of girls aged 8/9 years. Thus began my life as a dance teacher. We have only one Dance hall and the students number increased gradually. Then we were obliged to conduct classes even in the evening after the groups. The Dance Hall was kept locked and who ever had a class in the evening had to go to Anuben's room, collect the keys of the Dancing Hall, and after the class leave the keys in their proper place in Anuben's room which was adjacent to Ravindaji's. While going to get the key or while returning them I met him some time coming out of the cold storage or seated on his small balcony doing something. Once in a while I would step or he would stop me to ask about the students, classes etc.
I had washed The Mother's lunch tray for a couple of years under his direction. It was then that I came to know him a little better and began to talk to him more freely.
By late seventies I had stopped conducting regular dance classes and also work in The Dining Hall on special occasions due to health reason. Thus my contact with him became quite irregular. I would like to share something he said regarding "The wish of a soul".
Satu-da an old sadhak (age wise, as well as his life in the Ashram) had practically adopted me as a grand-child. He walked with a stick and often found it difficult to cross the roads. So often I would accompany him and help him to cross the roads. When he became infirm and could no more go out of his room, I went to see him in his room once or twice a month.
Now we have two establishments "Care and Desirée Home" to look after the elders of the Ashram, but earlier days when a sadhak or sadhika lived alone he/she was left to the care of two servants. One would come in the morning and one at the night. Naturally Satu-da was also looked after two servants.
It so happened I was unable to visit him for more than a month or so, when I went to him next, the servant on duty informed me that Satu-da was suffering from bed soars and ant bite. I went near and found that his back was all raw with blisters and his toes were nibbled away by the ants. I was shocked and extremely disturbed. After leaving his room I went to Sisir-da and when he heard what I had to say he advised me to inform Nolini-da. I went to Nolini-da's and after hearing me he commented," But so and so was supposed to look after Satu-da and he never spoke anything of the type! Alright you go, I will let The Mother know." (Three weeks after this date Satu-da passed away peacefully.)
Coming out of The Meditation Hall I saw Ravindraji crossing The Ashram courtyard. We met near Pujalal ji's room and seeing me he asked "Kee hocchhe? (what's the matter!)
In that state of distress I began to narrate him but he stopped me short and asked me to follow him. We went to his balcony. After sitting on the stone bench he asked me to narrate to him in detail. As conclusion I uttered "Ma onke niye nicchen na keno? (why doesn't The Mother take him to Her!)"
He stopped me with a firm gesture "don't say this!:" and then narrated something which I believe is interesting for all of us.
"There was a sadhak in the early fifties, I believe his name was "Krishna ayya" who was suffering from cancer. In those days there was hardly any medicine for the disease not even to reduce the pain. Krishna ayya would scream through out some nights. He lived where there is the Atelier office, that is just on the other side of the road to Ravindraji's. One night it must have been very painful and Ravindraji heard him scream whole night. When Ravindraji went to The Mother for his daily pranam and report to The Mother he informed Her what he heard at night and said "why don't you take him to You Mother!"
Mother stopped him short with a stern look and said, "How do you know his soul doesn't want it?"
Narrating this Ravindraji looked at me, and said, "do you understand!"
How did we spend the time between group activities and March Past
These days when we enter the Playground we find ourselves in a big field with concrete buildings all around. Before remodelling and reconstruction, Playground was not so. There was an imposing neem tree in the Dortoir courtyard and a patch of green grass at the very entrance. Just after the cement bench on the left of the Entrance was the green lawn ; it was on a slope about ten metres long and no one was allowed to walk on it.
When the Playground was remollded the whole picture changed. Except The Mother 's room , the Projector room , the passage room, everything was demolished and constructed anew.
Just to give a rough idea of The old Playground, though in the photos of earlier days it is very clear, yet for the new comers it may give a rough idea.
The entrance door is the same, though there has been some changes in its shape, after which on the left began the ground and to the right a long hall with quite a broad verandah.
On the verandah were suspended rings and rope for doing exercises. At the end, on the west most side of the verandah, were the "wall bars" again for exercises. The hall was used for keeping gymnastic apparatus such as box, pomelled horse, uneven bars and mattrasses for agility. The groups having gymnastics had to take out all these apparatus and mattrasses in the open and arrange them for doing items.
On the west of this hall was a small room used for different purposes. Primarily it was the tiffin room. Afternoon tiffin was distributed from here and Vishwajit-da was in charge." Dhoke be as le ao"as his famous coinage. It could have been anything from a spoon to a dish to a piece of bread. The moment he heard something falling he would shout "Dhokar le as . "
This room was also used by the elderly sadhaks of H group to keep their clothes and bags. For, many of them would come wearing a dhoti over their group shorts.
Outside to the west of this small room there were two taps to wash tiffin vessels and also to water the Playground. Above the taps was a frame for fixing the screen for film projection. So to see a film we sat facing the north.
Then began the "Dortoir" building . It was an one storey building with an adjacent small courtyard in which there was an old neem tree which spread its branches over a part of The Playground. While remodelling The Playground this tree was dug out with lots of care and transplanted in the Dining Room garden. But unfortunately it didn't surrvive. After "Dortoir" building as of today the "Guest House".
On the southern side again the building was from east to west. At the very beginning there were two rooms used as the "Laboratory", till the present Lab was constructed. In one of these rooms The Mother used to give interview and also hold classes for a group of ladies. The classes before I joined the school. After these rooms there was a big hall which we used to call "The Mother's class Room ", as She used to hold classes for elder sadhhhhaks and sadhikas; the students being : Amrita-da, Nolini da, Pavitra-da, Rishabchand-da, Priti-di, Millie-di, Minu-di, Tehmi-ben,Nolini Sen da, Ila-di, Indukha-di, Sutapa and others. There were around 30/35 people who attented the classes.
It is here that The Mother translated some of Sri Aurobindo works in French. This particular hall was also used by the students after group activities, before March Past and during Marching. Who so ever had some homework to complete would sit in the hall and finish as much as possible; as there would always be a few teachers sitting along and doing their own work; thus there was always someone to help the students. In this hall The Mother used to see the film before it was shown to the ashramites. For, at that time we had only one 16 mm projector which Vishwanath-da would arrange in the hall. But we saw the film in The Playground facing north as I have already mentioned.
After this hall came The Mother's rest room and Her washroom which are left as they were, then the passage room. Entering the south most part of The Playground the toilets and wash basins are in the same place but there was also a concrete half wall along with a row of Casurina trees dividing the passage and the courtyard. On this ground rings were suspended from a height, which were used by the body builders. In fact this was the body building section of our Playground. On right side there was a room in which dumbbells and weights were arranged. They were taken out in the open and exercises done. Just east of this room was the drinking water tank with taps . Here the open space was not very big but a few wall mirrors were hung for the use of the body builders' use.
At east most there were two rooms, between these two rooms there was a space in which the malcumb was planted.
Above the drinking water area there was a small hall for asanas taught by Ambu-bhai . A metal staircase led to that hall. I believe there is a photograph of that particular staircase where The Mother is releasing a bunch of balloons .
There were two rooms to the east having the windows on the road. In one of them lived Gauri-di who was in charge of The Mother's Room in The Playground. Later a room was constructed on the first flour to the west of the projector room for her (while waiting for The Mother coming from Tennis ground,she would sit, opening the small door, from where they now bring out "The Chair" for meditation, and do embroidery on The Mother's dresses. We would often stand by the door and watch for a while her work).
Narendra Jauhar , the second brother of Chitra-di. (Faith farm) used to live in the other room . But he passed away at a very early age. After him Ajit Sarkar came to live in that room till he left for France.
This in general how" The Playground " was, but I began by saying how we spent the time between the group activities and March Past.
As of now there were Play ground, Tennis ground, Volley ball ground and the Sports ground without the eastern annex.
Those who had activities in the Sports ground had to walk down to the ground. Generally the Green and Red group members walked in formation of two, as we see the children of Green group going to Tennis ground now a days. In the earlier days there were only two division of Green group- A1 the younger children and A2 the older one. Members of A1 would have all their activities in the Playground except for Sea Swimming. They would go to the Tennis ground. Sea Swimming was one of the regular programmes for most of the Groups till the Swimming Pool was constructed in 1958. From 5.30 P.M. different groups would have their gymnastics at the Playground, at the end of the items Pranab-da gave order for Marching which rounded up the day's gymnastics.
If The Mother didn't consent to give interview then the March Past began by 7.15-7.20 P. M. After March Past durind marching The Mother rested for a while and then came out for concentration . After concentration She stood at the door of Her Room and distributed either ground nuts or a toffee to The Dining Room workers, Bakery workers and some others. Then She would walk down to the "Guest House" to distribute the same to the members of Green Group.
The days there was a class, she remained there, conducted the class. If I recollect correctly the classes were held on Sunday, Tuesday and Friday. Sunday was the day for recitation of a few verses from a poem or a sentence written by The Mother. This selection she handed over to Tara who had a special note-book in which she copied and left the note-book at a particular place in PED library; the children of Group A would go anytime of the week to the library, copy down and begin to memorise." La Mere Travaille Avec les Enfants" is the collection of all there recitations, dictations and stories " The Mother did with the children of Group A.
Then on Tuesday there would be dictation and Friday story telling. For dictation she would dictate one sentence and after correcting it give marks. I joined the class after it had begun on. The Playground around the map. Then she read different legends from different countries. I believe the full set is still there in our school library.
After distribution and class with group A She would come out and continue Her distribution with first B group and then C, D, E, F, G, H , then the Ashramites who were not in group and lastly the visitors. She walked around The Playground once certainlty but sometimes she even took two rounds during Darshan Period. On Wednesday there was the class with B group members which She used to hold in Her Room. But in time it became too crowded . Moreover many inmates of The Ashram wished to attend to these classes thus The B group class also was conducted in the open.
Class days She avoided giving any interview. But the day there was one, one was not sure as to when the March Past would take place . It was in those days that one could see very interesting circles around the Play ground. I have already spoken about "news reading". Arup Tagore who in those days played on his mouth organ would sit with some of his friends and play Bengali and Hindi songs on request . Then there would be a group around Kabi da (Nishikanto) This group consisted of those who could sing Rabindra Sangeet. Kabi-da was naturally centre of this circle and on his request some one or the other of the group sung some Rabindra Sangeet with that now and then he spoke of his early days at "Shantiniketan". Once it so happened , on that particular evening there was a strong breeze and Kabi-da was sitting with us under the neem tree, there was a gust of wind and a few leaves fell on us. Kabi-da picked up one and said, " Do you want to hear how Robi Thakur gave a good lesson to my elder brother?" (Sudhakanto, Kobi-da's elder brother did a lot of secretarial work for the poet) Dada was out of station for a while and when returned went to meet the poet next morning very early . Entering the room Dada found the poet sipping some green juice as if with a lot of relish. Dada was quite intrigued. What was it that Gurudev was enjoying ? Rabindranath must have suspected something and with a smile asked "Sudha, will you like to taste it a little?" Dada was overjoyed and replied "If Gurudev ....!" Then Rabindranath called his personal servant "Banamlti" and ordered him to give Sudhakanta a full glass of what he was drinking. After a while a big glass of green juice was offered to Sudhakanta; who with all eagerness took his first sip only to make a face. Robindranath was observing Sudhakanta all along and seeing the expression he chided, "So Sudha, you people have the false notion that Gurudev always tastes the tastiest of things!" It was a tumbler full of neem leaf juice.
Sensing that The Mother was ready for March Past, Pranab-da would give the order for ressemblement and every one would hurry to stand in formation in their respective groups. The March Past , marching , concentration , distribution, classes if it were a day of class or meditation. The Mother returning to the Ashram , the time could be any where between 9 and 10 PM.
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