News from Puducherry (formerly Pondicherry)
Upcoming Events
19 September 2007 - 47th Anniversary of Sri Aurobindo Society
The Headquarters of Sri Aurobindo Society at Puducherry
The year 1956 was a milestone in the spiritual mission of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, as it was on 29 February of this year that the Manifestation of the Supramental Consciousness took place. In the very first anniversary year of this momentous event, on 19 September 1960, Sri Aurobindo Society was formed with the Mother as the Founder and Executive President, "to make known to the members and people in general the aims and ideals of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, their system of Integral Yoga, and to work for its fulfilment in all possible ways and for the attainment of a spiritual society as envisaged by Sri Aurobindo."
The Mother gave the following Motto for the Society:
The book A Glimpse of the Mother's Love and Action published by the Society, describes the genesis and growth of the Society and the Mother's way of working, as she developed it in its formative years. The Society has been growing over the years and has now more than 300 Centres and 70 Branches all over India and abroad. More details of the various activities of the Society are given here
http://www.sriaurobindosociety.org.in/activity/activity.htmOn this day we rededicate ourselves to Sri Aurobindo and the Mother and to the realisation of the great future they have revealed to us.
Annual Seminar of the Women's Council - November 2007: "Self-Transformation"
The very purpose of our life on earth is to transform ourselves into a being better, purer, higher, deeper and wider in consciousness so that our gross animal-human nature is transformed into the more beautiful human-divine nature. If we are not attuned to the process, the natural rhythmic force of evolution, we are pushed by the circumstances to move forward fast and thereby suffer due to friction with our natural and human elements around us.
All those who are interested in a conscious, harmonious and progressive self-transformation are invited to join us at the Society's Beach Office hall, No.1, Rangapillai Street, Puducherry, where a sincere group of seekers will introspect and deliberate, individually and collectively, on this topic in the Light of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother.
For more information and accommodation, write to
The Secretary - Women's Council
Sri Aurobindo Society, Puducherry - 605 002 mentioning the type of accommodation required and in what range.
The centres and branches of Sri Aurobindo Society are requested to send one or two representatives to participate actively in the Seminar which will keep them in organising such programmes in their own areas.
Dr. M.V. Nadkarni's forthcoming Series of Talks
A Study-Camp on Sri Aurobindo's "Savitri" will be conducted by Dr. Mangesh V.Nadkarni at the Society's Beach Office hall, Puducherry, from 26 November to 5 December 2007. There will be two sessions daily, 4:30 to 5:15 pm and 5:40 to 6:40 pm. The talks are open to all.
Recent Events
15 August 2007 - 135th Birth Anniversary of Sri Aurobindo
15 August was Sri Aurobindo's 135th Birth Anniversary. At the Ashram the day was observed with a visit to Sri Aurobindo's Room (kept open from 4 am to 7 pm), meditation around the Samadhi (6:00 to 6:30 a.m.), and March-past by the members of the Ashram's Physical Education Department at the Ashram's Playground in the evening. The day concluded with meditation.
Annual Conference of the Society - August 2007
A view of the audience
The Annual Conference of the Society was held at the Beach Office in Puducherry on 13 and 14 August 2007. Shri Pradeep Narang chaired the event. Members, workers and devotees from different Branches and Centres participated.
Following were the Talks delivered during the occasion: On 13 August 2007:
Prof. Manoj Das, answering questions from the audience
"Questions and Answers" by Prof. Manoj Das
"Awaken to Sri Aurobindo's Presence" by Women's Council
"The Divine" by Shri Kaivalya Smart
"The Work Ahead" by Shri Sraddhalu
Shri Sraddhalu, speaking on "The Work Ahead"
On 14 August 2007:
"Human Unity in the Light of Sri Aurobindo" by Prof. Kittu Reddy
"Old Spirituality and the New Consciousness" by Dr. Alok Pandey
"How the Leftists and the Rightists have tried to diminish Sri Aurobindo" by Dr. M.V. Nadkarni
Study Camp by Dr. M.V. Nadkarni on the "Essays on the Gita" - August 2007
The Study Camp series on Sri Aurobindo's "Essays on the Gita", was continued by Dr. M.V. Nadkarni at the Society's Beach Office hall, Puducherry, from 17th to 23rd August 2006. About 100 persons attended regularly the talks held in two sessions daily in the morning.
Some Special Days in September 2007
4 September 2007 - Sri Krishna Janmashtami
Shri Sraddhalu, speaking on "The Work Ahead"
Janmashtami (also known as Krishnashtami or Gokulashtami) is a festival dedicated to Lord Sri Krishna to commemorate his birth on this earth. This year it falls on 4 September, and on this day during midnight, the whole story of Sri Krishna's birth will be enacted by the devotees in their houses and many delicacies prepared out of milk and curd will be distributed as prasad (food made sacred by offering to God) to everyone.
In his letters to sadhaks, Sri Aurobindo mentions:
Krishna as a godhead is the Lord of Ananda, Love and Bhakti; as an incarnation,
he manifests the union of wisdom (Jnana) and works and leads the earth-evolution
through this towards union with the Divine by Ananda, Love and Bhakti.
The boy with the flute is Sri Krishna, the Lord descended into the world-play from
the divine Ananda; his flute is the music of the call which seeks to transform the
lower ignorant play of mortal life and bring into it and establish in its place the
Lila of his divine Ananda.
15 September 2007 - Ganesha Chaturthi
Shri Ganehsa
This year Ganesha Chaturthi, the birthday of the elephant-headed deity Ganesha, will be celebrated on the 15 September. In India all important tasks start with the worship of Ganesha -the son of the Supreme Mother and god of material knowledge and wealth - so that the work undertaken may be free from all obstacles. In his letters Sri Aurobindo writes:
Ganesha is the Power that removes obstacles by the force of Knowledge;…
Ganesha (among other things) is the Devata of spiritual Knowledge.
Here is the Mother's first encounter with Lord Ganesha, as narrated by herself sometime during 1958:
We had a meditation (this was more than thirty years ago) in the room where 'Prosperity'
is now distributed. There were eight or ten of us, I believe. We used to make sentences
with flowers; I arranged the flowers, and each one made a sentence with the different
flowers I had put there. And one day when the subject of prosperity or wealth came up,
I thought (they always say that Ganesh is the god of money, of fortune, of the world's wealth),
I thought, 'Isn't this whole story of the god with an elephant trunk merely a lot of human
imagination?' Thereupon, we meditated. And who should I see walk in and park himself
in front of me but a living being, absolutely alive and luminous, with a trunk that long ...
and smiling! So then, in my meditation, I said, 'Ah! So it's true that you exist!' - 'Of course
I exist! And you may ask me for whatever you wish, from a monetary standpoint,
of course, and I will give it to you!'
So I asked. And for about ten years, it poured in, like this (gesture of torrents).
It was incredible. I would ask, and at the next Darshan, or a month or several days later,
depending, there it was.
News from Branches and Centres
News from Abroad
Nairobi (Kenya)
The Nairobi Centre celebrated Sri Aurobindo's birth anniversary on 15th August 2007 with the Mother's Prayer of 30th March 1914 at 06:30 p.m. This was followed by collective meditation for half an hour. About 25 devotees were present.
Visit to China & Tibet by the International Secretary
The Society's International Secretary Shri Gopal Bhattacharjee visited China and Tibet from 22 July to 3 August 2007. He inaugurated the Sri Aurobindo Society Centre of Human Unity at Shanghai, having twelve Chinese members as subscribers for the Society's magazine 'All India Magazine'. He visited Shanghai, Beijing and Lhasa.
Shri Gopal Bhattacharjee has left for Germany, U.K. and U.S.A. Shri Bhattacharjee will give a talk at the High Commission of India (U.K.) on Sri Aurobindo on the occasion of the celebration of India's 60 years of completion of Independence at the Nehru Centre in London.
News from India
Noida (U.P.)
Nurses Orientation Course: In a Nurses Orientation Course held on 6 July 2007 by the "Academy of Hospital Administration" at Noida, the participants were informed about Sri Aurobindo Society, Noida branch and its activities by Mr. Satinder K. Puri, Director, HIERANK Business School. Small booklets about Sri Aurobindo and the Mother were distributed on the occasion. Visit to Sri Aurobindo Bhavan and the Shrine has been scheduled for subsequent groups of trainees of different disciplines, in future.
Talk: A talk on "Kriya Yoga" by Swami Satya Govind was organised at Sri Aurobindo Bhavan on 14 July 2007.
Students of Sri Aurobindo Shiksha Niketan, engaged in games
Sri Aurobindo Shiksha Niketan: On all Saturdays in July 2007 the students of Sri Aurobindo Shiksha Niketan assembled and took part in group songs and prayers and have darshan of the Shrine. Thereafter, they took part in games/entertainment activities.
Celebrations of Sri Aurobindo's Birthday: The Noida branch celebrated Sri Aurobindo's birthday & India's Independence Day on 15 August 2007 at the Sri Aurobindo Bhavan, Noida.
Members of Sri Aurobindo Society Noida Branch after flag hoisting at Sri Aurobindo Bhavan, Sector 62, Noida on 15th August, 07
A view of the students attending the celebrations
The National flag was unfurled by Shri O.P. Dani, Chairman of the branch, at 10 am. After offering prayers to the Mother, Shri Dani explained the importance of 15 August which is both Independence Day of India and the birthday of Sri Aurobindo. He also spoke about Sri Aurobindo's message delivered through All India Radio on the eve of India's Independence on 14 August 1947. Students of Sri Aurobindo Shiksha Niketan sung patriotic songs including songs on Sri Aurobindo and the Mother during the occasion. A quiz contest was also organised for the students. More than 10 officials of Tata Consulting Services participated and gave prizes to the students. The total attendance was about 150. Collective meditation was held in the evening from 06:30 to 07:00 p.m. at Sri Aurobindo Bhavan to mark the 135th birthday of Sri Aurobindo. The event was covered by many newspapers, regional and national.
Acupressure Therapy: Mrs. Sudha Kesharwani, Acupressure Therapist, has started offering her service at the Sri Aurobindo Bhavan from Monday, the 20th of August 2007, for two hours daily from Monday to Friday between 3-5 pm. She also uses relevant quotations from Sri Aurobindo and the Mother exposing the patients to the forces of healing. A Diploma holder from Acupressure, Shodh Prashkshan Evam Upchar Sansthan, Allahabad, Mrs. Kesharwani has been practising acupressure for the last nine years.
The Mother's Flag: Sri Aurobindo Society, Noida Branch has received The Mother's Flag from Puducherry. This is being unfurled daily with a sense of privilege, honour and dignity. Spreading the message of The Mother & Sri Aurobindo: In a meeting of the members of the Ladies Club at Indian Oil Society, they were informed about Sri Aurobindo Society, Noida Branch, and its ongoing activities. Members evinced keen interest and were delighted to know about Sri Aurobindo, the Mother and the existence of their Shrine at Sri Aurobindo Bhavan, Noida. Booklets about Sri Aurobindo and the Mother were also distributed on the occasion. As a result thereafter, some new persons have started coming to the Branch.
Besides the above, regular activities of Meditation with the Mother's music daily in the morning and evening, Pranayam & Yogasan, Library, Playing of Spiritual Audio/Video CDs etc. are held regularly.
Paigmberpur (U.P.) - 15 August 2007 Celebrations
The Paigmberpur Centre celebrated Sri Aurobindo's birth anniversary.
On 14th evening Shri Somdev Dev from Puducherry spoke to young children about Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. This was followed by a question-answer session and dinner with this group of young children.
On 15th morning Shri Somdev spoke to students of Saraswati Vidya Mandir School, in village Mahoua Dabra. He spoke about Sri Aurobindo's life and work and linked it to the importance of having an aim in life and developing the faculty of concentration.
On 15th afternoon Children did a march past with the Mother's flag; a drill activity with sarees was performed by a group of small children. Participants of the study circle shared with each other their understanding of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother. They also shared in brief His vision on education, Mother's views on making mistakes and not to repeat them and lastly their experience of the Puducherry visit. This programme was held for an audience of about 300 from Paigmberpur and adjoining villages.
Preparation and practice for 15th August was started about one month ago. Shri K. Pawan from Patiala visited the Centre on our request and spent the whole of 5th August with children. His visit helped children to be more centred and ingathered. A thatched roof for meditation was constructed and a 30' x 10' wall was also constructed for Mother's picture and putting up an exhibition in the form quotations and pictures of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo.
Hardoi (U.P.) - Eye Camp
An Eye-Camp was conducted from 28 May to 2 June 2007 by Dr. Meeta Bisen. 27 boys and girls of the age group 14-17 years were taught the eye exercises as taught at the School for Perfect Eyesight, Puducherry.
A three hour Youth Camp was conducted on 24 June 2007 by Shri Nirupam Mukherjee, Dy. Director, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ms. Anita, a well known social worker, and Dr. Meeta Bisen. 29 boys and girls from classes IX and X participated. They were taught "Time Management" and correct food habits which help to overcome lethargy.
The Centre also organised a Seminar on 29 July 2007. The topic was "Yoga of Sri Aurobindo". Dr. Meeta Bisen from Lucknow conducted the proceedings. The keynote speaker was Dr. J.P. Singh, Chairman of the Sultanpur branch of the Society. Other speakers were Shri P.N. Saxena and Shri Jadawan from Lucknow. At the end, there was a question and answer session. Dr. J.P. Singh discussed with the members of the Centre about the strengthening of the organisation.
Harda (Madhya Pradesh)
The Elocution Competition underway
The Harda Centre held a Seminar on "Bharat ki Niyati" on 21 July 2007 at Harda in collaboration with Kunwarbai Trust, Harda. In addition, an elocution competition was also organised in which about 50 students from the Govt. Girls Higher Secondary School, Harda, participated. The subjects of the talks were "Bharat ki Niyati" and "Maharishi Sri Aurobindo ki Divya Vani". The function was presided over by Shri Rajiv Khare. Shri Manoj Sharma, a member of Sri Aurobindo Society Madhya Pradesh State Committee and Core Group of Sri Aurobindo Society, Puducherry, was one of the main speakers.
Booklets titled "What is Hinduism?" and "How to Bring up a Child?" were distributed. People present were also apprised of the work that the Harda Centre is doing.
Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh)
The Ujjain Centre organised bhumi puja on the newly acquired land, on 18 July 2007. Shri Vijay K. Poddar, Chairman of the Hindi Zonal Committee, performed the pooja.
Panna (Madhya Pradesh)
Sri Aurobindo Society, Madhya Pradesh, organised a Seminar at Panna Centre on 25 August 2007. The subject was "Sri Aurobindo Ke Alok Main Bharat Ki Niyati Aur Hamara Daayitva". Shri Manoj Sharma and Dr. K.N. Verma were the main speakers. The other speakers were Dr. R.B. Srivastava and Smt. Kalpana Arjaria.
Chennai (Tamizh Nadu)
The Chennai branch organised the following talks during the months of June and July 2007:
Date Talk by
Topic
1st June
Shri M.K. Ramaswamy
"Faith - Four Types"
3rd June
Kavingar Mee. Viswanathan
"Those who Adore Carry on Stress Free"
10th June
Shri A.V. Balasubramanian
"Savitri" Book VI Canto I
17th June
Shri M.K. Ramaswamy
"Bhagavan's Voice"
24th June
Dr. Bala Sandilyan "Importance of Bhakti"
1st July
Shri S. Rangarajan (LIC)
"Word, it's Meaning"
Shri M.K. Ramaswamy
"Eschew Anger"
8th July
Shri A.V. Balasubramanian
"Savitri - Book VI Canto II"
15th July
Shri M.K. Ramaswamy
"Accidents, What and Why"
22nd July
Smt. S. Annapoorani
"The Two who are one are the Might and
Right in Things - 29.03.1914"
29th July
Smt. Malini Narayanan
"Drowpadi, Seetha, Savitri -
Challenges faced"
Apart from the above, on the 1st of every month at 06:30 p.m. (after collective meditation), Shri M.K. Ramaswamy delivers a lecture on Sri Aurobindo's and the Mother's literature for about 30 minutes.
Since March 2007, on every 2nd Sunday Shri A.V. Balasubramanian reads Savitri from Book I and explains in Tamizh.
On last Sunday of every month Mrs. Manonmani Rangaswamy sings devotional songs on Sri Aurobindo and the Mother from 09:30 to 10:00 a.m.
Annanagar, Chennai (Tamizh Nadu)
On the eve of its 5th anniversary, the Annanagar Centre conducted an inter-school elocution competition both in Tamizh and English on 15 July 2007 under the caption: "In which Field should India Guide the World - Spiritualism, Economics or Politics?". The response from the neighbouring schools was very good. Mrs. Kamatchi Sridhar, an English teacher, Ms. Priya, a spiritual worker, and Dr. B. Muralidharan, Secretary of the Centre, were the judges.
Delhi
The Delhi branch organised a spoken Sanskrit course from 3 to 12 August 2007 in the auditorium of the branch. This course was organised in collaboration with Shruti Foundation and Samskrita Bharati. The course was attended by about 25 participants between the age of 8 - 75 years which included students, educators, doctors etc. The programme was interactive and easy to understand. By the end of the course the participants could converse with each other in simple Sanskrit.
Haldwani (Uttaranchal)
The Haldwani Centre held a meeting at the Arya Inter College in Dedhar on 17 July 2007. The audience were informed about Sri Aurobindo's and the Mother's teachings and some literature were distributed.
Ambala (Haryana) - Sri Aurobindo's 135th birth anniversary Celebrations
The Ambala branch celebrated Sri Aurobindo's 135th birth anniversary with a collective meditation at 6 am. followed by a collective reading of 'Book of Love' from "Savitri". The devotees gathered again in the evening. It was heartening to see that many new persons participated. A child who had attended the summer camp of the Children's Corner chanted a beautiful invocation of the Mother in Sanskrit.
The Centre for Sri Aurobindo Studies, Sohan Lal DAV College of Education, Ambala, organised a one day programme on Sri Aurobindo to commemorate His 135th birth anniversary. An exhibition was organised on the life of Sri Aurobindo and the Ashram, with quotations from the Mother. After the programme the students of the college interacted with Shri Uma Kant, Secretary of the Ambala branch, regarding Sri Aurobindo and His teachings.
Jaipur (Rajasthan)
Study Group: The Jaipur Centre continues actively with its Study Group. A subject is chosen and a member of the Group takes the responsibility of making a study and preparing an exhaustive paper on it which is distributed to all the members. The same is discussed in the meetings during the month. The Study Group, which is called 'Next Future Study Group', takes up subjects directly related to sadhana. The Group also studies aspects connected with Nature which the Mother calls as the evolving creative force. This aspect of the study is called "Nature Quest". Besides the above, the members do a collective study of Sri Aurobindo's and the Mother's writings.
The Jaipur Centre celebrated Sri Aurobindo's 135th birth anniversary on 15 August 2007 with an invocation, followed by bhajans and a talk by Shri P.K. Vijay on "Integration of Spirituality and Nationalism". Shri Nirupam Rohatgi spoke on "Savitri - Yoga of the King". 67 people participated in the event with devotion.
Purnea (Bihar)
The Purnea Branch observed the 135th birth anniversary of Sri Aurobindo on 15th August 2007.
In the morning session after prayers and meditation, readings from the books Savitri, The Mother and Life Divine were conducted. The programme ended with collective mediation.
Afternoon session started with meditation and bhajan. Shri Narain Lal Das, Secretary of the Branch, spoke on Sri Aurobindo's Life, Yoga and Philosophy. The other speakers were Shri Aditya Kumar, Shri Nirmal Kumar and Shri Dashrath Chaudhry. The session ended with collective meditation.
Gaya (Bihar)
The Gaya Centre celebrated the 135th birth anniversary of Sri Aurobindo which was attended by a large number of devotees and citizens of Gaya. There were talks on "Savitri" and the "Present day Crisis and its Solution".
Dehri-On-Sone (Bihar) - State Committee Meeting
The Dehri-On-Sone Branch organised a 2-day meeting of Sri Aurobindo Society State Committee on 14 and 15 April 2007. Dr. D. P. Khaitan chaired the meeting.
On 14 April, morning session started with the hoisting of the Mother's flag and singing of Vande Mataram. Dr. E. Dinesh, Secretary, Dehri-On-Sone Branch, welcomed the guests. First, Shri Vinod Marodia, Co-Chairman of Bihar State Committee, spoke on Sri Aurobindo Society's "Membership Participation and Usefulness".
Shri Amod Kumar, Co-Ordinator, Bihar State Committee, spoke on "Looking into actions of Bihar State and their Evolution". Smt. Uma Verma, Chairperson, Dehri-on-Sone Branch, talked about the Mother's love and affection.
Shri Sashishekhar Tiwari from Bhagalpur spoke on Supermind. In the evening session the work of Centres and Branches of the State was discussed. The session ended with the play "The Great Secret".
On 15 April, Shri Sadhan Ghoshal from Bhagalpur, Dr. S.P. Rai and Ms. Swaranlata Saraf delivered lectures. Smt. Uma Verma delivered the vote of thanks.
