MY FRAGRANCE SEIZE THEE IN THE JASMINE'S SNARE - Dr. Shyama Kanungo
Sometime in 1966-67 the son of Kshetramohan Ray, Brigadier Sangram Keshari Ray after his retirement took a Bank loan for the purpose of developing the family farm land. My mother Pratibha used to be there supervising the work with some distant relations to her aid. Her brother now joined her and would go there off and on.It was during this time after having sat for our school finals that my sister Reba and I went to spend a few days with our mother at Dalijoda. It was somewhere around 1968 February. It was at this time that we had written to the Mother a prayer to start student's Study Circle at Cuttack and suggested to our mother to organize a Study circle at Dalijoda also. While at Dalijoda I had walked up to the small hillock (now named Matru Shikhar by Madhu Bhaina) for the purpose of sketching. Sitting under the shade of a small shed meant for watching the paddy fields I was attempting to draw something. The calm beauteous and fragrant atmosphere suddenly came alive and perhaps the aspiration of the place came alive. A thought entered from somewhere and welled up from deep within - how wonderful it would be if this place belonged to the Mother! Perhaps wishing to develop in Her ideology. I don't know but the fragrance of that sublime moment I can never forget. The Sri Aurobindo Student's Association at Ranihat started on 12th July 1969. Reba and I joined S.C.B. Medical College in 1970. I went to Ashram in 1971 May with my friend Dr. Salila, sister Abha & brother Jaivir to attend a Youth Camp organized by Prapatti. The occasion to see the Mother for the first time was given to us on 25th May 1971. Day by day the urge to open our lives to the Mother grew. We, the children of Pratibha & Ajit joyfully organized the Study Circle. We started a small flower garden and in our childish way named it THE MOTHER'S GARDEN- We also started a vegetable garden - on behalf of the Study Circle in the campus of 'Shreekshetra' Ranihat - 'Shree' from Shreemati and 'Kshetra' from Kshetramohan. Incidentally this piece of land was purchased from Orissa's famous barrister Madhusudan Das who was afriend of my maternal grandfather, Capt. Dr. Kshetramohan Ray. My sister Rita joined Sri Aurobindo Ashram after having written to The Mother. She is ever since the family's bridge to The Mother.The farm at Dalijoda was named 'Shreekshetra farm'. After our uncle's (Brig.Sangram Keshary Ray) death in the tractor accident the bank loan was attached to Jyotsna Dei's account. The loss of her dear brother and reluctance and inability of other family members to take up the burden and the mounting compound interest took the smile out of Jyotsna Dei's face. She had many sleepless nights not knowing how to shoulder the load of such heavy responsibility. It was at this point the possibility arose of being associated with Babaji Maharaj and Prapatti via many letters and a transfer of land assets and liabilities to a trust for giving a practical shape to Sri Aurobindo's ideology with the effort to develop the whole 200 acres of land and pay up the loan . The final dialogue between Prapatti and Jyotsna Dei was on 27th May 1974. This day by coincidence was death anniversary of Kshetramohan Ray.Babaji Maharaj had felt a strange 'warmth' when the proposal had reached through Prapatti. This very word Prapatti had uttered in describing Babaji's experience. On 30th of June 1974 I remember being there at Dalijoda in the mud house at present the site of the old 'Dining Hall'. The Meditation was charged with the Mother's Presence.Soon the loans were paid off by devotees donating freely from all quarters. In the joy of this offering my aunt Indira, my mother Pratibha and uncle Ajit donated their share of land to the Trust. Dr. Jyotsna Dei and Bina Dei followed suit later.The Lord's physical advent to Dalijoda was on 4th of April, His day of arrival at the shores of Pondicherry ; this day happens also to be the birthday of this great lady Jyotsna Dei. A mere coincidence or Sweet Mother's loving sanction and grace?Champaklal had once told me that he had seen her crying. Giving a beautiful Blessings packet prepared by him of Mother's touched petals he had asked me to tell Jyotsna Dei 'not to worry'.When Jyotsna Dei left her body she had been repeating the Lord's and Mother's name. - The day she left was on 'Bahuda' during the Monday Study Circle hour and 18th July - Matrubahban's foundation day - all a coincidence again or sheer 'Grace'?Shree Kshetra farm is now transformed into the grand Sri Aurobindo Shrikshetra. For a gracious acceptance of the Lord of His own property there have to be some outward mechanics and flood of events that have gone by. For a grateful land however it was a prayer answered and sieze by the 'Jasmine's snare'.
Sometime in 1966-67 the son of Kshetramohan Ray, Brigadier Sangram Keshari Ray after his retirement took a Bank loan for the purpose of developing the family farm land. My mother Pratibha used to be there supervising the work with some distant relations to her aid. Her brother now joined her and would go there off and on.It was during this time after having sat for our school finals that my sister Reba and I went to spend a few days with our mother at Dalijoda. It was somewhere around 1968 February. It was at this time that we had written to the Mother a prayer to start student's Study Circle at Cuttack and suggested to our mother to organize a Study circle at Dalijoda also. While at Dalijoda I had walked up to the small hillock (now named Matru Shikhar by Madhu Bhaina) for the purpose of sketching. Sitting under the shade of a small shed meant for watching the paddy fields I was attempting to draw something. The calm beauteous and fragrant atmosphere suddenly came alive and perhaps the aspiration of the place came alive. A thought entered from somewhere and welled up from deep within - how wonderful it would be if this place belonged to the Mother! Perhaps wishing to develop in Her ideology. I don't know but the fragrance of that sublime moment I can never forget. The Sri Aurobindo Student's Association at Ranihat started on 12th July 1969. Reba and I joined S.C.B. Medical College in 1970. I went to Ashram in 1971 May with my friend Dr. Salila, sister Abha & brother Jaivir to attend a Youth Camp organized by Prapatti. The occasion to see the Mother for the first time was given to us on 25th May 1971. Day by day the urge to open our lives to the Mother grew. We, the children of Pratibha & Ajit joyfully organized the Study Circle. We started a small flower garden and in our childish way named it THE MOTHER'S GARDEN- We also started a vegetable garden - on behalf of the Study Circle in the campus of 'Shreekshetra' Ranihat - 'Shree' from Shreemati and 'Kshetra' from Kshetramohan. Incidentally this piece of land was purchased from Orissa's famous barrister Madhusudan Das who was afriend of my maternal grandfather, Capt. Dr. Kshetramohan Ray. My sister Rita joined Sri Aurobindo Ashram after having written to The Mother. She is ever since the family's bridge to The Mother.The farm at Dalijoda was named 'Shreekshetra farm'. After our uncle's (Brig.Sangram Keshary Ray) death in the tractor accident the bank loan was attached to Jyotsna Dei's account. The loss of her dear brother and reluctance and inability of other family members to take up the burden and the mounting compound interest took the smile out of Jyotsna Dei's face. She had many sleepless nights not knowing how to shoulder the load of such heavy responsibility. It was at this point the possibility arose of being associated with Babaji Maharaj and Prapatti via many letters and a transfer of land assets and liabilities to a trust for giving a practical shape to Sri Aurobindo's ideology with the effort to develop the whole 200 acres of land and pay up the loan . The final dialogue between Prapatti and Jyotsna Dei was on 27th May 1974. This day by coincidence was death anniversary of Kshetramohan Ray.Babaji Maharaj had felt a strange 'warmth' when the proposal had reached through Prapatti. This very word Prapatti had uttered in describing Babaji's experience. On 30th of June 1974 I remember being there at Dalijoda in the mud house at present the site of the old 'Dining Hall'. The Meditation was charged with the Mother's Presence.Soon the loans were paid off by devotees donating freely from all quarters. In the joy of this offering my aunt Indira, my mother Pratibha and uncle Ajit donated their share of land to the Trust. Dr. Jyotsna Dei and Bina Dei followed suit later.The Lord's physical advent to Dalijoda was on 4th of April, His day of arrival at the shores of Pondicherry ; this day happens also to be the birthday of this great lady Jyotsna Dei. A mere coincidence or Sweet Mother's loving sanction and grace?Champaklal had once told me that he had seen her crying. Giving a beautiful Blessings packet prepared by him of Mother's touched petals he had asked me to tell Jyotsna Dei 'not to worry'.When Jyotsna Dei left her body she had been repeating the Lord's and Mother's name. - The day she left was on 'Bahuda' during the Monday Study Circle hour and 18th July - Matrubahban's foundation day - all a coincidence again or sheer 'Grace'?Shree Kshetra farm is now transformed into the grand Sri Aurobindo Shrikshetra. For a gracious acceptance of the Lord of His own property there have to be some outward mechanics and flood of events that have gone by. For a grateful land however it was a prayer answered and sieze by the 'Jasmine's snare'.
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