Saturday, May 21, 2011

Sri Aurobindo was born on August 15, 1872


Readings in the constitutional history of India, 1757-1947 - S. V. Desika Char - 1983 - 789 pages - B. Philosophic radicalism of Aurobindo Ghosh, 1907-081 Bande Mataram, 14 April 1908 The present conditions of Government in this country are full of the germs of the Occidental malady, and if India is to escape from it, it must be,...
Dayanand commemoration volume: a homage to Maharshi Dayanand ... - Har Bilas Sarda (Diwan Bahadur) - 1933 - 418 pages - DAYANAND The man and his work ( Sriyui Aurobindo Ghosh ) AMONG the great company of remarkable figures that will •**> appear to the eye of posterity at the head of the Indian Renaissance, one stands out by himself with peculiar and ...
Famous Indians of the 21st Century - Page 177 - Vishwamitra Sharma - 2007 - 225 pages - India will be a spiritual guide for the rest of the world. • There will be progress towards man's ultimate development and he will become capable of solving his problems himself. Aurobindo Ghosh ...
Freedom fighters of India (in four volumes) - Page 91 - Lion M. G. Agrawal - 2008 - Aurobindo Ghosh, Mahatma Gandhi, and came to this country to serve it. 'Here reposes Sister Nivedita who gave her all to ... She was a member of the Central Council of Action formed by Aurobindo Ghosh and took up the editorship of the ...
PLACE OF CHILD According to Aurobindo Ghosh, each child has his own inherent capacities and special abilities. To fully develop these divine gifts is the chief purpose of education. In his opinion to. develop the latent faculties, ...
Past Experience Aurobindo hailed from Ghosh family which had come from Punjab and settled in Bengal. The name of his father was Dr. Krishna DhanGhosh and the name of his mother was Swaranlata Devi. Dr. Ghosh was a great admirer of ...
Most of them, led by Aurobindo Ghosh, thought that the time has come to part ways with the moderates, push them out of the leadership of ... When it came to the crunch, he had to go with the more extreme leaders likeAurobindo Ghosh. ...
He joined the Bandemataram, an extremist weekly edited by Aurobindo Ghosh (Sri Aurobindo of later days) in 1906. Thereafter, he edited a Bengali monthly named Aryavar- ta. In 1914, he became the first editor of the daily Basumati and ...
Life Aurobindo Ghosh was born on August 15, 1872, at Konanagar, West Bengal. He began his early education at Loreto Convent School in Dar- jeeling and was taken to England at the age of seven. There he was put under the care of a ...
Language forum: Volumes 1-4 - 1975 - Snippet view
But let me assure you tl this is not the reason why Punjabi poets, writers and intellectuals hi failed to respond to the phenomenon of Sri Aurobindo GhoshTb| are much deeper reasons for this failure, if failure that might be. ...
The great Sayajirao Gaekwad the III was the one who gave a job to Aurobindo Ghosh, and brought him to Baroda to help him in his Reign as a benevolent ruler of the then-Baroda state. I am proud to be associated with Sri Vinaysinh,...
These include the Indian sage philosopher Sri Aurobindo Ghosh, the German poet-historian Jean Gebser, both writing in the mid-nineteenth century, and the contemporary American sage and philosopher Ken Wilber. Sri Aurobindo Sri Aurobindo ...
Strenuous attempt by a westernised father to groom Aurobindo Ghosh as a civil servant had the opposite effect of shaping him into an ardent nationalist. Aurobindo was born on August 15, 1872. His father, a medical officer with foreign ...
Baroda: When Aurobindo Ghosh was the principal of a college at Baroda, he organised a revolutionary society. ... The extremist leaders Aurobindo Ghosh and Bipin Chandra Pal followed the method of constitutionalism. ...
At this time Aurobindo Ghosh flung himself into this movement and organised Sabhas, Samitis Akharas and Ashrams everywhere to ... Aurobindo Ghosh was a first class honours graduate from Cambridge. He gave up his lucrative job with the ...
The extremists met separately under the chairmanship of Aurobindo Ghosh and reaffirmed their unshakable faith in Swaraj, Swadeshi, boycott and national education. The extremists were fortunate in having some outstanding leaders like Bal ...
(c) In Bengal, the terrorists were inspired by the writings of Aurobindo Ghosh and Bhupendranath Dutta, brother of Vivekananda. ... (e) Aurobindo Ghosh and 38 others were arrested in connection with Alipore Bomb Case. ...
The Mystery of the Human Aura, The Spiritualist Association of Great Britain, 1972 Aurobindo, Sri Famous Hindu mystic, philosopher and poet. Sri Aurobindo Ghosh ('Sri' is an honorific, pronounced 'Shree') was born in 1872 and educated ...
Aurobindo Ghosh The early nineties of the nineteenth century were the seed time of extremism. It was Aurobindo Ghosh who decried the Congress policy. In one article he said 'A body like the Congress which represents not the mass of the ...
"Thoughts and writings of this yogi, Aurobindo Gosh are recognised all over the world." Those who come to Auroville, he said, therefore, do so "considering it a sacred place, a 'Tirath,' because the spirit of Aurobindo Ghosh still ...
"(according to the observation made by Chief Justice Jenkins in his judgement in the Alipur bomb case).51 Aurobindo Ghosh also believed that armed revolution was necessary to liberate the mother-land from the foriegn yoke. ...
4 Tilak, Gandhi and Aurobindo Sarat Kumar Dora Bal Gangadhar Tilak (1856-1920), Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) and Aurobindo Ghosh (1872-1950) were the three leaders of India who considered . India's liberation from foreign rule as the ...
Chapter 4 Sri Aurobindo on Time, Change, Humanity and Aesthetics Parti Sri Aurobindo' s Concepts of Time and Change ... First, we shall lay down Sri Aurobindo's idea of Time, the role it is intended to play in his metaphysical scheme. ...
AUROBINDO GHOSH The early nineties of the nineteenth century were the seed time of extremism. It was Aurobindo Ghosh who decried the Congress policy. In one article he said 'A body like the Congress which represents not the mass of the ...
INTRODUCTION i As already noted, the present work is an assessment of the life and work of one greatman — Swami Dayananda Saraswati (1824- 1883) by another great man— Sri Aurobindo Ghosh* (1872-1950). Before we see what the assessment ...
Also incorrect is the statement made here that “Sri Aurobindo shut himself away for seventeen years at Pondicherry.” 20. “Let us take an example tiresomely common in the Vedas to which Sri Aurobindo Ghosh draws attention: cattle (go). ...
1910) A renowned and emulable freedom fighter and a staunch advocate of SriAurobindo Ghosh, Ganpat Ram Talwaria, was born in 1910 at Talwara Khurd in the Sirsa district. After completion of his primary education, he joined his father, ...
When it came to the crunch, he had to go with the more extreme leaders like Aurobindo Ghosh. ... that the four resolutions would be passed, the extremists decided to object to the duly elected President for the year, Rash Behari Ghosh. ...
With this in mind, the National Council of Education (NCE) was established by Raja Subodh Chandra Mallik, Brajendra Kishore Roychowdhury, Sir Rash Behari Ghosh (first President of NCE), Rabindranath Tagore and SriAurobindo Ghosh. ...
The moderates felt alarmed at the political views and activities of Aurobindo Ghosh. Those at the helm of affairs at the Council could not approve of the call that Aurobindo Ghosh used to give to the students to inspire them, ...
He was a famous Bar-at-Law and out of many important cases he pleaded for Sri Aurobindo Ghosh against the British Empire. Once he wrote— ". ... Sri Aurobindo ( Aurovinda Ghosh) (15/08/1872 - 5/12/1950) Sri Aurobindo (Aurovinda Ghosh ...
See Karan Singh, Prophet of Indian Nationalism: A Study of the Political Thought of Sri Aurobindo Ghosh, 1893-1910 (London: Allen, 1963); Vish- wanath Prasad Varma, The Political Philosophy of Sri Aurobindo (New York: Asia, 1960); ...
Aurobindo Ghosh, Sri. "The Message & Mission of India." Bombay: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 1964. Aurobindo Ghosh, Sri. "Savitri." Pondicherry: Sri Aurobindo Society. Azzan, Abdul Rahman. "Eternal Message of Muhammad....
BPPAlfXXMo.26/ 6 July 1907/ 567 (a): During 1907-8, Vithal Balkrishna Joshi used to work as a teacher under the name of Rahalkar in the nationalist school called Gananath Vidyalaya founded by Aurobindo Ghosh and his Cambridge friend Bar ...
Indian struggle for freedom - Satyavrata Ghosh - 1988 - 183 pages - Snippet view
Barindra Nath Ghosh, the younger brother of Aurobindo Ghosh and Bupendra Nath Datta, the younger brother of Swamy ... It influenced many, including ShriAurobindo Ghosh, who preached that "the whole moral strength of country is with us, ...
Sri Aurobindo's main ideas on Education Aurobindo Ghosh was against the prevalent education of his times. He showed to mankind the way to the highest spiritual growth. According to Sri Aurobindo the aim of education is spiritual ...
To understand the nature of authenticity with this perspective, an analysis of the life stories of Sri Aurobindo and Mahatma Gandhi was carried out. Aurobindo Ghosh (1872-1950) is known both as a freedom fighter and a great thinker. ...
Reformist leaders like Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Sri Aurobindo Ghosh, Swami Vivekananda, Swami Dayanand and others ... Aurobindo Ghosh, in the spirit of such European nationalists as Mazzino, saw a divine expression of God in the nation. ...
The second group consisted of persons like Shyamji Krishnavarma, Sri Aurobindo Ghosh, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, Lala Lajpat Rai, (Bal, Pal, Lai) and a host of other well known revolutionaries who laid down their lives for ...
Even in 1921 in a letter written to his elder brother Sarat Bose on the 16th February he alluded to the noble, inspiring, lofty and unselfish path trod by Aurobindo Ghosh in his attempt to liberate the motherland from the foreign yoke. ...
Sri Aurobindo, his life unique - Rishabhchand - 1981 - 427 pages - Snippet view
Aurobindo Ghosh with his clear insight into the swadharma (law of action) of his own people was suffusing it with a spiritual ... "Aurobindo Ghosh was now out of prison, and Nivedita had her school decorated... to celebrate his release...
Aurobindo Ghosh represented both in his person and political writings these twin aspects of radical Indian nationalism in the ... Aurobindo Ghosh's career in active politics was very brief— from 1905 to 1910 — but he created a profound ...
South Asian affairs: Volume 2 - Raghavan Narasimhan Iyer - 1966 - Snippet view
Although Tilak, Lajpat Rai, Bipin Chandra Pal and Aurobindo Ghosh were unanimous in disparaging the methods of the ... 79 " Aurobindo Ghosh, The Doctrine of Passive Resistance (first published in Bande Mataram, 9-23 April 1907) ...
When speaking about the nationalist movement in South India my brother mentioned to Aurobindo Ghosh that we were conducting 1 Srinivasachari is referring to the decision of his family to finance the Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company. ...
6 The Search of a Prime Minister : Multiple Voices The extremists who also contained a galaxy of celebrities like Tilak, Aurobindo Ghosh, Bipin Chandra Pal and Lala Lajpat Rai had no faith in bona Jides of the British Indian government ...
Although Tilak, Lajpat Rai, Bipin Chandra Pal and Aurobindo Ghosh were unanimous in disparaging the methods of the Moderates, they differed ... 79 27 Aurobindo Ghosh, The Doctrine of Passive Resistance (first published in Bande Mataram, ...
Netaji, a realist and a visionary - Amita Ghosh - 1986 - 276 pages - Snippet view
In Bengal the seeds germinated and sprouted with the arrival on the scene of the early stalwarts like Surendranath Banerjee, Bipin Chandra Pal and Aurobindo Ghosh. The libertarian winds from abroad also helped the germinating process. ...
The extremist thinkers and writers like Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai, BC Pal and Aurobindo Ghosh did ... The lead was taken by Barinder Kumar Ghosh (brother of Aurobindo Ghosh) and Bhupendranath (brother of Vivekanand). ...
The organization was headed by Barindrakumar Ghosh, brother of Aurobindo Ghosh. Anusheelan Samiti received counsel and guidance from Aurobindo Ghosh. The organization even had a bomb manufacturing centre at Maniktala near Kolkata. ...
The Anushilan Samiti was the first revolutionary organization in Bengal spearheaded by a small band of young men, led by Barindra Ghosh, Aurobindo Ghosh and Chittaranjan Das. They had centres at Calcutta, Dacca and Jessore. ...
2 Aurobindo Ghosh was not only a staunch nationalist but a spiritual internationalist also. In the editorial of Bande Matram on September 9, 1907, he wrote "Patriotism is only a phase of that universal brotherhood which humanity aims at ...
Sri Aurobindo emerged from the jail with a sense of widened horizons which profoundly influenced his future life. Aurobindo Ghosh was born in Calcutta on 15th August, 1872, as the third son of Dr. Krishnadhan Ghosh and Swarnalata Devi. ...
Sri Aurobindo (1872-1950) Born on 15 August 1872 in Calcutta, Aurobindo Ghosh was sent to school in England at the age of seven. There, first at the Manchester Grammar School, then at St. Paul's in London and finally at King's College, ...
Dwell - Dec 2004 - Page 94 - Vol. 5, No. 2 - 192 pages - Magazine - Full view
Story by Pankaj Vir Gupta and Christine Mueller Most devotees at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram maintain limited contact ... Sri Aurobindo Ghosh, a prominent Indian activist, renounced his pursuit of India's independence from the British, ...
India's struggle for freedom: role of associated movements: Volume 1 - Pran Nath Chopra, Xavier Arakal - 1985 - 843 pages - Snippet view
Aurobindo Ghosh on his return to India after fourteen years in England wrote a series of articles in the Journal Indu ... In the third series of articles published under the caption "New Lamps for the Old" (1893-94), Aurobindo Ghosh ...
History and study of man... lead towards the perception of the eternal and universal power and Being whose thought and will work out through cosmic and human evolution.21 This is a sample of what Aurobindo Ghosh thinks about philo- sopy ...
Sri Aurobindo (Aurobindo Ghosh, 1872-1950) is one of the modern philosophers of India. I emphasize Sri Aurobindo’s name in relation to Indian philosophy quite strongly, because it is through his philosophy of ...
Aurobindo Ghosh, soon to emerge as the theoretician of Hindu revolutionary politics, was a student in England a little earlier. Highly gifted, his unhappy years at a public school and university had alienated him from the West. ...
The Modern review: Volumes 130-131 - 1972 - Snippet view
At this Aurobindo himself is reported to have remarked, "It seemed Narayan himself has come to my release". ... still and superb oratory, CR Das was able to have his client, Aurobindo Ghosh, acquitted of all charges and released. ...

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Transforming 21st Century Education

News from Puducherry (formerly Pondicherry)
January 2011
Upcoming Events
133rd Birth Anniversary of the Mother - 21 February 2011
The Mother at Pondicherry

On 21 February 2011 we celebrate the Mother's 133rd birth anniversary. The Mother's room will be open for darshan for devotees on that day. There will also be a collective meditation in the Ashram from 6:00 to 6:30 am.
The Mother came to the earth with a great spiritual mission. Sri Aurobindo has said that:
"The Mother comes in order to bring the Supramental."

"Her embodiment is a chance for the earth-consciousness to receive the Supramental into it and undergo the transformation necessary for that to be possible."
The Mother first met Sri Aurobindo in the year 1914. After their meeting, Sri Aurobindo said that he had never seen anywhere a self-surrender so absolute and unreserved as that of the Mother. Later, Sri Aurobindo mentioned about the significance of the presence of the Mother on earth in the following words:

"The great work of the Avatar is to manifest the Divine Grace upon earth. To be a disciple of the Avatar is to become an instrument of the Divine Grace. The Mother is the great dispensatrix - through identity - of the Divine Grace with a perfect knowledge - through identity - of the absolute mechanism of Universal Justice. 
And through her mediation each movement of sincere and confident aspiration towards the Divine calls down in response the intervention of the Grace."

The Mother herself has emphasised that "I am on earth because it is on earth that the divine work must be done, and for no other reason."
Talk in Tamil - 21 February 2011
Shri M.S. Sundararajan of the Sri Aurobindo Society, Pondicherry will deliver a talk in Tamil, 'Andraada Vaazhkaiyil Annai' at the Society House Hall on 21st February 2011, at 10 am as part of the Mother's birthday anniversary celebrations.
SAFIER Annual Guest Lecture - 8 & 9 February 2011
The Sri Aurobindo Foundation for Integral Education and Research (SAFIER), a unit of the Society, will have a two-day talk on 'Transforming 21st Century Education: Interacting Ideas and Practices from India and America' as part of its 2011 Annual Guest Lecture Series. The talk, by Dr. Maureen P. Hall, will be held at the Society House hall in Puducherry. Dr. Hall, a Professor of Education at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, US, is in India as part of her Fulbright Scholarship from 1st to 16th of February. All are welcome to attend the talk and interact with Dr. Hall. For more details please contact Shivakumar on +91-94426 25637 or Dr. Sampadananda Mishra on +91-99528 88350.
 Recent Events News from Puducherry
1. Bonne Année
Decoration with lamps

New Year's day was observed by the Sri Aurobindo Society, Puducherry, at its Society House hall at 10 am with the lighting of lamps and a collective meditation. This was followed by invocations and songs by a few devotees and local staff, invoking the Presence and Grace of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother and a re-dedication to their work.
Women's Council Seminar "Opening to Sri Aurobindo's Force": 21 - 23 November 2010
Pradeepbhai, Chairperson of Sri Aurobindo Society, addressing the participants

A view of the participants

The Sri Aurobindo Society's Women's Council held its annual seminar last year from 21 to 23 November. It was a particularly special event as it was held to commemorate the centenary of Sri Aurobindo's arrival in Pondicherry and the Society's Golden Jubilee. Thus the theme of the seminar was 'Opening to Sri Aurobindo's Force' as that is the best way to pay homage to Sri Aurobindo, according to the Mother. The 60 delegates, men and women, who attended the seminar, held at the Society House in Pondicherry, spent the three days reflecting on how to open up to Sri Aurobindo's force. Delegates were welcomed by Shri Pradeep Narang, the Chairman of the Society and Ms. Lachmanben Melvani. Shri Narang introduced the main topic and explained what our relationship with Sri Aurobindo should be and how we can come into contact with His force and light. This was followed by a self-introduction by delegates.
Each day started with a one-hour physical movement session from 6am, led by Ms Datta, a teacher from the Ashram School. The sessions started at 8.30 am with meditation and an invocation by different people each day and ended with an inspiring collective chanting led by Surabhi, who chose different hymns - the first day on Sri Aurobindo, the second day a Sanskrit verse and on the third day Sri Aurobindo's Gayatri Mantra. There was also a power-point presentation by Maitreyee on 'Flower of the Day' where every day different flowers with spiritual significance to Sri Aurobindo according to the Mother were highlighted. Every morning also saw the delegates, who had been divided into eight groups led by a group guide, discuss and introspect on selected passages from 'Savitri'.
Talks were given on different subjects but in the context of the seminar's topic by various devotees of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother:
21 November:
a) Richard from the Ashram School narrated anecdotes on Sri Aurobindo and the Mother and gave some practical observations and guidelines on reading Savitri.
b) A power-point presentation by Sagarika on Sri Aurobindo's life from His boyhood days to His life in Baroda as a professor showed some rare pictures and not very well-known facts on the life of the Master.
c) Dr. Alok Pandey gave a synopsis of Sri Aurobindo's works. He began with the importance of Sri Aurobindo's books and how to use this gift in our daily lives, then went a little deeper into how to read Sri Aurobindo by quietening our minds and understanding the meaning of what He says with our deeper self.
d) Sushanto and Rathi took up some less-known aspects of Sri Aurobindo by sharing glimpses of His humour from books by Nirodbaran and other sadhaks.
e) Bharati Dhar spoke on 'Application of Sri Aurobindo's Vision on Economics' where each person was given an opportunity to undertake the work of his/her choice.

22 November:
a) Prof. Saikat Sen spoke on 'Opening to Sri Aurobindo in all Aspects of Life', and shared some inspiring and deep insights from the Collected Works of the Mother.
b) Shakuntala Manay of Bangalore gave a powerful presentation titled 'Opening and Offering' which was essentially a compilation of points on Integral Yoga from Sri Aurobindo's book 'Letters on Yoga'.
c) Krishna Modi offered a beautiful presentation on '100 years of Sri Aurobindo's arrival in Pondicherry', narrating how He came to Pondicherry, the places He had stayed, etc.
d) Rathi and Sushanto presented a very different and interesting aspect of 'Sri Aurobindo - the Gentleman'.
e) Lachmanben shared her personal experiences and a few anecdotes on her contact with the Mother.

23 November:
a) The day started with an invocation from 'Sri Aurobindo's Upanishad', recited by the Society's Sai Baba 
b) Dr. Maya Kirpalani gave an interesting talk on the subject of the seminar, 'Opening to Sri Aurobindo' with examples from daily life.
c) In the afternoon session guides or representatives of each group shared insights, learning and experiences on 'Introspection on the Savitri'. 
d) It was a profoundly moving and satisfying experience when Latha spoke about her personal experiences on 'Opening to Sri Aurobindo'.
e) In the open session, Vasant Das from the U.S.A and Sharda Goenka from Rajasthan expressed their views and feelings on the seminar.
f) Sudarshan from Auroville read passages from Savitri, while Mangaikarasi narrated two inspiring short stories.
g) Sushilaben completed the sessions by summing up with her reflections on the experiences and insights achieved in the course of the three days.

News from Branches and Centres
News from India
Mumbai Branch (Maharashtra)
a. 22 & 23 October 2010
Prof. Manojdas from Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry spoke on 'How Far is Spiritual Life from Worldly Life?' and 'Faith and Friendship in the era of Changing Values' at the evening talks arranged by the Sri Aurobindo Society Mumbai Branch on 22nd and 23rd of October at the CCI Club. The talks, held in the evenings from 4 to 6:30, were followed by a questions and answers session. Prasad was distributed at the end of the talks to around 70 persons who attended the talks on both evenings.

b. 24 November - 1 December 2010, Artists Camp
Some of the Art works on display

More Art works on display

The Sri Aurobindo Society Mumbai Branch organised an Artists Camp in Ramgarh, Nanintal from 24th November to 1st December. Twenty-five artists from Bombay, Surat, Bangalore, Pondicherry, Baroda and Meerut participated in the camp which included interactive talks and presentations on various topics:
" Abhipsa Rami - Appreciating Indian Art; and The Divinity Hidden in Indian Art - its deep spiritual content, value and inspiration
" Jesal Thacker - Inspiration - its source and different planes; and The Artworks of the Mother and Her views on Art. 
" Rajarshi Smart - Popular Art - Its Past, Present and Future
" Kaivalya Smart - Intuition and its role in creativity; and Sri Aurobindo on Intuition.
It was not only a good learning experience but at the end of the camp many of the participants showed keen interest in getting involved with the Society's activities.

c. 19 December 2010, Ikebana Workshop
Ms. Jesal Thacker, interacting with the participants
A display of Ikebana, done by the participants

The Mumbai Branch organised an Ikebana workshop on 19th December as part of the Society's Golden Jubilee Celebrations . It was attended by about 18 participants from the different centres of Mumbai. Ms. Jesal Thacker, who conducted the workshop, explained that Ikebana is a kind of concentration and one has to feel the flowers, its colour, its fragrance and its form and beauty and before arranging the flowers one has to look at all the possibilities, then go for the best arrangement one can visualise. Ikebana, meaning living flowers, is also known as kado or the way of flowers.
She then demonstrated three or four Ikebana arrangements, followed by the participants, who got to do two arrangements each. Each arrangement was given a quality like Sincerity, Devotion, Faith, Courage, Humility, Endurance, Gratitude, etc. Participants were given three to five flowers each as per their need and once everyone got their flowers, other materials like sticks, paper and vase, and their own space, as per the seating arrangements, they set to work, taking their time and some of the arrangements came out really beautiful. Once everyone had completed their arrangements there was a concluding session, where participants were free to share the feelings or thoughts they had discovered in the course of the workshop or about their arrangement. The result was a happy and joyful response, a manifestation of the beauty generated in the atmosphere. The arrangements were displayed for two days at the centre. The workshop was followed by meditation and Prasad distribution.
d. 13 & 14 December 2010, Talk by Dr Alok Pandey 
Dr Alok Pandey, speaking to the audience

Dr Alok Pandey of the Sri Aurobindo Society, Pondicherry was the guest speaker at a two-day talk on Savitri arranged by the Society's Mumbai Regional Committee at the Churchgate Centre. The talks, attended by about 50 devotees and members of the public, were followed by a question and answer session.
Noida (U.P.)
1st January 2011: A special collective meditation was held on new year's day from 9.30 to 10am by the Society's Noida Branch. About 35 devotees and their families took part in the meditation, after which sweets and calendars of the Mother were distributed to all.
Republic Day Celebrations at Sri Aurobindo Bhavan, Noida

Seen here: Shri Vijay Kumar Sharma, Chairman, Sri Aurobindo Society, Noida Branch (5th from Right). Also seen are Shri V.P. Goyal, Dr. Puneesh Taneja, Shri O.P. Dani, Ls. Shoba Dani, Smt. Seema Ahluwalia and other distinguished guests
A view of the audience

26 January 2011, Republic Day Celebration: Noida Branch celebrated Republic Day with members, their families and students of nearby schools at Sri Aurobindo Bhavan, Sector 62, Noida. The function began with the hoisting of the National Flag by Shri Vijay Kumar Sharma, Chairman, Sri Aurobindo Society, Noida Branch in the presence of Shri V.P. Goyal, Shri O.P. Dani, Ms. Shobha Dani, Mrs. Seema Ahluwalia and other distinguished guests. This was followed by the students singing patriotic songs and Ms. Shobha Dani and Mrs. Seema Ahluwalia reciting bhajans on Sri Aurobindo and the Mother.
Shri Vijay Kumar Sharma, Chairman, Sri Aurobindo Society, Noida Branch, 
addressing the participants of the Youth Camp

A view of the participants


One day Youth Camp, 29 January 2011: A one-day Youth Camp was organised at Sri Aurobindo Bhavan for 35 students from different colleges. Shri K. Pawan from Sri Aurobindo Society, Patiala Branch and Shri Arun Naik from Noida conducted the camp where participants were enlightened on such topics as 'Youth & the powers within'; 'Youth and India'; 'Youth and Sri Aurobindo' and 'Youth and the Spiritual Dimensions of Life'. The youngsters evinced keen interest and participated actively in programme.

In addition to these specific programmes the Noida Branch is also busy with the following regular activities:
Meditation, spiritual reading and bhajans - every Sunday from 10 to 11am.

Discussions on the Gita - every Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 1pm with about 12 participants led by Shri Viswa Mohan Tiwari, Air Vice-Marshal (Retd.)

'Our Prayer' - recitation of a prayer given by the Mother for those who wish to serve the Divine, followed by meditation is done daily at Sri Aurobindo Bhavan. 

Yogasan & Pranayam programme - Monday to Saturday, for one hour, is being held at Sri Aurobindo Bhavan, Noida. The programme, conducted by Acharya Virendra Nath Pandey, a scholar of Sanskrit and the Gita, is attended by 10 participants.

Free eye checks/consultations - every Sunday from 11.00am to 1.00pm by Dr. P.S. Chauhan.

Free Acupressure Treatment - for two hours daily from Monday to Friday by Shri Girish Prakash Shukla at Sri Aurobindo Bhavan.
Madhya Pradesh State Committee Meeting: 22 January 2011
The Madhya Pradesh State Committee meeting was held on 22nd January 2011, and presided over by Shri Vijay K. Poddar. The meeting was held to look into the activities of the State's Centres and Branches and how the activities could be extended further to include nearby villages.

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh)

Anniversary of the installation of Sri Aurobindo's sacred Relics, 15 - 17 December 2010: 
A 3-day celebration was organised by the Bhopal Branch of the Sri Aurobindo Society to commemorate the anniversary of the installation of Sri Aurobindo's sacred Relics.
- On the morning of 15th December a talk, 'Life Management' was held at the Sagar Institute of Research and Technology. The speakers were Shri Kaivalya Smart and Shri Manoj Sharma. In the evening Shri Kaivalya Smart spoke on 'Sri Aurobindo on the Upanishads' at the Branch.
- On 16th morning, at 9.30 am Shri Kaivalya Smart inaugurated a science exhibition at the Sri Aurobindo School, Bhopal. He also spoke on the 'Important events in Sri Aurobindo's Life'. Later in the morning Shri Kaivalya Smart and Shri Manoj Sharma spoke on 'Concentration' at the Model School. In the evening a question and answer session was held at the Branch.
- On the 17th talks on 'Gita in the light of Sri Aurobindo' by Dr. D.N. Joshi and Shri Satish Chitwar were held at the Branch premises.


New Year Celebrations, 1 & 2 January 2011: 
Meditation was held around the Relics on New Year's day, followed by distribution of the message card. On 2nd January Dr. D.N. Joshi spoke on 'Purusha' as the topic for the month.

Indore (Madhya Pradesh)

Workshop on 'Life Management', 1 January 2011: 
The Indore branch celebrated the new year by holding a half-day workshop on 'Life Management in the light of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother' for the faculty and staff of Prestige Institute of Management, Indore. Dr. Suman Kocher, Chairperson of Sri Aurobindo Society, who conducted the workshop, explained the concept with a PPT Presentation. Dr. Kocher also delivered a lecture on Naturopathy, health and balanced diet. The Workshop ended with participants doing asanas and meditation.

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh)
28 December 2010: Dr. Meeta Bisen, Chairperson of the Society's Lucknow-Jopling Road Centre addressed a group of 40 students involved in the social and economic development of rural women. They discussed the problems which they are facing in the area and were given the following booklets in Hindi for distribution - Nari Ko Uske Bare Mein; Bachchon Ka Sahi Lalan Plan; and Shri Ma Ek Jeevan Parichay. They were also introduced to the work of SARVAM which inspired the students to plan to work along the same lines.
Azamgarh (Uttar Pradesh)
9 January 2011: A programme was organised at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra on 'The relevance of Sri Aurobindo' and 'Aims and Objectives of the Sri Aurobindo Society'. The function was presided over by Prof. Mayank, a noted scholar of Azamgarh while the main speaker was Dr. J.P. Singh. Booklets and the 15th August Darshan message cards were distributed to the 53 participants who attended the function.
Mathura Centre (Uttar Pradesh)
The Mathura Centre of the Sri Aurobindo Society celebrated the beginning of 2011 with a 'Prakash Utsav', where members lighted candles for the invocation of Mother's grace upon everyone. The ceremony concluded with a collective meditation.

New Delhi
a. 3 January 2011: 
On the first working day of 2011, Monday, 3rd January, all the sadhaks, volunteers, devotees and teachers of the Navakriti School gathered in the meditation room for a collective meditation following which Darshan cards and Prasad were distributed.


b. 9 January 2011:
A programme for senior citizens, 'Grand Parents Day', was organised by the Delhi Branch on 9th January. Mr. S.L. Mittal, Executive Committee Member, gave a talk on Rhythmic Breathing Exercises, explaining how regular exercise can help reduce stress. Around 40 senior citizens, including some grandparents of Navakriti students, participated in the event.

News from Abroad Nairobi (Kenya)

a. 17 December 2010: 
The Society's Nairobi Centre presented 2000 booklets of ten different titles to The Karen Hospital on 17th December. The hospital, which has a main hospital and two satellite clinics in Nairobi, has agreed to place the booklets in all the main reception areas for patients while some will be distributed to the hospital staff.


b. 20th December 2010: 
Two members of the Nairobi Centre, Sri Aurobindo Society, visited the Physically Disabled Society of Kenya in Nairobi on 20th December where they were welcomed by the Deputy Director and other officials. After a brief introduction on the aims and activities of Sri Aurobindo Society, 2000 booklets of ten different titles were presented to the PDSK to be kept at its main outlets in and around Nairobi.

Tuesday, February 08, 2011

Abandon dogma and embark upon individual journeys of inner discovery


In the section economy we publish an interview with Professor Emeritus Dr. Henk Thomas from The Netherlands and Chartered Accountant Manuel Thomas from Chennai on their forthcoming monograph on 40 years Auroville economy, the result of almost 12 years of research into the development of the Auroville economy from1968 till 2008, which will be published this year.
Another article dealing with the Auroville economy is about the introduction of the Aurocard, a credit-card size smart card that will gradually replace the guest card and guest account which have been used for many years.
In the section ‘references' Alan talks about the pressing need that antagonistic and mutually exclusive approaches be harmonized, where each can comprehend the truth of the other. This requires the courage to abandon dogma and embark upon individual journeys of inner discovery…December 2010
Development challenges for Auroville are the main theme of the December 2010 issue of Auroville Today... November 2010
For those adults who don't have teenagers of their own or who lack regular contact with Auroville teenagers, the youth of Auroville are something of an enigma. What are they really like? What are their preoccupations and their goals? What do they find to celebrate about this place and what frustrates them? And what is the nature of their relationship to Auroville? To find out more, Auroville Today spoke to two classes of 18 – 20 year olds at Future School . Some had joined Auroville relatively recently, but almost half of them were born in Auroville.
Are the youth losing faith in Auroville? Carissa J. Devine, a Fulbright-Nehru Research Scholar from the USA who did a research project on the Auroville youth, believes so and writes that ‘the youth are subject to despair, disconnection and frustration'. This opinion, however, is not shared. And if we look at what the current generation of young adults in Auroville are doing, we see that the majority of those who left Auroville for some time, be it for studies or work experience, came back and are now pioneering new communities and starting businesses and service units. None of them seem to have lost the faith.
Auroville Radio provides daily information about life in the international community of Auroville. Need to Celebrate
Krishna from Solitude Farm, and leading man of Emergence talks about past festival in Auroville.
“There I got a chance to see Auroville. I observed old-timer Aurovilleans doing lot of work in healing of the earth, land restoration and food farming. ...
She worked as a textile designer for Auroville, where she handled mostly organic fabric and then came back to Bangalore to work for a textile studio. ... 
Israel who are studying drama at the Performing Arts Studios in that city; the other by the Mohanam Performing Arts Group from Auroville in Chennai. ...
AUP students, who spent their winter break 2010 in Auroville, ... The Auroville Sustainable Development Practicum takes a practical approach to teaching ...
Film: AUROVILLE - The city the earth needs ... Auroville is an ambitious experience, a kind of laboratory from where will perhaps come out the ideal town of ...
Went around to the Auroville Ashram where you find the mammoth Matri Mandir, ... The route to the Auroville Ashram is covered with a Green Canopy almost as ...

Sunday, October 24, 2010

July tour to all 30 districts of Odisha

This is the first year of July Tour during which our dear Dada is not materially present. He was and is the guide to all our activities of organisation not only for the last 12 years after the passing on of Babaji Maharaj but has been in contact with the work in Orissa for the last 48 years. He took up the task of subjecting “The Mother’s Work in Orissa” to the direct guidance of the Divine Mother. His constant advice to rely on Her, to remember Her and repeat the Name ‘MA’ in the midst of all our activities is the source of a great strength to us.
The Divine Mother has initiated Her own work in Orissa through Her great child Babaji Maharaj who not only insisted upon constantly remembering the aim of life given to us by the Divine Master and the Mother but gave the practical format of translating Their Ideal in the society in the shape of the ‘Sri Aurobindo Study Circle’ movement. He along with Prapatti gave the clarion call for the necessity of upholding the purity of the being and courage of conviction in the Ideal and was an exemplar par excellence. When Dada took up the work as liaison to the Divine he gave a fresh impetus, a bold thrust and massive encouragement to march towards the goal which he reiterated was a certainty. In the midst of confusion and apparent retardations and danger, his clear support stood out as upon a rock to fight out all hostility.
In all past 11 years of our July tour, to all 30 districts of Orissa, we used to inform him daily, the detail report of the activities and challenges as well as achievements of the day. This year too we felt his close attention on us, guiding our steps to fulfill Her Intention in Her Work in Orissa. We remember his tender insistence of now trying to directly depend on the Guidance of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo from within perhaps trying to groom us for the day when he would no longer be there materially to do this for us. From the depth of our heart, we convey our deep gratitude for our Loving elder brother, this great son of the Supreme Divine Mother.
We pray at Her Lotus Feet that this infallible Guidance may be available to us in spite of our numerous shortcomings and failures.
Last year we have completed the silver jubilee of July Tour and this is the 26th year. During this tour in every district meeting we addressed the very purpose of this organisational work and we reminded all the members regarding the individual responsibility of an organiser. The subject of discussion was “The true Divine Work”. We observed a very positive effect of this discussion on all the listeners who were mostly the brothers and sisters offering service in Sri Aurobindo Integral schools and the organisers of Sri Aurobindo Study Circles of Orissa, they seemed to have had a fresh determination to participate in Her Work.
VICTORY TO OUR SWEET MOTHER !
STATE COORDINATORS
Anadi Charan Swain Ch.Nirakar
At/Po: Sri Aurobindo Shreekshetra Matrubhaban
Via- Kotsahi, Dist: Cuttack Sri Aurobindo Marg, Cuttack-753013
ZONAL CONVENERS
ASTHA ASPRUHA KRUPA
Kendujhar, Bhadrak Gajapati, Ganjam, Dhenkanal, Anugul
Mayurbhanj, Baleswar Kandhamala
Janardan Acharya Udayanath Reddy Rudra Prasad Mohanty
At: Keshdurapal At: R.Damodarpalli Ma Ashis, House No -19
Po : Deogaon, Kendujhar Po : Aska, Ganjam-761110 H.B.Colony, Ramakrishna Vihar
Dist. Kendujhar Dist. Ganjam Baji chouk, Dist.Dhenkanal
Sashikanta Bhoi Bhagirathi Mohapatra Akshya Kr. Biswal
Joint convenor, Astha Zone Joint convenor, Aspruha zone Joint convenor, Krupa zone
At /PO. Kaptipada At/Po: Kanheipur Amalapada, Gandhi Marg
Dt- Mayurbhanj Via - Khallikote, Dt- Ganjam Anugul- 759122
SAMARPANA SANGATI SATYA
Koraput,Kalahandi, Raygada, Sambalpur, Bargad, Cuttack, Kendraparda
Malkangiri, Nabarangpur Boudh Jajpur, Jagatsinghpur
Lalit Mohan Pattnaik Prafulla Kumar Panda Sarbeswar Mohapatra
Sri Aurobindo Study Circle Gantia Pada Sri Aurobindo Pathachakra
Nuabandha Sahi Aintha Palli Khurusia, Patalipanka
Dist- Nabarangapur Dist- Sambalpur Kujanga, Dist- Kendrapada
Nilamadhaba Mishra Sridhara Sahu Kirtan Bihari Rout
Joint convenor, Samarpan zone Joint convenor, Sangati zone Joint convenor, Satya zone
At: Near Radhakrishna Temple At/PO: Bheden Sri Aurobindo Int. Edn. Centre
Lingaraj Nagar Dt- Baragad- 768104 At/PO: Taharpur
PO: Irrigation Colony Via: Jajpur road
Jaypore- 764004 Dt- Jajpur- 755019
Dt- Koraput
SAMATA SHANTI NISTHA
Sundargad, Jharsuguda Nuapada, Balangir Puri, Nayagad, Khordha
Debgad Subarnapur
Dr Debidatta Kar Lalit Mohan Khuntia Tareswar Ratha
At/Po : Diamunda Palace lane At. Garvanipada
Via :Sargiapalli Bolangir -767001 Po: Bankoi, Dist- Khordha
Dist: Sundargad
Dambarudhar Sahu Ajit Kr. Dalapati Surendranath Jena
Joint convenor, Samata zone Joint Convenor, Shanti Zone Joint Convenor, Nistha Zone
At/PO: Kuchinda At/Po:Patnagad Sri Aurobindo Int. Edn Centre
Dt- Sambalpur-768222 Dt. Balangir-767025 At: Badapadar PO: Nachuni
Dt- Khordha