Children waited eagerly for their birthday. In the ‘50’s, when the number of inmates in the Ashram was small compared to now, there was a strong sense of belonging. All of us felt that that we were a part of a big extended family; Birthdays were an occasion for sharing. Young and old, we felt made you feel very special on that day. Nirmal da, who looked after some of the gardens of the Ashram would come home beaming with a big smile and a huge bouquet of freshly plucked flowers which we would offer to the Mother when we went to see Her. The fragrance and the colours filled the heart with beauty. Then, tenderly he would point at the flowers and tell their significance; “This one is Receptivity and this Divine Love and this Sincerity, Endurance, Simplicity, Humility…” and in this way he would continue till he had pointed out all the flowers. For us it was a bouquet of prayer so that through these flowers we aspired for all that they signified.
In Forty Years Ago, a beautiful account of personal memories of Sahana Devi, she recalls the unique role flowers have played in the life lived in the Ashram,
“The part flowers have played in the Ashram has been quite unique, perhaps astonishing to an observer from outside. Flowers have always had a deep rapport with life lived here. Each flower was recognized by its inner vibration by the Mother and named by her according to its significance, and it so happened that we were prone to forget the usual names of most flowers. For example, the Tulsi plant meant ‘Devotion’. We have become used to calling this plant ‘Devotion’, receive it from the Mother as such and offering it to her in the same sprit. Similarly, the flower Shefali is called ’Aspiration’. In this way, flowers are not looked upon as just flowers but seen from a different point of view. Flowers everywhere are associated with offerings as well as for decorating the house of God. Here it is something more- a silent language in our inner dealings with the Mother. Nearly always we express to the Mother through flowers our inner needs and aspirations, our obeisance surging from our heart and she, too, gives us her blessings and directives through flowers. “
(“Breath of Grace”, Dipti Publications, Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust)
Each one was made to feel special on their birthday. At school, teachers told us a story. In a group we chose the game we wanted to play. We were made the captain of the team; a special privilege. But the most eagerly awaited moment was when we went to the Mother for Pranam. As soon as we were in front of Her, She would say “Bonne fete! “ with Her tender look. Her radiant smile, Her outpouring love, bathed us in an indescribable joy, and then she would ask "Quel age as tu (how old are you)? On our birthday we prepared some offering that we made ourselves, things like cards, stuffed toys, some small embroidery etc. We took this to Her arranged in a big box so that She could see at a glance. Everything that we had made for Her, She would touch, almost caress the things with so much of love and attention that it made us feel so proud and worthy of being Her child. She too had surprises for us: sweets in a little bag, the number corresponding to our age, sometimes. She gave a book or a toy and of course there was the birthday bouquet of flowers. We spontaneously put our head on her lap and then on Her feet, this was the moment of bliss, a feeling that I recognized much later, at that moment, it was a boundless joy!
We went to the Mother several times in the day. Each time it was quite different. . The last darshan of the day was late in the night just after she returned from the playground. I still remember the feeling; sleep trying to catch up and somewhere a feeling, not to let this day end. The excitement was over and then came Her kiss on my forehead, a seal of her Love, Bliss and Ananda, to assure me that SHE IS ALWAYS WITH ME!
-- Anjana Sarkar
No comments:
Post a Comment