Abolish desire & replace by action of purer motive power

Meditation with the Mothers Music - karmayog.in

SRI AUROBINDO'S ARRIVAL TO PONDICHHERY. Meditation with the Mothers Music Evening 7:00 TO 7:30 P.M. Centre will remain open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sri Aurobindo Society, 11, Sahakar, B Road, Churchgate- 200 020.

The Master Meets His Mission from Auromira Yoga by Dr. Ramesh Bijlani

Sri Aurobindo’s arrival in Pondicherry on 4 April 1910 marks the culmination of a long and tortuous preparation that was necessary in his outer life before he could settle down with the mission of his life… An instrument of the Divine was needed to provide this message to the world, particularly the West, which was affected the most by the material prosperity and spiritual poverty generated by the industrial revolution. And, who could be better than Sri Aurobindo as that instrument – an intellectual giant who had 14 years of intelligent engagement with the West, and 14 years of self-study in the East, along with spiritual siddhis of the highest order. This rare instrument was too precious to be battered and bruised by the batons and bullets of the British police. Hence the divine intervention that forcibly pulled him out of the freedom struggle. [Excerpts from an article first published in The Call Beyond (A periodical published by Sri Aurobindo Ashram – Delhi Branch) April 2010] 

Man-handling of Savitri by RY Deshpande from Savitri: the Light of the Supreme by admin read more

A critique of the book "The Lives of Sri Aurobindo" by Peter Heehs ... by General Editor

Peter Heehs, a US national who is a self-styled "scholar" and writer, published a book called The Lives of Sri Aurobindo, purporting to be a biography of Sri Aurobindo. By his own admission, Peter Heehs has no formal educational ...

THE MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES OF THE 21ST CENTURY: AN ... by integralmusings

As the intuitive and evolutionary thinkers like Sri Aurobindo and Teil-hard-de-Chardin have pointed out, the main evolutionary challenge facing humanity is the growth of consciousness from the rational, divisive and analytical consciousness of ...

Tweets santosh krinsky ‏ @santoshk1 Sri Aurobindo. 1st condition of inner revolution & transformation of life energy: abolish desire & replace by action of purer motive power 1:29 PM - 4 Apr 12

Auroville Radio ‏ @AurovilleRadio Kalarippayat, Mohiniyattam and Theyyam performed by Udayan's Masters at Sri Aurobindo Auditorium, Auroville. http://bit.ly/Hf1ikz 1:01 PM - 4 Apr 12 via aurovilleRadio

Tunku Varadarajan ‏ @tunkuv When a govt expels a historian, you can be sure it is thin-skinned, paranoid and pandering to the gallery of intolerance #Heehs #India

Gautam Chikermane ‏ @gchikermane The book, The Many Lives of Sri Aurobindo, is the best biography of the freedom fighter turned spiritual leader. Most haven't read the book. The book has been banned on the advice of Orissa DG Intelligence - he hasn't read the book. Is India going to end up being the place from where all free speech, intellectuals, ideas will be banished? After Salman Rushdie and MF Husain, the fundamentalists have turned their guns on Peter Heehs, an ashramite serving in India for 41 years. As one who has read the book (The Lives of Sri Aurobindo), I can say that it's unlikely ever to be surpassed: Ram Guha 9:13 AM - 3 Apr 12 Real issue: India - country of Gita, Vedas, Upanishadas - cannot tolerate truth or alternative points of view. Heehs is latest victim. 12:19 PM - 4 Apr 12@RupaSubramanya Peter Heehs is an issue of religious fundamentalism, not security as claimed. His visa denial is a shame. 11:08 AM - 4 Apr 12

Heehs' book has created a furore

Tweets Sagarika Ghose ‏ @sagarikaghose

Historian Peter Heehs asked to leave India for his latest book on Aurobindo. The scholar has spent four decades studying Aurobindo. Curious. Why should a historian and scholar be asked to leave India after four decades because "certain groups” are offended? Nandita Saikia ‏ @nsaikia Historian Peter Heehs, who's spent 40 yrs studying Aurobindo, asked to leave India for his latest book on Aurobindo. 10:55 AM

Gautam Chikermane ‏ @gchikermane

The bigger question is: have we been so dulled into non-thinking by hagiographical works that we are unable to accept another view? Dismayed that other newspapers have not taken up the Peter Heehs issue seriously - it is almost as big as Salman Rushdie, MF Husain. Chidambaram must send a strong signal to religious fundamentalists: stop harassing thinkers - if you don't like their work, don't read it. Apart from 30 intellectuals, politicians from Congress and BJP are supporting Peter Heehs stay in India. PC orders review into historian's visa row: my story on Peter Heehs's needless harassment 9:08 AM

US historian may leave UT IBNLive.com‎

PUDUCHERRY: American Historian Peter Heehs whose book 'Lives of Sri Aurobindo' raked up controversy is keeping his fingers crossed after Union home minister P Chidambaram said that he would review the Ministry's decision not to renew his visa, ...

Chidambaram to decide on Heehs' visa tomorrow Times of India‎

PUDUCHERRY: Home minister P Chidambaram will review the decision to cancel the visa of American historian Peter Heehs, who wrote the controversial biography 'The Lives of Sri Aurobindo' in 2008. He will make his decision by Monday, he told reporters.

“Will review historian's visa cancellation issue” The Hindu‎

Replying to questions about American historian Peter Heehs, Mr. Chidambaram said that he would review the decision on cancellation of the visa to the historian who was living in Puducherry by Monday. Mr. Heehs was asked to leave the country after he ...

PC orders review into historian's visa row Hindustan Times‎

Home minister P Chidambaram on Saturday asked for a review of an order denying American historian Peter Heehs a visa extension. Heehs, who has been living in India for the past 41 years, was abruptly told by the foreigners' registration office (FRO) in ...

Cancellation of US historian Peter Heehs's visa to be reviewed: P Chidambaram Economic Times‎

NEW DELHI: Home Minister P Chidambaram will review the decision on cancellation of the visa of a US historian Peter Heehs, living in Puducherry, and will take a decision on it by Monday. Heehs was asked to leave the country after he had spent nearly ...

Is extremists' objection to his book behind US historians expulsion? Hindustan Times - ‎Mar 30, 2012‎

The ostensible reason for the non-extension of Heehs's visa, according to sources, is his ninth book, 'The Lives of Sri Aurobindo'. For years, a handful of religious fundamentalists have been harassing Heehs over his treatment of Sri Aurobindo's ...

Savitri Era - Savitri Era Party wants Heehs removed

Integral Library - An invitation for Collaboration

Savitri: the Light of the Supreme - Agni is Grihapati, the Household Lord

Sri Aurobindo Studies - Transitioning from Overmental to Supramental Consciousness

Posthuman Destinies - Cancellation of US historian Peter Heehs’s visa to be reviewed: P Chidambaram - Heehs Biography Controversy (SCIY) - SA used different terminologies and different formulations in different texts, this doesn’t necessarily mean he abandoned one for the other. debbanerji Posted March 14, 2012 Permalink

Mirror of Tomorrow - To the Ashramites – Mother’s answers to Huta

Integral Yoga of Sri Aurobindo & The Mother - On Multitasking, Avadhana-Kala and Multiple Samyama

At the Feet of The Mother

A critique of the book "The Lives of Sri Aurobindo" by Peter Heehs - Video Report of Dilip Datta's Violence against Devotees in Silent Protest

Overman Foundation - Publication of the second edition of “Sri Aurobindo: His Political Life and Activities”.

Auromira Yoga - The Nones: a Growing Non-tribe

Savitri Era Devotees - Money Power

Auro Truths - New content: Attempts to create an “Aurobindonian religion”

Auroville Radio - Sharing Auroville`s life and spirit - A way to Divine Anarchy 

31 March 2012: Don't expel US historian, govt told Addendum: The question about the relationship between Sri Aurobindo and the Mother is only one of dozens of objections raised by that handful of religious fundamentalists; it is not even mentioned in the Orissa Gazette Notification. It is, however, what appears to produce the most visceral effect in the public, for reasons we fail to understand. Heehs made it perfectly clear that there was no sexual element at all in this relationship. On the contrary, what he wrote underscores its profoundly sacred nature. Only readers with a serious Freudian hang-up can fail to see this. Moreover, we are aware that Minister Jairam Ramesh has read and greatly appreciated The Lives of Sri Aurobindo. He has written Heehs privately about this and also mentioned it in his letter to the Home Minister. We regret that the writer of this otherwise excellent report did not quote from JR's letter the positive comments about the book, along with the lines relating to the larger issue of freedom of expression. — Editors, IYF. Recent Additions

1 April 2012: Chidambaram to decide on Heeh's visa

31 March 2012: Don't expel US historian, govt told

10 March 2012: Those who get upset by these things are worse

24 February 2012: Sri Aurobindo, Heehs and the fragility of faith

9 August 2011: Review by Antony Copley

31 July 2011: BAN the BAN by Ramachandra Guha

Prof. R.Y. Deshpande has been at the forefront of the intellectual rebuttal of Peter Heehs’s mischievous book

• A critique of the book "The Lives of Sri Aurobindo" by Peter Heehs

Show Cause Notice to Prof. R.Y. Deshpande - Prof. R.Y. Deshpande has been at the forefront of the intellectual rebuttal of Peter Heehs’s mischievous book on Sri Aurobindo. His site *Mirror of Tomorro...

• Mirror of Tomorrow

A Letter from RY Deshpande to Manoj Das Gupta—Apropos of the Show-Cause Notice - Let me just say what I had said earlier in one of my letters to you, that you are crudely per...

• Sri Aurobindo Studies

Minimizing the Obstacles to the Transforming Action of the Higher Consciousness - Sri Aurobindo provides some guidance for how to support the action of the higher force of consciousness at each stage of its development. “In order to allo...

• Savitri Era

Sri Aurobindo's volcanic key to the Veda -Kala Tattva Kosha published by IGNCA lists nearly 500 Sanskrit texts in comparison to which The Seven Quartets is like a drop in the ocean. All its terms...

• Supramental - Transformation Supramentale, Conscience Supramentale, Force Supramentale, Manifestation Supramentale

Etre, Esprit, Conscience force - S’il est une chose que Sri Aurobindo et Douce Mère ont remis en valeur dans notre monde et nature corporée, c’est que nous ne sommes pas exclusivement un E...

• Integral Yoga of Sri Aurobindo & The Mother

Dharana Shakti : the capacity to sustain spiritual experiences - We tend to yawn and eat junk food after a period of meditation because the physical body is tamasic(dull) by nature and not accustomed to the newly-attaine...

• At the Feet of The Mother

- SAVITRI BOOK TWO : The Book of the Traveller of the Worlds Canto Five : The Godheads of the Little Life (Page : 154 - 159) 10th March 2012 (Telecon) Durati...

• Posthuman Destinies

Re-membering the Posthuman Within/Across Sustainability Paths Anita Girvan - This paper will focus primarily on .... the liminal encounters en-coded within sustainability practice; however, some of the foundational theory I present ...

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Money Power - Q: Divine Mother, could we have a message from you to pass along to those in the United States who may be ready to aid in the fund-raising work we are d...

• Overman Foundation

Golden Memories by Togo Mukherjee -Dear Friends, Today we are publishing the reminiscences of Shri Dhritindranath Mukherjee better known as ‘Togo’ in the Aurobindonian community. Shri To...

• Auro Truths

New content: Attempts to create an “Aurobindonian religion” - New content, reproduced below, has been added to this website: Attempts to create an “Aurobindonian religion”: Sri Aurobindo and The Mother have unambiguou...

Sri Aurobindo: A Contemporary Reader Edited by Sachidananda Mohanty, Routledge India, 2008

To exceed ourselves

The Mother's Message to Matrupuri, Risida, Odisha

Savitri reading is a potent vehicle of aspiration

Savitri (book) - thefullwiki

The whole poem first appeared in book-form in two parts in 1950 and 1951. Sri Aurobindo's letters written to his disciples on various aspects of the poem are now part of the book. This modern epic written in a modern language is also a modern day scripture. It recounts the saga of human victory over ignorance and conquest of death. Painstakingly composed in a rhythmic meter, each line of the poem is suffused with power of Mantra.

Many students and disciples of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother draw inspiration from Savitri for their spiritual growth. Many even find the answers to their doubts and questions by opening the book at random. On special occasions, continuous recitation of Savitri on a relay basis is also quite common in the Centers where the works and yoga teachings of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo are studied and practiced. Regular camps and conclaves are also organized at different places in the world to study the poem and contemplate over its occult force.

Reading Savitri is itself considered as practice of integral yoga and a potent vehicle of aspiration. And, therefore, its central role in the process of yoga is often affirmed with both awe and affection. Related links Savitri Era - Savitri Era is our religion

Non-marriage based communities

Oedipus complex may not apply to other cultures

Social currency and insecurity

Understanding women on spiritual basis

Sri Aurobindo’s theory of a spiritualised Ethics

India was once colonised and is, therefore, suspic...

Integrating Wisdom, Strength, Harmony, & Service

Music and dance and protest

Dr. Ambedkar's idea of positive discrimination

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Political corruption and the misuse of language

Spiritual activist has a double task

Corporations, cities, crime and war

True leader must be able to put aside what he want...

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Congress + BJP = SEP

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Demanding the best

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Open your eyes for the Third Dream

Savitri Era Learning Forum SELF 3:23 PM

Silent protest from February 26-28

Pondy ashram faces 3-day flak Deccan Chronicle February 27, 2012 chennai By S. Prasad

The Sri Aurobindo Ashram here is facing an embarrassing turmoil with a section of the inmates and devotees launching a three-day protest against the trustees of the ashram for their alleged failure to take action against inmate and US author Peter Heehs for making “denigrating” remarks against Sri Aurobindo and The Mother in his book, ‘The lives of Sri Aurobindo’.

The aggrieved inmates announced a silent protest from February 26-28 to exert pressure seeking dismissal of the present group of trustees and expulsion of Mr Heehs from the ashram community.
Mr Bijan Ghosh, a devotee and Supreme Court lawyer, told Deccan Chronicle that the Orissa government had proscribed the book in 2009. The book contains ‘derogatory’ and ‘malicious’ content about Sri Aurobindo, The Mother and the collective life at the ashram. We are going to intensify the agitation till our demands are met, he warned. A section of the protesters also demanded the dismissal of the present trustees of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust.

They demanded that the trust publicly declare that the book is factually incorrect and does not represent the views of the community and the trust and that Mr Heehs has abused his position at the archives. The trust should also withdraw the copyright permission to publisher Columbia University Press.

A spokesperson of the trust said the ashram cannot take a fundamentalist stand and some, posing as gurus and those the ashram had taken action against for indiscipline, were instigating the devotees. Many who have written to the ashram appreciating the book, felt that those who found the book offensive have not read it completely. Further, Mr Heehs’ visa extension file was pending with the Union home ministry. As long as his visa is not rejected, his stay is not illegal, said the spokesperson.

How can we find the Divine within ourselves?

• Annai Mira Alfassa - The Mother

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Political corruption and the misuse of language - Strongpeople do not abuse, stronger people do not even respond to abuse… Self-restraintis required - so that the discussion doesn't degenerate into mud-sli... 

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Jan 2012 Walk and Brunch Photos - 

• Auro Truths

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Sacred Relics of Sri Aurobindo was enshrined in Delhi on December 5, 1957

Comment on The Anti-Hindi Riot of Pondicherry by Togo Mukherjee by Anurag Banerjee from Comments for Overman Foundation by Anurag Banerjee

Many people think we are trying to establish a “new religion” or that we are against this or that religion; there are many ideas like that everywhere. But that doesn’t interest us at all! (The Mother, 27 February 1965)

Sri Aurobindo Ashram -Delhi Branch founded on 12 Feb 1956.

The Delhi Branch was officially inaugurated on 12 February, 1956, with the Blessings of the Mother. To the great joy and gratitude of spiritual seekers in Northern India, the Mother graciously granted the very first Sacred Relics of Sri Aurobindo to be enshrined here on 5 December, 1957.

Since then the Ashram has been growing at a steady pace. The shrine and the Meditation Hall continue to be the centre of life and the teaching of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother the guiding light. The Love and Blessings of the Master and the Mother and their Grace are always available to their disciples living here.

All live and work here as equals. No distinctions of sex, creed, religion, race, caste or national origin are observed: all are looked upon as souls and children of the Mother. There is no hierarchy of officials and subordinates. All work in association and as a unit under the general supervision of one or more sadhaks. Last Updated on Wednesday, 14 December 2011

Ranganath Raghavan's Response to "A Declaration of Solidarity" from A critique of the book "The Lives of Sri Aurobindo" by Peter Heehs To Jay Raichuria and Meera Gupta (Sabda)

To anyone reading your “Declaration” casually and superficially, it will appear to contain very sound reflections and plausible ideas. But a closer scrutiny will reveal that the words are high sounding without  solid content. We are having a closer look at your declaration in a more deliberate manner  and these are my reactions. 

 1.   It is NOT an attack against the Ashram, it is a peaceful protest by some of the Ashramites and devotees of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother against the non-action (or rather active support) of the management, against an offender who, even while being an Ashramite, thinks it is admissible, even justifiable to find fault with the Guru. This is absolutely inadmissible in any spiritual life, specially so in the Indian tradition.

Savitri Era: It is she who makes one Bagha Jatin, and another her Togo 7 Jul 2008 

Tusar N Mohapatra said... Dear Debabrata babu,

As per the teachings of The Mother and Sri Aurobindo, we are all participants in an evolution that is taking place whether we stay aware of it or not. So, when you say that ‘I am this and this, and I do not want to be that and that’ it is simply not within your powers to decide. If we really leave ourselves in the hands of The Mother, then it is she who makes one Bagha Jatin, and another her Togo. What was waiting for years happens one fine morning. President, Savitri Era Party.

BABUL'S WORLD: Judgement of The Mother 6 Jul 2008 – Savitri Erans should take part in these discussions and apply their mind as to ... the Mother, then it is she who makes one Bagha Jatin, and another her Togo. ... It is sad, Mr. Tusar, that though you claim to be some sort of Sri ...

P.S.: If you tell us that you are indeed conscious of that deeper reality within yourself, and that you are truly inwardly realised and convinced that it is necessary to set up 'systems', create a 'Savitri Era Party', 'save' the Aurobindonian community from impending doom and destruction wrecked by the wretched administrators you seem to conjure - well, sound the bugle, and perhaps we shall be inspired to join you. But at present you hardly come across as one who has the Knowledge or the Call. I can imagine there is much which can be changed for the better, in Auroville, in the Ashram, in India, in the world; but where does that change begin? Nay, Their workings are far more complex, intricate, and mysterious, and "One man's perfection still can save the world…" 9 July 2008 14:00

Discussing Sri Aurobindo's works and his yoga

Barindranath Chaki

Interested mainly in the Adventure of Consciousness, I believe in human progress and evolution and in the inner capacity of Man to outgrow and master all his imperfections and darkness, to grow into a creative, constructive and higher divine being, along with the society, conquering all inner and outer darkness, crossing all barriers and divisions. I am a retired Officer of the Orissa Administrative Service from Orissa, India. Since adolescence, I was inspired by Sri Aurobindo and The Mother (Mira Alfassa) and sought to understand and follow Their Teaching, and make others understand and follow Them.

In 1956, I read The Life Divine, and gradually, read almost all that is written by Them and about Them. I have visited the Ashram and Auroville some times. I organized some Sri Aurobindo centres in Orissa, and often met Prapatti and Ramkrishna Das. I and my wife and children had a special Darshan of The Mother on my birthday on 3rd March 1972. Mira Aditi Centre has published my Bengali translations of some books including Sri Aurobindo or the Adventure of Consciousness by Satprem, India's Rebirth and India the Mother, collections from the writings of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. View my complete profile

One can have Multiple Religions - by Choice - by Dilip Kumar Roy Jan 10, 2012

I like this statement by Devinder Singh - We must move from becoming Sikhs by birth (belief) to Sikhs by choice (experience). How about this one - one can adhere to multiple religions, if that synchronises well within your consciousness?

I am a Hindu by birth, but feel profound comfort and joy each time I hear a line from Jallaluddin Rumi or St Ignatius of Loyala. Or that Saint Vincent's words uplift me no less than Sri Ramakrishna or Guru Nanak. 

That I can spend an hour of sweet joy over a Jap-ji chant just as a song in praise of the Virgin Mother at a church evokes a mood of reverence. Moments  when the Ahzaan from a mosque puts you onto a mood of prayer and surrender, just as an abhang from Tukaram makes you realise that the entire universe is  Panduranga Himself! 

Or that a Buddhist Vihara gave me as much Peace as the Dargah of a Sufi Saint. How am I to share this with those stuck in beliefs of the Book, or those who say I am being falsely syncretic, phony and politically correct. Either God is a nuisance created by religions or Religions are a nuisance in the eyes of God.

We just need theological freedom if we are to know and explore God.  Theological exogamy should be an in-thing - too much of intellectual incest has happened in the name of One Belief, One God, One Doctrine! 

Ah, how sweet was the day when I rejected affiliation with religions. Then God became real to me - in all religions! 

What is my religion? - a Job Application Form asked me 20 years back. Hindu, I could have replied, with a Christianised upbringing. With Buddhist leanings and Sikhi Adoration and in love with each word of Jallaluddin Rumi and His path. Regards, Dilip

Re: [sbicitizen] Re: The Poetry of Sri Aurobindo Dilip Kumar Roy Feb 6, 2012

I think we could form a smaller group within this discussion group who would be focussed on discussing Sri Aurobindo's works and his yoga. If the moderator would consent to form such a group, I would be glad to be one of the participants of that group. 

The primary focus of that group could be to understand better Sri Aurobindo's works and reinforce our individual spiritual development through this virtual satsang. Regards, Dilip

Step down - no matter whether the book is right or wrong

A critique of the book "The Lives of Sri Aurobindo" by Peter Heehs: Prof. Kamal Das's Response to Ramchandra Guha: Dilip Kumar Roy - Jan 9, 2012 04:10 PM

I am an ordinary devotee, not an Ashramite. I am one among the thousands of devotees of the Mother and Sri Aurobindo who reside in locations far from Pondichery, but who see the the Ashram as their spiritual sanctuary, the place to withdraw from the hustle bustle of ordinary life. The place to soak in some of the vibes of Peace and calm and strength. And return with a feel of the Mother's love. I suppose this is one of the purpose why the Ashram exists, unless you say that the Ashram exists for Ashramites only. We step in to the Samadhi compound with reverence and come out with Peace. And try to live that Peace in the outer world and our families that we return to. That is all of our 'Sadhana'. We are ordinary and for us the Ashram is a hallowed space. If the ordinary devotee's word counts for anything, here is it:

Its painful and suffocating to hear of the debate and the division that the book has caused. If this debate or even controversy were to happen in a academic forum outside the Ashram, then there would be no pain. Its happening in its hallowed precincts. As an ordinary devotee, I would ask how did things come to such a pass? I would ask Aurobindo Ashram Trust members, the Trustes to introspect and decide whether they should step down - no matter whether the book is right or wrong - but owning responsibility that a damaging and bitter controversy has erupted and this has hurt the Mother's work - and the ordinary devotees' sense of the sacred.

I claim no rights, I have no vote, no authority. For the Ashram, I am a 'visitor'. For me the Ashram is a hallowed space I retreat to for reconnecting with my depths. That's true of thousands of other devotees. The controversy has hurt us. I hope those in authority will listen to our anguish and introspect. I have not read the book. I may never read it. Or I may. The concern here is that a controversy has erupted - a damaging, distressing and a very distracting controversy, not a healthy one. Pranams at the Mother's Feet, Dilip Kumar Roy www.facebook.com/diliproymumbai

Bhâi Tusar,

I would like to inform you that on last 10 December 2011, I sent a word to Mr Ramachandra Guha (ramachandraguha@yahoo.in) without
expecting any reply from him. Here are some relevant passages :

"On last 27 May, on the occasion of launching officially my biography Bagha Jatin (NBT) by the Hon'ble Finance Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee, I had been informed that you were not available. I regretted it.

Having been under the impression that Sri Aurobindo did not much matter to you, I come across, however, your apologia for the much criticized biography by Peter Heehs, who belongs to the same group of detractors of Indian spirituality as Jeffry Kripal & Co.

"Unless you have any special reason for helping Heehs expanding his empire (opening his access to the Anandabazar Patrika group, for instance), I would request you to go through the accompanying article I wrote with a view to prove how fragile is his "objectivity" as
historian: (www.thelivesofsriaurobindo.com/2009/04/objective-history)."

Warm regards. Prithwindra Mukherjee

Unlawful stay of Peter Heehs

Row over book on Sri Aurobindo | Newzstreet:  'via Blog this'   - ODISHA TELEVISION lTD Bhubaneswar: The devotees and admirers of Sri Aurobindo, great freedom fighter and spiritualist, have questioned the unlawful stay of American author and writer Peter Heehs after the author petitioned the Odisha High Court to reconsider its ban order on his book on Aurobindo titled "The Lives of Sri Aurobindo". 

The Odisha High had banned the sale and distribution of the controversial book "The Lives of Sri Aurobindo" and the home department of the state government even had on April 9, 2009 published the order in the gazette notification. The American author has recently filed a review petition in the High Court through his counsel to reconsider its ban order following which the court has asked the chief secretary to furnish his reply within two weeks.

Peeved at Peter Heehs' petition in the High Court, devotees of Sri Aurobindo have questioned the unlawful stay of Heehs in India. Argued Prabhu Charan Acharya, follower of Aurobindo,"The Home Ministry of the Government of India had cancelled the visa of Peter Heehs and he has been staying in India illegally. How could a man whose visa has been cancelled by the Government of India file a petition in the High Court flouting the rules?"

Followers of Sri Aurobindo both from Puducherry and Odisha were planning to meet the chief secretary and demand continuation of the ban order. The counsel of Peter Heehs however was not available for comment. 

Aurobindo's disciples demand deportation of US national

PTI | 08:01 PM, Jan 27, 2012 Bhubaneswar, Jan 27 (PTI) IBNLive.com

Seeking arrest of Peter Heehs, a US national, who allegedly made defamatory comments on Sri Aurobindo in his book 'The Lives of Sri Aurobindo', the disciples of Sri Maa and Sri Aurobindo today urged the Odisha government to arrange for his deportation from the country. "Investigate and seek clarification from the Ministry of Home Affairs, as to how a foreign national, declared by the state government to be promoting communal tension and strife and whose visa has been cancelled by the Ministry of Home Affairs, can continue to live in India," the disciples said in a memorandum to the state's Chief Secretary B K Patnaik.

The state government through a gazette notification in 2009 had banned the book published by Colombia University Press, New York. Claiming that Peter Heehs had challenged the state government's gazette notification in the Orissa High Court recently, they expressed surprise over how a foreign national was allowed to challenge a government order pertaining to law and order which is the country's internal matter. "We request the government to take the process to its logical conclusion and ensure the arrest and deportation of Peter Heehs," Prabhu Charan Acharya, a devotee, said. The devotees also rejected Peter Heehs's claim that he was one of the founders of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram Archives.

Myths and Falsehoods around the editing of Sri Aurobindo’s poem Savitri

Google Reader (55): 'via Blog this' from Auro Truths

Content in the “Introduction” page has been updated. ... We are not suggesting that the institutions that Sri Aurobindo and The Mother have established, such as the Sri Aurobindo Ashram or Auroville, are free of problems or cannot be criticized. Everyone is free to poke their nose into the internal affairs of these institutions or criticize them to their heart’s content if it so pleases them.

But we are of the opinion that the manufacturing of non-existent problems that are born out of myths and falsehoods – more often than not mischievously planted by individuals or groups that have personal agendas to execute – and the unjustified and baseless criticism that is publicly propagated to wrongly influence public opinion is unethical, immoral and unacceptable.

For instance there is a considerable amount of confusion that has been generated around the editing of Sri Aurobindo’s poem Savitri. Because the issues concerning the editing of the Savitri poem are complex, these issues have provided a fertile ground for the creation of myths and related controversies that have been used to the hilt to exploit people’s sentiments.

But more often than not a common sense approach to understand and evaluate the issues however complex is all that is required. Therefore, the issues presented here will be analyzed with the use of supporting information as well as with a good dose of common sense. Because common sense like a gust of wind can easily bring down the top-heavy edifices of Myths and Falsehoods which like a house of cards can quickly come crashing down.

The Tale of My Exile: Twelve Years in the Andamans

Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry, has published Barindra Kumar Ghose’s book The Tale of My Exile: Twelve Years in the Andamans (introduced and edited by Dr. Sachidananda Mohanty of the Department of English, University of Hyderabad) in December 2011.

There will be a discussion of this book on 19 January 2012 at the India International Centre, 40 Max Muller Marg, New Delhi at the Conference Room No. 1 of the IIC). The discussion will be chaired by Dr. Karan Singh, President, Indian Council of Cultural Relations and will have Dr. Kavita Sharma (Director,IIC), Professor Indra Nath Chaudhury (former Member Secretary, IGNCA) and Professor Sachidananda Mohanty, Editor of this book, as discussants.

With warm regards, Anurag Banerjee,

Founder,  Overman Foundation.