Introduction
Sri Aurobindo (1872 – 1950) spent more than half of his life in Pondicherry. Aurobindo, along with his spiritual collaborator The Mother (Mira Alfassa, 1878 – 1973), left a legacy rivaling that of the French in terms of influence over the local culture of Pondicherry and its surrounding areas.
Gratitude Heritage, our primary accommodation during the South India’s Heritage in Focus tour, is one of many local establishments where photographs of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother are on prominent display. Gratitude’s owners state that their special heritage home is an offering to Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. The name “Gratitude” stands for more than the owners’ feelings of thankfulness for the property and its beautiful geographic location in the place Sri Aurobindo called home. Gratitude is a powerful means of cultivating joy which The Mother advocated very strongly (A beautiful quote from the Mother on Gratitude can be found here).
Sri Aurobindo has not only left his mark on Pondicherry, he has left his mark on the nation of India. He is known throughout the country as a courageous fighter for Indian independence as well as a spiritual luminary. For Independence Day this year, Indian Express published an illustrated article about Sri Aurobindo’s political activism for India’s freedom from colonial rule which can be read here.
The photo below depicts a plaque installed in the samadhi or resting place of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother at Aurubindo Ashram in Pondicherry. It pays tribute to Sri Aurobindo’s contributions, both political and spiritual:
Sri Aurobindo’s continued relevance in India today: Aspirations of the nation of India
On India’s 72nd Independence Day (August 15th, 2018), Sri Aurobindo remains a powerful symbol for India’s aspirations as a nation. In his annual Independence Day speech, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi included the following Sri Aurbindo quote to evoke a sense of civic duty in the people of India and encourage them to play an active role in the country’s continued development:
“For what is a nation? What is our mother-country? It is not a piece of earth, nor a figure of speech, nor a fiction of the mind. It is a mighty Shakti*, composed of the Shaktis of all the millions of units that make up the nation, just as Bhawani Mahisha Mardini sprang into being from the Shakti of all the millions of gods assembled in one mass of force and welded into unity**. The Shakti we call India, Bhawani Bharati, is the living unity of the Shaktis of three hundred million people.”
*Shakti can be most simply translated as power, a divine and absolute animating, creative and protective force that is feminine in nature.
**Bhawani Mahisha Mardini is a popular incarnation of the Hindu Goddess Durga who took on the individual powers and weapons of all of the Gods in order to defeat a powerful demon.
An article on PM Modi’s speech and how he used the words of Aurobindo to encourage the people of India to actively support specific efforts of the government can be found here.
Sri Aurobindo’s continued relevance in India today: Aspirations for mankind
Sri Aurobindo believed in the power of India to contribute to the collective evolution of mankind toward a sustained connection with divinty – a state of connection in which human selfishness and aggression are rendered useless and thus obsolete. His philosophy of Integral Yoga stresses individual responsibility for improving global society by actively striving toward divinity. In 1968, The Mother established the experimental community of Auroville just outside of Pondicherry for those who wished to dedicate themselves to fully and honestly taking on this kind of personal responsibility:
“Auroville wants to be a universal town where men and women of all countries are able to live in peace and progressive harmony, above all creeds, all politics and all nationalities. The purpose of Auroville is to realize human unity.”
-The Mother
It is important to note that there is no religion attached to this philosophy. While Sri Aurobindo was deeply connected to Hindu manifestations of the divine, religious practices and rituals -Hindu or otherwise – are not practiced as part of Integral Yoga.
In 1966, as Auroville was being planned, UNESCO passed a unanimous resolution recognizing Auroville as a project of importance to the future of humanity. Today, a statue of Sri Aurobindo stands at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.
Sri Aurobindo’s continued relevance in India today: An inspiration to people all over the world
Individuals all over the world have been inspired by Sri Aurobindo. 2018 marked the 50th anniversary of Auroville and celebrations brought people from around the world to Auroville to celebrate. At the founding of Auroville in 1968, young people from 124 different nations each brought a handful of earth from their respective homes to symbolically contribute to the universal township. At the 50th anniversary celebration, water was brought from 150 different lakes and rivers from across the globe.
Prime Minister Modi spoke as part of the 50th anniversary celebration program, which took place on February 28th, 2018. While visiting, PM Modi went to Pondicherry and paid his respects to Sri Aurobindo at his samadhi in Aurobindo Ashram.
Hundreds of people, mostly Indians, visit Aurobindo Ashram every day, maintaining silence as they bow to place their foreheads against the marble platform constructed over the final resting place of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. The samadhi is always decorated with beautiful flower rangoli decorations and incense sticks offered by visitors perfume the air.
After respects are paid, many visitors take a seat and meditate for several minutes to contemplate the lives and legacies of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother. The atmosphere here is a stark contrast to that of most Hindu temples, with their hustle and bustle, their bells and chanting and prayers said aloud. At Aurobindo Ashram, the atmosphere is one of pure and sweet reverence which leaves no doubt that the philosophy and vision of Sri Aurobindo continues to be cherished by Indian patriots and spiritual aspirants the world over.
