The next letter came as a reply to my letters dated 2nd February, in which I must have written about the attitude of the Jana Sangha, a political party with which I was closely connected during this period.
“OM Shillong,
7.2.60.
My dear Gautam,
Your letter of the 2nd. I think Jana Sangha’s attitude is due to the placation of the Muslims by the Congress in the past.
That was a very great mistake that Congress made. From history it should have learnt that the Hindus are already tolerant by nature while the Muslims are not and so the former could not be very unjust to the latter if power came in their hands. The Congress has simply shelved the problem of Communalism by declaring for a secular state! The rancour is still there and the Govt. is doing nothing to bring about an understanding between the two cultures.
However, it is heartening to hear that a large body of people are ready to fight aggression, though personally I think China will not attack India but simply follow the Pakistani policy in Kashmir. We are not going to get back the occupied territory and there is no use getting it back though one should always show fight! You can bark, if you don’t bite!
The real problem before the country is character building. This should be done both in the public and the private sector.
The government should cleanse its stables first. There has been so much corruption until now, that the people have lost all faith in the Govt. And a house divided is a dangerous thing. Is your “Lotus” blooming? I am glad Mono is going to put up with you. She is full of praise for you. She is very very happy with you.
With love for you all…
ever yours…
A.
P.S. Bimal* will bring you a packet of books on the 14th. Himangshu Babu of Path Mandir will be coming to Shillong on the 19th. I had asked him to bring the packet with him. Will you please contact him by phone and tell him that the packet is ready?
The next letter is in the continuation of the above.
"OM Shillong
28.2.60.
My dear Gautam,
Your letter of the 22nd. All the books were brought by Usha from Bimal’s* house and when I learnt this, there was no time to inform Himanshu Babu…I hear that Jasho Babu is going to pay us a visit soon. It must be in connection with the Lotus India Company. After long consultations Lotus India Pvt. Ltd. was actually inaugurated on 28th February 1960. It was Sri Ramakrishna’s Birthday and the function was presided by Sadguru Omkara who was then at Calcutta with us.
May your enterprise thrive.
How are you feeling under Naturopathy?? Do you find any improvement in your health? Of course any form of tapasya does one a lot of good.
There is a common basis of all spiritual Sadhana. It has been treated scientifically by the Sankhya and Yoga systems of
India. Somehow Gurdjieff had been in touch with this. In many things, he approaches quite near to the mystical teachings of India. Of course all mystics speak of the same thing. But in occult things, opinions differ. This part of G’s teachings often appear too complicated to me. I wonder if it is much use!
Have you read Kenneth Walkers, “The Teachings Of Gurdieff?” There the system is explained very clearly.
Has Sharad’s marriage been settled? Have you made a choice about the bride?
I showed your letter to Sandhya. She will write to you soon. Her school opens on the 7th of March.
With love to you all………….
Ever Yours ………….
A.”
*Bimal was Anirvanji’s younger brother, who was living in Calcutta with his family.
17/9/08 The next letter contains mostly personal and mundane matters. But mundane or spiritual, Anirvanji looked at the lives of all these who came in his contact with love and care and directly or indirectly tried to extend his hand of healing and help people grow spiritually to a higher level.
“OM Shillong,
27.3.60.
My dear G.,
Thank you for your P.C. of the 23rd. I have handed over Sandhya’s letter to her. Her family has been to much (trouble) because of one operation (gastric ulcer) done on one of her brothers-in-law. And Radesh (her elder brother) also is going to be operated upon this week for the same trouble. Sandhya’s brother-in-law is improving rapidly.
I am glad to hear that Naturopathy has done you good.
Is Bani still (there) with you? I did not know that they * were going to get married soon. J. did not tell me anything! Well, everyth8ng is for the good. Banoi requires some support. She is too weak to support herself. I hope everything turns out well at the end.
Where is Sharad? How is your sadhana going on? Do you feel free and happy in spite of the bustle of everyday life?
My love for you all,
Ever yours,
A.
*Bani and Jashoda Narayan Ghosh. There was a great difference of age between the two. Bani looked like a grand daughter of Jashoda Babu. Bani and Jasoda Babu were married according to the civil Marriage Act. Business activity of Apurna and Company, Aparna Traders and Lotus India Pvt. Ltd. were going on full fledgedly. After their annual
examinations Apurva and Aparna – son and daughter of Sudha and Bandhu Dharmapal, had gone to Ahmedabad to spend their summer vacation with Mata Srivatsava, a girl from Lucknow who was staying with us as a paying guest. A tale hangs thereby, but that is not necessary here. Actually in April 1960, Apurna and Aparna had gone to Ahmedabad with Sharad Dharmapal via Delhi. With Mala they had gone again to Ahmedabad late.
Anirvanji writes from Shillong on 24th April 1960.
“My dear Gautam,
Your P.C. came last Monday. So the children are away in Ahmedabad. Will they be long in coming back?
Your analysis of the present situation is quite correct. It is our becoming which matters; not what we are doing. At first work becomes a means of self- realization. And after you have reached your self beyond your mission, work becomes a spontaneous flow of creative energy.
Social evolution is always a very slow process while individual spiritual evolution can become very quick. Hence come the problems of how to translate one’s mature ideas into effective work. Of course, it takes time and one has to wait patiently even for a whole life. I always remember what the Buddha used to say,
“Look, I am the twenty fourth Tathagata, before whom twenty- three passed away in silence without leaving any record!
To have fullness within and to radiate it silently, just as the Sun does, is the thing that matters.
I hope you are keeping a perfect health now.
With love for you all,
Ever yours……..
A.”
The next letter of Sri Anirvan came a month later –
“OM Haimavati
29.5.60.
My dear Gautam,
Your letter of the 19th came here on the 23rd. the monsoons have started here and now there will be irregularities in the delivery of mails.
I understand Sudha’s silent writing. I am blessing her silently. May the light and the love of the Divine shine in her heart always.
If the jelly does not reach here, never mind. I shall still silently appreciate her silent offering.
From what you say in your letter about yourself, I feel you will do well to take a holiday for some time and go to some place where you can live all alone with God. I would suggest Buddha Gaya which once did you a lot of good.
I hope your health is alright now? I have given to Sandhya her letter. She is all right.
With love to you all,
Ever yours…….
A.
After receiving this letter I decided to go to Almora, to the Haimavati where Sri Anirvan and Lizelle stayed before they parted . After they left Pierre Oppliger purchased the property and lived there with his American wife Mary and the same servant Prema worked after them. I had already arranged for my stay there and wrote to Anirvanji. He soon replied…
“OM Haimavati
19.6.60.
My dear Gautam,
Your letter of the 14th. Almora will be a quite nice place to go to. The rains there are not so heavy as in Shillong here.
And Haimavati is situated in beautiful surroundings. It is very quiet. You can easily lose yourself there. As a friend and companion Pierre is wonderful.
I shall leave for the plains by the middle of November. I shall touch Calcutta and go directly to Allahabad where I mean to stay till the middle of December. The rest of the program is not settled. There is a suggestion of going either South or West for sight-seeing. I have not yet decided which way to go. Let me see how things stand in December.
I don’t know when Veda Mimansa will be out. I have sent a bulk of the press copy and hear that it has been sent to the Press but no proofs have come to me as yet.
I could not take up the revision of the Kathopanishad. Udbodhana (one of the oldest Bengali Magazines of the Ramakrishna Math and Mission published from Kolkata. The idea of writing the Katha- Upanishad too did not materialise in A’s life-time) had asked for some contribution from me, and I had offered this to them. It would have been convenient for me to go on with the revision by monthly installments. But they want the whole thing beforehand to judge and approve! Of course I let the matter drop there. If they cannot trust me I fell no need of humouring them. Then came this Veda printing business! I have no time left now. Whether the Veda is printed or not I want to finish a decent part of the work before. I leave for the plains. I have thought of taking the mss f the Katha Upanishad with me and see through it during my stay down.
Hope everything is going well with you.
With love for yourself and all.
Ever yours ….
A.”
In July ’60 there were Anti-Bengali riots again in Assam. Anirvanji wrote to me on 17th July.
“My dear Gautam,
Your letter of the 6th reached on the 11th here. You must have read everything about the hell lot loose in Assam by the Govt. and the opposition together. A repetition of what happened in Pakistan in every detail with the full connivance of the Govt. The wound is deep, it will take time to heal. I would call it high treason against India. I know Assam for fifty years. The seed of hatred was sown by some wily politicians fifty years ago with what results we now see.
I hate to go into details. Let us hope and see that this foolish madness goes.
I have not made my tour program yet. I will be settled after my stay in Allahabad is over. I shall be three months in the plains. I hope to stay at least three weeks in Calcutta.
Dr.Bhattacharya had written about the bottle of jelly. Don’t worry about it, it may reach me hear someday!
I hope you are all OK.
My love to you all.
Ever yours…
A.’
As mentioned I went to Almora-Haimavati at the end of July ’60 for a spiritual retreat. It will be interesting, I hope, to give a picture of my mental and spiritual state of mind at this particular time.
I am translating here into English a Gujarati letter, written to a friend in Ahmadabad from Almora; written to a friend in Ahmadabad from Almora, which is still with me; preserved by me, as it describes vividly my state of mind at that time.
“OM Mother! Haimavati, Almora.
Thy will be done! 2.9.60.
Dear Sister Kali*,
Received your letter of 22nd August on 26th August. Thank you for all the news. I have also received my father’s letter to which I have replied in a general way. If he goes to you don’t talk much or discuss things with him. Keep quiet and hear all that he says patiently. Automatically he will be quiet.
By the grace of Divine Mother, I am in a blissful mood at present. When I started from Calcutta, my mind was in great turmoil. I was in a perplexed state of mind, with thoughts of individual and collective sadhana, about home, business, society and about the future of Mother India. Ever and above all this the intensity to realise the Divine Mother was so poignant, that it did not allow me to remain quiet at one place. Thoughts of running away to some distant lonely place always tormented me. Under the circumstances I decided to come over to Almora. I wrote to Swamiji ( Anirvanji) and he too gave me the same suggestion.
So, winding up all activities, I came here. After coming here, my sadhana took an intense form. By 6th August (the day of Bandhu passing away) it was almost like a conflagration. From 6 August to 14th August, my sadhana passed in the same intensity. Two three times I even thought of committing suicide! I even went on the top of a mountain and thought of jumping down.
But someone from within stopped me from doing that. I thought, “Suicide is cowardice. And what do I get out of it? I might die, but I will have to take another birth and start everything again from the beginning! The same circle to be repeated! It is much better to continue the sadhana patiently till the end, in this very life!” The Divine Mother was advising me thus from within. And I would return. But the intensity continued. Sometimes I got angry with the Mother. I cried a lot. I controlled myself and again and again continued with my Japa and Dhyana, repetition of the name and mediation, sometimes till late at night, sometimes getting up very early, by 3 am in the morning.
Thus it continued till 14th August, Janmastami, the day of Sri Krishna’s Birth! The whole day was passed in quiet meditation. I read the whole of Bhagavad Gita, and after a light supper sat for
mediation at about 9.30 pm. I went into deep meditation. That night I had a wonderful experience during mediation. A stream of bliss, ananda, started to flow from above my head, flowing, enveloping my whole body and within the body, through all my veins. The whole body was thrilled, was trembling with the feeling of bliss. It continued till 12.30 am. Even after the meditation was over, the experience of bliss continued in the body and mind.
I lay down to sleep at 1 am. Got up at 4 am. It was a light sleep. Even during sleep, the feeling of bliss was as if continued. The morning of the next day was most wonderful, full of bliss all around. The experience of bliss took the form of love, and a stream of love as if started flowing from my heart towards all things, all beings, towards the mountains yonder, towards plants, trees, birds, animals, human beings! All and everything appeared full of beauty.
In the morning I went out for a walk with Pierre. And I saw snow clad peaks of Trishul and Nanda Devi shining with golden beauty as the sun was rising. Since the last six or seven days they had hidden behind dark clouds. Now, as if to welcome my experience of joy and bliss, the curtain of clouds was lifted, and the Haimavati showed her golden face, smiling and shining with the rays of the sun playing on Her face!! The most beautiful scene ever saw in my life. Mother’s creation, this universe, is full of beauty, love and bliss. Only we have lost the capacity to visualise that! May we regain that capacity and may we see that Divine Form of the Divine, full of love, beauty and bliss! May we see it in all men, birds, animals, in all living beings, in every thing! My eyes were as if opened up with new light, with a new insight! I felt a sense of freedom- as if there is no problem in the world. Every where there is Satyam, Shivam, Sundararam, the Truth, the Good, the Beautiful. My mind that was full of agitation, full of so many problems became totally empty and it was filled with peace and joy. It is really difficult to put in words this experience of mine. Sometimes a doubt touched my mind, if all that I saw and experienced was true! But again and again I was assured of the Mother’s Grace that had made the experience possible. At present I can deeply immersed in that joy. Mother has graced me and removed the curtain of ignorance! The Mother that has given this bliss will surely take me further in Her hands and transform my mind, life and body; make me Her conscious instrument.”
Meanwhile, after my arrival at Almora, I received the following letters from Sri Anirvan.
“OM Haimavati
31.7.60.
My dear G.
Your P.C. reached me on the 27th. You must be now in Almora. How do you find it?
Yes, it’s the Divine who is working though all these. Let us be fit instruments for the radiation of His Power and Light.
With love,
Ever yours.
A.”
“OM Haimavati.
7.8.60.
My dear Gautam,
So you are nicely settled there. May your tapasya bear fruit.
Shillong is quiet now. Things are returning to normality elsewhere, we hear. But who knows?
Let these things pass. Dive deep, deep, deep into your heart to bring down grace from above to bring up a new India for the world.
Sandhya is all right; I will give her your news.
With love,
ever yours,
A.”
“OM Haimavati
21.8.60.
My dear Gautam,
I am so glad to have all your news. So your stay at Almora is bearing good fruit. Do you see the snow peaks sometimes?
They are seen very clearly from November on. I remember how I often used to pass a whole day gazing at the splendour and purity, which are Haimavati. Anyhow you will find the
atmosphere surrounded with spiritual Shakti, if use seek for it.
Many truths hidden in the Vedas would not have been revealed to me if I had not been in the Himalayas.
May the Light that has dawned upon you stay with you.
My love to you and to Pierre and Mary.
Ever yours,
A.”
During my stay at Almora apart from my personal Sadhana two important things happened which will be interesting to note here.
1. My first meeting with Tapas Chinmayi who was instrumental in taking Anirvanji to Almora to facilitate his translation of Life Divine and work on the Vedas- who stayed and worked with Anirvan till Lizelle Reymond took over the charge.
2. My visit to Nava or Uttara Vrindavan at Hirtola near Almora about 16 miles away to Sri Krishnaprema formerly Ronald Nixon of England, a trip as holder of Cambridge University, who had become a Viiaishnava Sannyasi- a worshipper of Sri Krishna- under the influence of Jasoda Ma – a great Devotee of Sri Krishna. She was actually
Monikadevi, wife of Dr. Jnana Saran Chakravarty, vice Chancellor of Lucknow University, who himself was a great spiritual Sadhaka. He gave Bhagavad Gita in Mirra Richard’s hands.
21.9.08 Krishnaprema was a great friend of Dilip Kumar Roy and they exchanged a large number of letters on spiritual matters regarding Krishna Bhakti and Devotion to Sri Krishna and regarding Sri Aurobindo’s philosophy, sadhana, etc. As Dilip K Roy was a disciple of Sri Aurobindo as well. Sri Harekrishna Mandira- Poone now publishes all this correspondence in English.
To come back to our narration. I returned to Calcutta via Varanasi – Kashi in the 2nd week of September.
Anirvanji wrote me from Shillong on 25th Sept. 1960…
“Your letter of the 19th. the accompanying letter is for Brother Pierre, who writes, he will be in Calcutta from Madras on the 29th and stay for a week or so with you. Perhaps, he has already written to you.
I am glad that you have come down to the plains from the heights with a new outlook towards life. Holidays if they make one “holy” are really indispensible for a sincere worker who seeks to realise the divine through all aspects of life. The inner-life is surely greater than the outer life. An inner peace is the keyword to all spiritual realization. And this peace is nothing but the sense of the void is there. The more the spirit of Pure Existence enters into you and suffuses your whole being the nearer you are to reality. And then you are free to work without any attachment to anything.
Hamlet had said: To be or not to be. That is the question!
I would tell him: My boy, not to be is to be and there is no question about it!
With love to you all.
Ever yours.
A.”
The next letter to me from Sri Anirvan is a P.C. dated 19.3.61. Anirvanji had returned to Shillong from Calcutta on 2nd March 1961.
Anirvanji along with Sandhya came down to Calcutta from Shillong in the middle of December 1960. After passing her M.A. examination from Calcutta University Sandhya Das, who was under the direct care of Sri Anirvan acquired the job of a teacher in a missionary school at Shillong. During January 1961, Anirvanji and Sandhya together took a pilgrimage tour of South India, along with one Sri Sailendra Dasgupta, a devotee of Sri Anirvan, who was an officer of the Custom Department of the Govt. of India and was then posted at Shillong, the capital of Assam Government then (now of
Meghalaya state). he had taken charge of Sri Aurobindo Path Mandir- Shillong when Jasoda Narayan Ghosh relinquished the
charge and came down to Calcutta! And he was staying at the Pathmandir.
Sharad Dharmapal accompanied them in their South Indian Tour as he was well- acquainted with almost all the important places of South India, having frequently visited the same for his business tours.
First they went to Aurangabad from where people generally go to the famous caves of Ajanta and Ellora. Sri Anirvan and his party left Calcutta on 8th January and arrived at Aurangabad on the 10th Jan. where Lizelle was waiting for them. At Aurangabad Anirvanji met Lizelle Reymond who had gone there with other tourists from Switzerland. From there to Hyderabad, Mysore- Bangalore and then to Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, by Bus through the Nilgiri Hills visiting Uttacamand on the way by Bus journey in south is better than train journey!
From Coimbatore Sharad arranged for a tourist taxi for Anirvanji’s group and himself returned on 4th February 1961. His elder brother Nanda Kishore Mehta and Mother were then residents of Mumbai and had arranged for Sharad’s marriage to Jyoti, daughter of Sri Ramanlal Tolat of Borivalli- Mumbai.
It was during this tour that Anirvanji visited Kanyakumari another form of his dear Haimavati, whom he was pining to visit since his college days. After passing his M.A. examination, Anirvanji- then Nirvan Chaitanya Brahmachari wanted to visit his Ishta- duty Kanyakumari and had gone to the railway booking station to book a ticket to Madras from where he will go to Kanyakumari. But the spiritual force of his Guru- Swami Nigamananda forced him from within to ask for a ticket for Jorhat, in Assam where their Ashram was situated! On the way they visited Trichinapally, Tanjore, Madura,Rameswar and other places. Then they turned northwards, and after visiting Ranchi, Chidambaram and other holy places reached Pondicherry where they left the Taxi, which was hired, from Coimbatore.
This was Anirvanji’s first and only visit to Pondicherry, though he knew Sri Aurobindo intimately since the forties. He actually translated into Bangla Sri Aurobindo’s huge tome“Life Divine” during the late forties, and dedicated his whole life to explaining, elucidating Sri Aurobindo’s philosophy in Bangla as devotedly and fervently as the Vedas! Sri Aurobindo also considered Anirvanji as his friend and travelling companion of all his lives! Many people who attended his talks at Path Mandir thought that he was a sadhaka of Sri Aurobindo Ashram, and even asked, “Sir! When did you come from the Ashram?”
As to why he never paid a visit to Sri Aurobindo Ashram before, Anirvanji writes in a letter, “Though I had many opportunities to have a “ darshan” of Sri Aurobindo, I never went there before. That is my nature. I can never go to see or meet a person without any necessity only for the sake of seeing. I consider only that to be true that happens naturally in the course of time. I consider it hypocrisy or rather pretentious to make something happen ostentatiously or with pomp.”
When Anirvan visited Sri Aurobindo’s Ashram in January 1961, the Mother had already stopped coming out of her rooms, going to the playground or any other place in the Ashram. This restriction was since 1958, when she confined herself to her room, and met only selected people at appointed times. A meeting of the Mother was arranged with Sri Anirvan and others in his group. Mother gave flowers, as was her practice, to Sri Anirvan and others. There was complete silence, no conversation, only looking at one another, silent talking.
Many Sadhakas of the Ashram came to talk with Sri Anirvan. He was shown all the different places of the activities of the Ashram, but what he liked best was walking on the seashore.
After three days stay at Pondicherry, they went over to Madras and returned to Calcutta by the Madras Mail train.
24.9.08. Here it will be interesting to note the great respects and importance that Sri Anirvan placed on the four great luminaries, not only of Bangla or Bharat, but of the whole world for the New Age. He writes -
“Ramakrishna, Vivekananda, Robindranath, Aurobindo, these four are the great suns (maha surya) illuminating the firmament of the same New Age, not only of Bangla or the Bharat Varsha, they are the great suns lighting the whole world. Ramakrishna in my childhood, Vivekananda in my adulthood, Robindranath in my youth and towards the end of my life Aurobindo, these great four illuminates through their boundless grace have always helped me to remain steadfast in my self confidence. Never have I put them on a pedestal and worshipped them as gods and thus kept them at a distance from me! I consider Ramakrishna as a playmate of eternal childhood, Vivekananda a friend of my eternal adulthood (Kishore) and Aurobindo, a brother and companion of my eternal life and Robindranath ? He is like my mother! Such close affinity I have with none!
I have never seen Ramakrishna and Vivekananda with my eyes in this life. They have left this world before my eyes were opened. Though there was a possibility of seeing Aurobindo, I never saw him physically. That is my nature, I never went to see anybody for the sake of seeing. What happens naturally in course of time, I take it as true reality. It seems hypocrisy to me to do otherwise.
But I have seen Robindrnath first accidentally from a distance. I have seen him as the voice of the helpless and dumb Bangla against the anger of the rulers. Then I have gone and seen him again and from close quarters; I have seen him as the darling prince of the heart of Bangla: in such a way, I have seen only him and no one else!
And yet I could never go near and become close to him. The reason was, when I saw Robindranath, he was already seated on the throne as a god. He was being worshipped and the mantras of worship were in civilized Sanskrita – a refined language and I was an unrefined, uncivilized person! In his own language, “I am a Vratya, a non Vedic, one who does not perform sacrifices. I am a person without mantras, mantra lina, I have no right to pronounce Sanskrit! And therefore though I often went to see him, I always remained at a distance.” P.P.145 “ Pather Katha”. A.
A few words about Sri Aurobindo’s Purnayoga, yoga of self perfection or Supramental yoga and what Anirvan would call his yoga, the Sahaj Yoga. Sri Anirvan writes –
“ I do not know what name will I give to my yoga! I consider myself a Baul of Bangla. I would like to call my way Sahaj Yoga (Inborn or Natural Yoga). It is not opposed to Purna Yoga in any way. The difference, if any, is only external, a difference of viewpoint only. I don’t call my yoga anything new: I feel that it is coming out of the heart of Bharat Varsha. I don’t think there is any need of coining new words or language for it……I want to keep quiet about some occult experiences, as they create confusion in the minds of people. I believe in the maxim “What is there, that is here as well.” So I try to find here the roots of whatever supernatural there might be anywhere else! I do not consider spiritual Sadhana in any way separate from life, and therefore I feel no need of establishing any ashram, a monastery or any such thing. Maybe I will not find any one else to teach what I have seen or learnt, but I have no regrets for that, because what I have seen or understood is not mine alone. It is self-illuminating like the sun. There will always come men who will see it. “I love with all my life the glory and greatness of the United India, though I do not cling to it blindly. Therefore whether you it Purna Yoga or Sahaj Yoga, I consider all the efflorescence of the same thousand petalled Lotus.”
Regarding Sri Aurobindo, Anirvan continues to write -
“Before 1939 I did not know anything about Sri Aurobindo. But before that my life philosophy had already taken shape; it had taken form in my several writings; some of which was already published; some remained unpublished. Therefore when I came across “The Life Divine” in 1939, I felt a great joy in finding the similarity of ideas and ideals. Letter dated 6.11.55. Patralekha – vol.5 .
After this little digression let us go back to our own narrative.
Anirvanji and party returned to Calcutta in the first week of February 1961. As mentioned earlier, Sharad had gone to Bombay after accompanying Sri Anirvan and party upto Coimbatore and hiring a taxi for them for the rest of the tour up to Pondicherry.
Sharad’s marriage to Jyoti took place on 4th February at Bombay. I could not attend the marriage because of a last minute decision as to who should go to Bombay, Sudha or myself, as one of us had to remain in Calcutta to be with Apurva, son of Sudha and Bandhu, during his annual school examinations. Tickets were reserved for myself and Aparna, daughter of Sudha. But it was Sharad’s mother’s wish that if both Gautam and Sudha and I together could not come, then Sudha should come, as Jyoti should get to know Sudha in Bombay rather than Calcutta. So the reservations had to be changed. I could not go.
There is an interesting story, which I am tempted to write here.
Some two years back I had a dream. Sharad is going to be married and I am unable to attend the marriage. Some days after the marriage, I go to Howrah railway station to receive the couple who are returning from Bombay in a First Class Compartment! At the time I had the dream, talks of Sharad’s marriage were going on, but with other girls, Jyoti was nowhere in the picture.
When Sharad’s marriage with Jyoti was being fixed, Sharad had sent us a photo of Jyoti from Bombay. Seeing the photograph, I remembered the dream and said, “I have seen this girl in my dream. There is no question of selection. The marriage will take place.” And even then I could not foresee that I would not be able to go to attend the marriage, and my dream will come true even in that respect. All happened as in that dream. How true is that coming events do cast their shadows before, sometimes.
Sharad and Jyoti, the newly wedded couple, came over to Calcutta on 22nd February after passing a few days on a honeymoon cum pilgrimage at the Ashram of Swami Vidyananda, the guru of Sharad’s mother, at Karnali on the bank of the river Narmada, which is considered one of the holiest rivers of India along with Ganga and Yamuna. We will come back to this river Narmada again when Anirvanji visits Her in 1963.
A special reception was held on the occasion at 6H, Keyatala Road on 26th February. Anirvanji and Sandhya together were there during the month of February. Anirvanji was conducting his Upanishad classes at 6H Keyatala Road and Savitri classes at Sri Aurobindo Path Mandir as usual.
On 2nd March 1961, Anirvanji with Sandhya left for Shillong by plane.
After arriving at Shillong, Anirvanji resumed his regular work of study and writing, this time on the second volume of Veda Himansa which contains elaborate discussion on the Vedic Gods (Devata), beginning with a general discussion on gods and then in detail, first on the Fire-God, Agni, who especially belongs to Earth, Prithvi, Sthaniya:
Sandhya went back to her home in Shillong and resumed her school work, but regularly meeting Anirvanji during weekends and holidays.
Anirvan lived all alone in the small house especially built for him in the spacious compound of Sri Aurobindo Path Mandir, Shillong; held his weekly classes at the Mediation Hall of the Mandir. After returning to Shillong, Anirvanji wrote to me on 19th March-
"Your p.c. of the 17th. The days are fine here now. The spring is on. Work is going on quite well. If the dispatch of the parcel is a bit delayed, will you please send me the second and third parts of the notes on the Kathopanishad by book post as early as possible? I have the first part with me. I require the next two parts. It is difficult to get Prabuddha Bharat here. So I would be glad to have the issue which publishes the article you mention.
“those who do good work never suffer………..those who have set their hearts on me for all times are always looked after by me, Bhagawad Gita- 9/22. I finally believe the Mother will look after you. The set back is only temporary. It will pass.
Light will shine upon the household.
I am glad to hear that you are a happy and holy family now.
Yes, wait for the call. “They also serve who stand and wait.”
With love for you all.
Ever love …….
A.
Again on 26th April 1961, Anirvanji writes from Shillong-Haimavati, -
My dear Gautam,
Your p.c. came alright. I was waiting for the mosquito-net to come. It came yesterday. Thank you. The newer one will remain with the touring kit.
Mohan (Mohantosh Chatterjee a friend of mine since 1946 – along with Subodh Das and Khanesh Ghosal (adikari) – the trio or trinity of friends.) is leaving on Friday. I hope he has enjoyed his stay.
Yes, I can feel we are passing through hard times. But we shall never waver in our faith. I am quite confident, things will take better turn. Aparna will surely come to the reserve of Apurva. I trust her…
with love for you all….
ever yours……
A.
26.9.08 Here I will translate a letter from Sandhya dated 14th April 1961, the Bangla new year day, from Shillong. It will show how close Sandhya had come to Sri Anirvan as well as to us. In many letters to her which remained unpublished, Anirvanji addressed her as Sati, Aparajita and such other names of Parvati or Haimavati of his heart.
Wherever he saw the possibility, Anirvanji tried to rouse the spirit of women that came in his contact to the level of his ideal of Haimavati, to the level of Maitreyi and Gargi of Upanishadic period or of Apata behind the proposal establishment of Shanti Ashram under Lizelle Reymond at Almora. Since then he gave up the idea of establishing an ashram but he continued to give shape to his ideal for women, wherever he saw the possibility.
"MY LIFE WITH SRI ANIRVAN" BY SRI GOUTAM DHARMAPAL, PART TWO, CONTINUED
Shillong
14.4.61.
Dear Gautambhai,
My New Year greetings to you all. My love and blessing to Bablu and Kiki (Apurva and Aparna).
I am extremely pleased to your letter this time: I am feeling a great sense of peace to know that you all consider me one of you. Truly speaking, it is Swamiji (Anirvanji) who has built up the bridge between us. Rather he is the bridge. I do not know on what blessed day I happened to get him as Guru, as father, as a dear friend (sakha). My small and ordinary cup of life is filled to the brim by his unbounded grace. I hear the call of the infinite, of the unbounded in the bounded finite.
You have well said, Swamiji considers his pure consciousness as ether akasha. I have often heard this from him.Varuna and Aditi. These are the two forms of the great void. If varuna is the presiding dutyof Ether- Akash- Aditi is His Shakti- Power, Energy. He says, Varuna and Aditi, the couple- “mithuna” of the great void- “Mahasunya” are the God and the Goddess worshipped by him; and this Aditi indeed is the Non-self void- nairatmya-rupini shunyata” of Buddha.
At sometime I had told Swamiji about your experience. Swamiji said, “without talking about himself he told me what he felt about Bandhuji. Seeing Bandhu for the first time he had felt that a great force was burning in itself, dazzling like the Mid-Day sun.
Yes Gautambhai, I too sometimes felt like going down to Calcutta and stay with you. But all the time, I think of Swamiji.
He always says, “Don’t try to create any situation on your own. What happens naturally, in course of time, accept it with joy. Nothing happens at your will. Everything happens at His will. Therefore surrender to Him fully at that time.”
I am trying to follow that in my life. You know in what disturbing circumstances, I am passing through. Of course, that turmoil is outside- my inner being is like a small but clear lake and I do not allow to fade the shadow, the image of the infinite sky that falls on it. That is the consolation that I have even in the great sorrow.
With love…….
Sandhya
The next letter from Anirvanji is from Haimavati, Shillong Dated 4.6.61.
My dear G,
Your letter of the 26th. Perhaps you have received Sandhya’s letter by this time. Radhesh’s (Sandhya’s elder brother) marriage is going to take place very soon. The date has been fixed for the 26th June. Let us hope everything will come off smoothly.
I agree with your political plan. But nobody will hear us. If India is to go to ruins, let her go as soon as possible. Things have become unbearable for a few sensitive persons. The rest simply do not care.
Naturally, the reaction to such surroundings is more and more of inwardisation. In the inmost recess of one’s heart, one has the Truth. But it cannot be protected outwards. Perhaps, we shall have to wait long and long, till at last the curtain falls as Death. I understand the pangs which you are passing through. It is the preparation. Before we have the creative joy, we have to go through this creative pain. I cannot wish that this pain leaves you, neither do you. I would rather say,
“Let the fire burn more and more. Till no fuel is left. Then the void will catch fire and the phase of creative joy start.”
Is it not sweet to suffer for the Thing for which we can stake all?
You have written about your financial position. How are things going on?
My love for you all
Ever yours…….
A.
27.9.08 Here I have a quote from Sri Anirvan’s letter in Bangla dated 167.61.
“Man is only a symbol, the goal is God. However great a man may be, never place him on the seat of God. If you want to see God in Man, you should see him first in your heart. The person who inspires you to see God in your own heart, may be a superhuman person, a maha-manava, but he is not God. Keep God above all and everything. Therein lies the Good.”
Here I am reminded of an Urdu couplet. Adam ko khuda mat kaho, adam khuda nahi hai. Don’t call man a God. Man is not God. But (again) man is not different, separate from the Light of God.
The first volume of Veda Mimamsa, the Vedic Exegesis, of Sri Anirvan was published in May-June 1961. He started the work on Veda Mimamsa in 1958, after Dr. Gourinath Shastri’s visit to Shillong. It was then that Dr. Shastri, the principal of Sanskrit College, Calcutta, had met Sri Anirvan and requested him to write something on the Veda for their Calcutta Sanskrit College Research Series. As soon as the book was published it was highly applauded by the learned, and the West Bengal Government welcomed it by bestowing on it the honour of Robindra Puraskara.
During this period I was beset with many problems and decided to pass a few quiet days at Shillong in the silent company of Anirvanji.
After getting the consent from Sri Anirvan I embarked on the journey on 12th August. This time my Journey to and from Shillong was a bit hazardous.
I reached Pandu rather late at night on 14th August. There was no direct train from Calcutta to Gauhati. We had to cross the river Padma at Sakarigali Ghat and Pandu on the side of Gauhati by steamer, disembarking from one train and embarking on the other side on another train. To find one’s reserved seat was a great problem. With great difficulty I found the sleeping quarters in the railway colony of Pandu, passed the night there, and took a bus to Shillong from Pandu in the early morning.
I should have reached Shillong before noon, but our bus met with an accident on the way. There was a landslide on the slippery mountainous road and a big tree fell just on the front hood of the bus. A few seconds more and the tree would have crushed the roof of the bus and left many injured. Fortunately no one was injured, not even the driver, and the machine too was unhurt and remained in good working condition. It took three to four hours to remove the tree trunk, cutting it at several places and start the journey again. By the time I reached Sri Aurobindo Path Mandir, it was almost evening, the evening program of the Path Mandir was over, and refreshments were being distributed at the end of the program, it being Sri Aurobindo’s 90th Birthday.
The return journey was more adventurous. I left Shillong on 2nd October with Shikha, a niece of Sandhya, who accompanied me to Calcutta, took the train from Gauhati, and crossing the Brahmaputra River, reached Barauni. The railway tracks were washed away in the heavy rains, so we had to get down the train with our luggage, huddle ourselves in a truck and reach Mokama junction at a distance of a few miles, sometimes pushing the truck in deep waters. From Mokama we again took the train and reached Calcutta on 5th October.
This time Sri Dasgupta was in charge of the Path Mandir, and I was given a room at the rear of the Mandir, facing Sri Anirvan’s Haimavati which was at the far end of the spacious compound. I spent one and a half months in the quiet and peaceful atmosphere of the place. One felt the force of silence emanating from the centre throughout the whole area of the Path Mandir. Apart from the evenings, I spent the whole day in silent meditation, doing all my personal work.
I used to go to Anirvanji every evening between six and eight, except on the days when Anirvanji had special appointments elsewhere, or when he held discussions at the Path Mandir. Generally the talks were held on Saturday evenings. Even during the evening meetings, we talked in silence mostly, sometimes exchanging information. It was like sitting before Sri Raman Maharshi at Tiruvannamalli, the only difference being that I was more intimate with Sri Anirvan and could talk freely in the same language.
28.9.08 During my stay ai Shillong, one day I visited Sandhya’s house and one day Sandhya and I went for a walk at a beautiful place called Shillong Summit, from where, if the light of the day permits, Mount Everest can be seen.
Sadly, Usha Bhattacharya’s mother passed away. Anirvanji and I attended the sraddha ceremony.
One day I went with Anirvanji to the vegetable market of Shillong, managed mostly by the Khasi women. It was a sight to see. Anirvanji would stand silently before the preferred stall. He looked like a fakir. The Khasi Assamese women would attend first to well dressed people, rich prospective customers who purchased large quantities of vegetables even though Anirvanj was waiting before they came. Anirvanji neither said a word nor pushed himself forward, simply waited silently with a little smile on his face. That day, I tried to intervene. But he stopped me by a gesture.
29.9.08 I returned to Calcutta on 5th October 1961, after nearly one and a half months retreat at Shillong in the charged spiritual atmosphere.
Anirvanji came down to Calcutta with Sandhya in the last week of December 1961, and after a short stay in Calcutta left for Ranchi, Patna, Allahabad and Delhi, the places he regularly visited in winter since the forties. Sandhya too accompanied him. From Delhi, he returned to Calcutta on 31st January 1962.
During this period I went to Varanasi with Sudha and Narayani Basu, wife of Dr. Atindra Basu, a friend of ours since 1948-49. Dr. Atindra Basu had suddenly passed away in London on 17th October 1961, where he had gone on research for his book on Anarchism. Since then Narayani Basu had become a close friend.
The main purpose of our visiting Varanasi this time was to attend the talks of Sri J. Krishnamurti which were being held there between 22nd December to 18th January 1962. Tapas, who was by now a staunch devotee of Krishnamurti, had arranged for our stay at Bescent Vihar, Varanasi, on the bank of the river Varuna, where Krishnamurti usually stayed and gave his lectures. Tapas also arranged a special meeting for us with Sri J. Krishnamurti.
On our way back to Calcutta we visited Gaya and Buddha Gaya.
Anirvanji and Sandhya passed the month of February 1962 at our place, 6H, Keyatala Road. This was Anirvanji’s general program when stayed with us at Keyatala Road. He got up very early in the morning, and by 6 am finished his regular Asana, Pranayama, and so forth.
7.30 to 9.00 am Upanishad class.
9.00 to 10.00 am Reading or interviews.
10.00 to 11.00 am Going for a walk to the lakes which is very near.
11.00 to 12.00 noon Bath and lunch.
12.00 to 2.00 pm Reading newspapers- rest.
2.00 to 4.00 pm Personal work, no interviews.
4.00 to 5.00 pm Individual interviews.
5.00 to 8.00 pm Talks at Sri Aurobindo Path Mandir, or open session at Keyatala
Road or visit to some places.
8.00 to 10.00 pm Dinner, general conversation with family members and close friends.
On the first of March 1962, Anirvanji and Sandhya left for Shillong by plane and I resumed my normal activities.
We held our weekly Dharma Sabha every Sunday morning from 10.00 to 11.30 am. until Anirvanji came over to Calcutta at the end of 1964,
After sending a postcard informing us about his reaching Shillong, Anirvanji wrote me a letter on 7th March 1962.
My dear Gautam,
You must have received my P.C. by this time. I could not write to you on Sunday, as I was very busy with some repairs to be done. I am now almost settled and hope to begin work from next Monday. The cold is still very severe. In addition to that it has been raining from the past two days. Today a biting wind is blowing and it seems that we have been put to cold storage!
I often remember the strenuous but happy days that I spend with you. This time the family was running very smoothly and all of you had some time to spare.
I hope you remember what I told you before I left. I feel very deeply for you. You are the head of a spiritual family and Bandhuji’s mantle has fallen upon you. Even if you are in no mood for work just now, you must help the family and the cause by radiating peace, strength and joy to others. I can assure you that you shall always be in my thoughts. Live deeply, truly and energetically.
Sandhya’s school opens today. Her elder sister-in-law and the ailing child were to be released from hospital last Monday.
I hope the child is quite all right now. Sandhya has asked me to send to you all her love.
Bablu must have been back from the camp. How did he fare there?
My love to you and Sudha, Sharad, Jyoti, Bablu and Kiki.
Please write to me as often as you can.
Ever yours…………
A.
Again on 25th March 1962, Anirvanji writes from Shillong.
My dear Gautam,
Excuse me in taking out long time in answering your letter. I have been racing with time.
If for one reason or another I miss one Sunday it becomes impossible to find an opportunity of writing a letter. During the weekdays, though I had thought of doing so, the last two weeks. The result was that many and many mental dispatches have been send to you during the whole time. Perhaps that is the easier way and costs you nothing!
I am glad to hear that you are determined to carry on the torch. That’s brave! The foundation stone is always deep in the earth beyond the sight of men, but it is strong to uphold the whole super- structure. Live deep within yourself, let your whole life become a “flame-song” as the rishi used to say. I have much much hope in you. You and Sudha like two comrades-in-arms, as one might say, like Krishna and Panshali, and Sharad and Jyoti like Vasistha and Arundhati is it not a glorious dream? Well, you will surely have your golden deerskin; I shall not forget.
To live deeply, fully, truly and let all works become an emanation of light, that is what we have to achieve.
Sandhya is all right. She sends you her love. Radesh’s wife has been sent to the hospital for delivery two days ago and yet there is no news. We hope everything will come off all right.
With love,
ever yours,
A.
1.10.08 It would have been easier to follow the next two letters if I had the copies of my letters to Sri Anirvanji. But unfortunately I did not keep copies of my letters then, and so we have to manage as it is!
OM Haimavati,
15.4.62.
My dear Gautam,
Your letter of the 5th reached here on the 9yh. I am anxious about Sharad’s health, Sandhya has written in the mean time. As there has been no further communication from you. I hope he is all right by this time. Please write.
I don’t know when Sudha Bose or Nivedita comes, but Gopikanta of Jadavpur University is expected to come in May when the University closes. I shall require these things:
1. cushion of pins for flower arrangements Rs. 3/12
2. Hindi dictionary (sudha’s school)
1. Watch (presented by Mohontosh)
1 waste paper basket of bamboo rods. In the shape of a basket?
You must make purchases later on when it is definitely known who comes when.I am glad to hear Narayani Bose is writing and completing the works of Sri (Atindra) Bose. I wish her all success.
The very same idea haunts me too. Only I have added Shiva to my pantheon. It is something like this.
The void of the Buddha (one or zero)
Shiva and Shakti in Kailash (the eternal two) Krishna (sporting with the many)
In Krishna I find the fulfillment. I think not only of the adolescent Krishna, but also of the philosopher, the patriot and the man of action. He dreamt of an India which is yet to come. May be inspire us always, as hard as a rock and as soft as a flower.
My love to you all……
ever yours …
A.
The next letter is dated 22.4.62.
My dear G.
Your P.C. of the 19th gave me great relief. I hope S. is progressing quite satisfactorily and will be all right in a few days.
Please keep me informed of his condition.
Dasgupta will be leaving next week. The Path Mandir bids henceforth to be a pure mandir, no establishment and hence no paying guest concern anymore. Gopi has come here, he will stay as long as circumstances are favorable to him, and he can go on with his studies without interruption. He will cook for himself and pay a small sum as seat rent. Things are in the melting pot now!
By Shiva I meant what is technically called the Mahashiva, the Para-samvit (the highest knowledge. Chit = consciousness.
Trinity = Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva or Maheswara.) or Chit- principle of the Shaiva Darshana, not the Shiva of the Trinity.
This, I added to make my idea clear to you. The rest is quite O.K.
Anyhow, I feel you are never to be defeated, and victory to Her.
With love to all of you,
Ever yours…….
A.
The next two letters are postcards----
OM. Haimavati,
4.8.62.
My dear Gautam,
Your P.C. of the 2nd reached yesterday evening. Sandhya was speaking of you the other day. She might have written to you. I shall enquire.
You are the standard bearers of Bandhu. His immortal spirit is the kindly light that is leading you on. Spiritual achievement is always measured by the calmness and depth that you have attained to. The Glory is within. May it shine unquenched in you all.
My love to you and to every one of yours and mine.
Ever yours…
A.
OM. Haimavati,
Shillong.
19.8.62.
My dear Gautam,
Your card of the 14th. I had a general attack of lumbago during the rains because of exposure but it was not acute. It passed away in three or four days and I am all right now.
But from the middle of June, I could not work for six weeks or so. Physically, I felt very weak nd was quite unable to bear any strain. I have been working at a stretch from the last twelve hours. Every ten or twelve years, I have got to go to seclusion; forget everything about the world. It was perhaps that mood which overtook me. I am all right now and working normally but am not at all hurrying with my work. Let it grow up naturally. No use forcing the pace. (Anirvan was now working on the 2nd Volume of Veda Mimamsa.)
I am glad that Sudha has taken to her studies seriously. Let her make hay when the sun shines. We are O.K.
With love for you all,
Ever yours….
A.
Sri Anirvan had begun planning for his next pilgrimage to Western India, to his dear river Narmada and to Dwarka, the capital of the Yadu race of Sri Krishna during the Mahabharata period. The four places of Pilgrimage at the four corners of India, which all Hindus desire to visit at least once during their lifetime since at least two thousand years, are Jagannath Puri in the East, Rameswar in the south, Dwarka in the west and Kedar-Badri in the North.
Jagannath Puri was visited quite a few times by Sri Anirvan since his Brahmachari days with Swami Nigamananda Saraswati, his Guru. Anirvanji visited Rameswar and Kanyakumari in January 1961. Now he was planning to visit Dwarka in January 1963.
Though I belong to Gujarat, I too had not visited Dwarka all this time, and so I decided to accompany Anirvanji in his next pilgrimage. This matter comes up in the next letter.
OM. Haimavati,
Shillong.
23.9.62.
My dear Gautam,
I did not answer your letter last week because I was waiting for some information from Calcutta.
Benoy Mukerjee of 18, Basanta Bose Road; will be coming to the Path Mandir after the pujas to stay for a month. Of course, he will be making his own cooking arrangements or if it is convenient for both, he may mess with Rao,* who has become a “self-cooker” like myself. I am writing to him today to bring with him the books that are lying there as luggage…. All expenses fully paid by me. I hope you will make the necessary arrangements when he contacts you.
Perhaps Jyoti will be soon going to Bombay. Is she all right now? Yes, Sudha must not be disturbed in her studies. How are Bablu and Kiki doing? Bablu must have found his line and what is Kiki going to do? Is she going to be a “Jane of all trades?”
We are having beastly weather here. There is hardly a few hours of sunshine and it is raining continuously, though not heavily but quite nastily enough to damp body and mind.
Are you keeping quite fit? The days must be very busy for you. But the nights? Are they quiet and smooth? Are you training yourself for a yogic sleep? It is a mere suggestion it would help you a lot.
I have not written to Dilip Babu yet (Sri Dilip Kumar Roy at Poona – Hare Krishna Mandir). I shall take up your idea of first going to Bombay, then taking up Saurashtra and Madhya Bharat. Next month, I mean to do a bit of book and map reading to prepare myself for the tour.
Hope you all are all quite O.K.
My love for you.
Ever yours…
A.
*Sri Rao was a permanent paying guest of the Path Mandir. He was a lecturer at the Lady Kean College, where Usha Bhattacharya was a principal. When Sri Anirvanji came down to Calcutta in 1965, he even stayed for some time in the house where A. stayed.
In October 1962, China attacked India from both western and eastern fronts. On the eastern front they almost came down upto Tezpur in Assam capturing the whole of the present Arunachal state. In the western front they captured some portions of Ladakh and North East Kashmir; which they never left. Thanks to the active help coming from the U.S.A. - John Kennedy was then the president of U.S.A.- and the spiritual intervention of yogis like the Mother of Pondicherry, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, the Chinese unilaterally withdrew from the eastern front, and the war was over, keeping the border issue burning till today.
As this situation in Assam was becoming more and more unstable and anarchic, both because of the Chinese aggression and the political movements of United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) and other fronts as in Nagaland etc. I began requesting Anirvanji to come down to Calcutta, which materialised at the end of 1964, two years later, after the marriage of Sandhya to Benoy Lahiri, an old friend and comrade in December 1963 and his own severe illness in 1964.
We will talk about that later.
But just now Anirvanji is preparing his next pilgrimage to Dwarka and other places in western India.
OM. Haimavati,
Shillong.
11.11.62.
My dear Gautam,
Your inland letter of the 6th. I am sending by tomorrow’s post an M.O. for Rs. 20/- (perhaps I had written, “You need not send the M.O.)
The present circumstances have upset my program. Perhaps I shall be a few days late in going down: then I shall have to cancel my stay at Patna or squeeze it. The dates fixed for pilgrimage and the Calcutta program will most probably remain unchanged. I hope to know everything definitely by the end of this month.
I quite agree with you about the present crisis. Have you seen the Mother’s message regarding the emergency? Calcutta Path Mandir sent me a copy. It is wonderful.
We acquired freedom without paying any price for it (we should say “not enough price”). It was the freedom of a few political and economic profiteers to hoodwink and exploit the mass. This blow will be an eye-opener. Now we have to fight the external enemy as one man and so have to sink all ideological differences. Then we have to turn our forces
against the internal enemies and pull down those who in these fifteen years brought down the country to the verge of ruin.
But first of all, we have to purify ourselves.
There is no Dharma in the land, Dharma has to be established by wiping away the misdoers as the Gita says.
With love for you all,
Ever yours ….
A.
The last letter in 1962 frm Haimavati Shillong.
OM.
25.11.62.
My dear G.
Your two letters came one after another and also your wire. The friends from Venezuela stayed in a hotel here for four days, and left today at noon. They were very nice and I saw them every day.
The present crises have upset all my plans. I don’t know when I shall be able to leave Shillong. I have left everything in the Hands who brought me here. I am not working now. I am simply sitting calm and doing my little part that I have to do in this crisis. It is difficult to see into the future. The worst might happen or the best. I do not care. Let Her will be done. It is a joy to submit to it. Real work is done not through overt acts or words, but through deeper and deeper silence.
On the practical side, transport difficulties are increasing from day to day. There are other things also to consider which are not in our hands.
I shall keep you informed every week regarding the situation here. If I come down of course Sandhya will accompany me and I will bring the papers worth saving with me.
Please don’t worry about me I am quite all right in other ways. Only strange vistas are opening before me and I cannot but place myself in Her hands in utter passivity.
My love to you all.
Ever yours…..
A
3.10.08 Anirvanji and Sandhya came down from Shillong to Calcutta by plane on 15th December 1962 and left for Allahabad on 17th December to see his ailing friend Dhirender Chandra Dasgupta. Sri Dasgupta who had accompanied Anirvanji on his South India pilgrimage also accompanied him on this tour of western India as well Anirvanji, Sandhya and Dasgupta together arrived at Bombay on 14th January 1963 where Sharad and I received them.
Meanwhile I had gone to Ahmedabad, and leaving Calcutta on 1st January 1963, I went to my native place, Ahmedabad, after a lapse of long fourteen years. I had last gone there in 1948, when our first business concern, the Dharmapal Brothers, was being wound up. While leaving Ahmedabad I told my younger sister Kokila (who was then six or seven years old and asked for a great many presents from me) that I would come the next time with a lot of money to buy her all she wanted. It was fourteen years before I returned to Ahmedabad, and I could not keep my promise to my young sister Kokila, as meanwhile she had died of anemia in 1954. When I went to Ahmedabad in January 1963, my old father did not forget to remind me of my failed promise. I could only answer that I did not go to Calcutta to make money.
Before I reached Ahmedabad. on 3rd January, another tragedy had occurred. My friend Nanubhai P. Shah, elder brother of Kanti P.Shah who was intimately close to Bandhu Dharmapal, who was to become a Dharmapal and was to accompany Bandhu first to Calcutta instead of me, passed away on 1st January. He was suffering from cancer, and Kanti told me that he was remembering me at the time of his passing away, as he knew that I was coming to Ahmedabad. It was Nanubhai who was like my protecting angel during the 1942 movement, and even later in 1948 when I had come toAhmedabad. to wind up the business. But all that is another story.
After meeting and visiting all the friends and relatives in Ahmedabad after a long time, I went to Bombay to receive Anirvanji and company. Sharad was already there after completing his business tour of South India.
Anirvanji Sandhya and Dasgupta arrived at Bombay on 14th January. We had arranged for their stay at Vile Parle East at the spacious residence of our old friend Dahyabhai Patel.
Anirvanji’s pilgrimages were hectic, covering many places in a short span of time, and this tour was most hectic.
On 14th evening, we visited some places in Bombay city. On 15th morning we visited the famous Elephant Caves, which is situated on an island in the sea near Bombay, where there is the famous stone statue of Trimurti, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. In the evening, we visited the famous Hanging Gardens and enjoyed walking on the sea beach.
Next day on sixteenth January, our friend Dahyabhai Patel lent us his car to visit first Nasik and Trayambak, then to Poona for two days. On our return journey we visited Matheran, a beautiful hill station, with stony mountain at one side and jungles covering the other side.
Nasik is a place of pilgrimage on the bank of the river Godavari, that emerges out of the mountain just opposite, collecting in a small lake, and then flows out. On the way to Nasik and Tryambak are the famous Pandava Caves where the Pandavas, Yudhisthir and his brothers, with Draupadi are supposed to have stayed for some time during their twelve-year stay in the forest.
At Poona we stayed at Ananda Niketan, an Ashram of Swami Amarjyoti, and a friend of mine. Sri Dilip Kumar Roy, whom we visited next day at his Hare Krishna Mandir, mildly rebuked Anirvanji for not giving him an opportunity to serve him.
Any way we sat at the evening prayers of his Radha Krishna tenple and heard his celestial BhajanKirtan.
We also visited the famous of Mother Bhawani, the deity of Shivaji, who is supposed to have given Her sword to Shivaji
to fight against the Mogul Emperor Aurangzeb and free the motherland. The temple is situated on the small hill near the famous fort of Poona.
We left Poona on 18th morning and on our way to Matheran visited the famous Karta- Bhaje Buddhist Caves, reaching Matheran in the evening. It was pleasant to walk in the jungles of Matheran in the moonlit night. Next day morning, we climbed up to the Panorama and Monkey Points, returning to Bombay the same evening. We took the train to Ahmrdabad and reached there on 20th January morning.
20th and 21st January were spent in Ahmedabad. visiting the Sabarmati Ashram of Mahatma Gandhi and other places.
On 21st evening Anirvanji met devotees of Sri Aurobindo and gave a talk at the local Mother’s Centre at the Ellisbridge, Pritamnagar area.
We hired a taxi and toured the whole of Saurashtra in four days. Generally I sat in the front seat with the driver and Anirvanji, Sandhya and Dasgupta occupied the back seats.
We started very early in the morning of 22nd January, and reached Palitana, near Bhavnagar at about 11 am. Palitana is considered especially holy by the Jains, as one of the 24th Trithankars of Jains, Neminath the 22nd, a cousin of Krishna, was cremated here. In fact Parasnath hills in Bihar is the holiest place for the Jains, as the 22nd Trithankars including the 23rd Trithankar Parsvanath, are cremated at different places on this hill. About the same time Gautama Buddha was cremated at Pavapuri near Nalanda in Bihar. Thus Palitana is the third holiest places for the Jains, which should be visited by all Jains at least once in their lives.
The same evening we left Palitana and reached Junagadh at the foot of the famous Girnar Hills via Rajkot late at night.
Next morning on the 23rd January, we climbed the Girnar Hill up to the fifth peak where there is the temple of Mother Amba, another form of Durga. Regular steps are built up to this temple. One has to go up to the seventh peak, which isdedicated to Gorakhnath the greatest of the Nath- Yogis. We did not go up to that peak as there was no regular path to it and will take much time. We came down by 11am; saw the famous Ashoka Pillar where the message of peace is carved out in Brahmi script, which only Anirvanji could read. We read the Gujarat, Hindi and English translations. We also visited the famous Damodar Temple where the famous Gujarati Poet and Bhakta (devotee of Sri Krishna) Narasimha used to sing Bhajans (devotional songs). Thanks to Mahatma Gandhi, his (Narasimha’s) name is now famous the world over because of the singing of his Bhajan, “Vaishnava Jana to tene Kahiye.” He is called a Vaishnava, a devotee of Vishnu orKrishna.
Though extremely tired because of the climbing, we left Junagadh after lunch and a little rest, and reached Somanath Patana, the famous Somnath Temple, on the seashore. The present temple is newly built after the independence of India in 1947 on the ruins of the old temple which was first destroyed in 1040 A.D. by Mohammad Ghazni, the first Muslim invader from Afghanistan.
Next, we visited the temple at Prabhas Patana, the place where Sri Krishna is believed to have left his body after the selfmassacre of his Yadu-clan.
The same night of 23rd, we reached Rajkot via Junagadha and passed the night at the Ambassador Hotel.
Next day in the morning of 24th we left Rajkot, reached Jamnagar at about 10 in the morning; where patients are being treated with Sun-Rays. We left Jamnagar in the afternoon and reached Dwarka in the evening. We could not go to Bet-Dwarka the island where the actual Dwarka is supposed to have been situated, as no more boats were available. After visiting the local famous temple of Dwarkadhisha, watching the evening prayers, we returned to our Railway Waiting Room and passed the night there.
Next morning, that is on 25th Jan. we paid our obeisance to Dwarkadhisha and the Gomati River nearby. We left Dwarka; were back in Ahmedabad late at night, passing the whole day in the taxi. We were dead tired, Anirvanji the most, as he took the attack of the sun rays on his body all the day; would not exchange his seat with me or Dasgupta.
As the whole program till our return to Calcutta was so tightly fixed, and railway bookings etc. were made in advance, there was no time to relax. The penalty was paid at last at Jabalpore, but to that we shall come later.
On 26th morning we left for Abu by train. It is again a hill station, the highest in the Aravalli hills of Rajasthan. Abu is situated at the border between Gujarat (north) and Rajasthan (south) and exchanged suzerainty between the rulers of Gujarat and Rajasthan Kings.
The famous Jain temples of Dilwara and the cave temple of Goddess Ambaji, the Jain temples of Achalgadh, the highestpeak, Vasishtha Ashram, the beautiful Nakhi Lake and the Sunset Point, we visited all these in one day. We had a wonderful experience at the Sunset Point. We were all sitting on the top of a small hill enjoying the sunset on the far stretching valley below, when there was a rumbling sound from the ground. It was the sound that generally precedes an earthquake. And the crowd, except a few of us, ran pell-mell down the hill, some falling down in the process.
Fortunately nothing happened; we slowly came down; took our taxi and came down the mount Abu to the plains, to catch the train back to Ahmedabad where we reached on 27th morning. We did not go out anywhere; the whole day and night of the 27th was passed in rest. Of course, Anirvanji had to meet many people who came to see him, in the morning and evening, as we were to leave Ahmedabad the next morning.
We left Ahmedabad in the morning of 28th January. On our way to Bhopal we broke the journey at Ujjain on the river Shipra, where the famous Kumba-Mela is held once every twelve years (a great gathering of saints and pilgrims from all over India at four places on a particular day every twelve years. The four places are Haridwar on Ganga, Prayag (Ahmadabad) at the Junction of Ganga and Yamuna, Nasik on the bank of Godavari and Ujjain on the bank of Shipra. The four places are supposed to have been made very holy because of the falling of nectar from the pitcher of nectar being carried away by Jayanta, son of Indra. Ujjain is the place where the legendary king Vikramaditya once ruled, in whose cabinet called “Navratna,” the nine jewels, the famous poet Kalidasa and the famous astronomer Varahanuhir held prominent positions. Ujjain is a place of pilgrimage for the MahaKaleswar temple situated there: the whole day of the 39th January was spent in visiting all the important places in Ujjain, and in the evening we again took the train to Bhopal, where we arrived on the morning of 30th Jan.
In Bhopal Anirvanji and Sandhya stayed with Smt. Susmita Chatterjee, a student disciple of Anirvanji who was a professor in the local Government Girls’ College. As she had not sufficient accommodation, Dasgupta and and I stayed at the local Sri Aurobindo Centre, where a meeting was arranged for Sri Anirvan in the evening of 30th January. In Bhopal, we stayed for two days and left for Jabalpur on 31st night.
After arriving at Jabalpur in the morning of 1st February, Anirvanji fell ill, and we had to cancel our program of visiting the famous Khajuraho Temples. He could not even come with us to see the famous marble rocks in the river Narmada shining brightly in the moonlit night.
For four days, Anirvanji had high fever. Pranab Dhar, Abani Banerjee, Dr.R.K. Ganguly, all friends and devotees of Anirvanji took great care and served him with care and devotion. On 4th February Anirvanji was a little better and we left for Calcutta on 5th February, arriving there in the afternoon of 6th February 1963.
Though weak due to the high fever in Jabalpur, Anirvanji took his classes on Upanishads at Keyatala Road every day in the morning and on Savitri at Sri Aurobindo Path Mandir thrice a week in the evenings, he would meet people as usual.
During this time he was so much engrossed with the thoughts and visions of “Savitri” and Sri Krishna- the Dwarkadhish that some days he would fall down and remained unconscious for a length of time, and often we did not know it had happened.
Sandhya, who was very intimate with him during this period, saw and knew this very closely and was much worried.
Anyway, thus passed the month of February and Anirvanji and Sandhya left for Shillong on 1st March’ 63.
Immediately after Anirvanji reached Shillong, he wrote a P.C. to me. Before I could acknowledge, he wrote another letter.
OM. Haimavati;
5.3.63.
My dear G.
You must have received my p.c. by this time. I promised to write to you on Sunday but could not finish any mail. I started work yesterday, not yet with full speed. I am quite well now, physically but the mind has become a blank. And, I do not regret it. I can only say, God exists, and God is Existence: my existence does not matter at all. There is an “I” which is not mine. That I is Self-Conscious and that Self-consciousness is a pure colorless void. There is peace, which is a promise of bliss, but absolutely without any hedonistic complexion. With this background the world appears as a shimmering beauty. The appearance becomes reality. I don’t look behind appearances. There might be skeletons underneath, but Idon’t care. There is only the void and this sheer appearance of beauty- the mayavin Varuna and His maya. You all have become beauteous appearances clothing the void and I love to think you of all.
I don’t know whether I am moving but it is so full of peace. May this peace descend into you all.
Give your news in detail about everyone.
Is Kiki trying to keep her promise?
My love to you, Sudha, Sharad, Jyoti, Bablu and Kiki.
Sandhya will write to you soon. His brother is going to be married on the 11th. So she is extremely busy with her schoolwork and this ceremony.
Hope this finds you all O.K
Ever yours………
A.
Again on 12.3.63, Anirvanji wrote from Shillong.
OM.
My dear Gautam,
Your two letters with the consignment notes reached all right. I shall enquire to-morrow if the air parcel has arrived. It was stamped “subject to delay”. I do not know that the charges had gone. Up by 50%. So that nowadays, it is cheaper to bring things as passenger luggage and no botheration too. By the way, can you tell me, where the office of the “Air Assam” is in Shillong? It becomes difficult sometimes to hunt up these offices.
I am glad to learn that you are all O.K. Sandhya is all right too. She will be extremely busy this week with the homecoming of the new bride. I feel quite all right now. But I have reduced my working hours from 10 to 6. The nights I have kept quite free.
The Sanskrit College is going to pay me handsomely for those summer lectures on the Vedas. So you have no cause for grudge against them any more.
I am passing my days in a dream as it were. Everything appears so simple and lucent. Just like sunlight. Is it not the simplest thing in the world? It is radiantly white. It suffuses all. Nothing can stop its radiation. But if you put a prism before it, it refracts into vibgyor. How wonderful and beautiful too. If you go to analyze it, you write volumes about its laws and properties. But is there any need of analysis, after all? Why not bask in the sunlight just like a tree and suck light, joy and power from it? And give it forth in many hued blossoms of good thoughts, good words and deeds, which are all the glory of the sun.
I had a wonderful vision this morning. I was returning to Calcutta from Jabalpur. With my open eyes, I saw the majesty of Dwarkadhish and the loving sweetness of His Rukmini. It stirred me to the depths of my soul. Nowhere have I seen that glory expressed in the figuration of the Lord. Somehow only Nandalal Bose seems to have caught a glimpse of it. But the vision has given me a deep faith in the future of India and the world. The Krishna consciousness is pressing on us. Let us open ourselves to it in the spirit of utter dedication. O Lord, let thy will be done. That will knows no failure. You cannot separate yourselves from Him and say, “Failures are ours, while victory is Thine”- No, No, it is all victory. His victory.
My love to you and Sudha, Sharad and Jyoti, Bablu and Kiki- ever yours……….A…
(these letters show how close we are coming to one another almost becoming one. Anirvanji is taking interest in the whole Dharmapal family- he is becoming like the father- figure with me especially he was like a friend and father both)
G.D.
On the Bangla New Year Day- that is also my birthday Anirvanji writes:
OM. Haimavati,
Shillong.
15.4.63.
My dear Gautam,
Your I.T. of the 7th. I send you all my New Year’s Greetings.
I am glad Sudha has passed her examinations. Sudha passed her Montessori Teachers’ training course and got a job at
“Abhinava Bharti,” a children’s school. It will be a great opening in her life. It is not the extensity of work but its intensity that matters. In dedicating herself to the bringing up little children, she will be fulfilling the role of the Mother for which she had been intended by Bandhuji.
I am also glad to hear that Kiki is trying to keep her promise. If I don’t mention Bablu by name in my letters, it is not that I have not an eye on him. But he being a man does not require much poking. But Kiki is a woman- will you understand the rest. I am not going to express otherwise she will rouse a hue and cry. But she is a very very good girl is she not? By the way, the other day I was reading in the Bartika perhaps, that the Mother had a very naughty cat called “Kiki” whom she loved very much and was wondering who that cat might be. I would have easily placed him (where you know) the difficulty being that he was a male cat.
I hope this will reach before Sharad starts on his tour. I wish him sacks full of good luck.
I have told Sandhya about the scheme. I might have suggested that “Sandhya should come down to Calcutta and stay with us and I will be able to find some work as a teacher for her.” How nice it would have been if I had kept you suggested. She will surely give some thought to it. She has got your letter.
I have written to Bina about the Gopalpur proposition and am writing today too. It is a good idea for you too to visit the place. My nature is to drift. I cannot move immediately. So not this year, as I am now deep in my work writing the second volume of Veda Mimamsa.
I hope everything is O.K. with you. How is Jyoti?
My love to you all.
Ever yours………
A.
7.10.08 The next letter of Sri Anirvan from Shillong is dated 12.5.63.
OM.
My dear Gautam,
Your letter of the second. I don’t think anybody will be coming to Shillong now. So it is best to send the books by roadways before the monsoon starts, when the roads might become impassable.
I am glad to hear, Bablu and Kiki are giving more attention to their studies. Give them my blessings. I want them to grow up strong as their father. They must not be a burden to anybody, even to their mother. Bablu will understand these things and hope Kiki too.
It is good news Jyoti is going to become a mother. My blessings for her too. I hope Sudha will soon get engaged somewhere. Tell her I often think of her and I wish her a bright future.
I understand your position. In these years you have been several times away from home and this has done you good, though you have to come back. Maybe once you will go away for good. But don’t force circumstances. Let God pull you out. You will be delivered of the world, just as a child is delivered of the mother’s womb. But it is neither the child’s nor the mother’s choice. This will be your last act of surrender; when you place yourself completely in the hands of the Mother, with no will of your own- neither the will to stick to the world, nor the will to renounce it. A complete calm overcoming even this great inner stirrings- will break the last barrier and the highest will be revealed- whether at home or aboard. She alone knows!
My best wishes and love for you. To Sharad his ones! Sandhya sends you all her love.
With love
ever yours……….
A.
"MY LIFE WITH SRI ANIRVAN" BY SRI GOUTAM DHARMAPAL, PART TWO, CONTINUED 2
8.10.08 In the month of June 1963, I received three letters from Sri Anirvan, after the death of Bandhu Dharmapal in August 1955.
OM. Haimavati-
Shillong
2.6.63.
My dear Gautam,
I received your letter of the 23rd but did not answer it last week as I was waiting for the book and the parcel receipts to come. The book arrived all right, thank you. But as yet I have not received the receipt of the parcel of the books sent by the Roadways.
I am sorry to learn that you are facing difficulty in your business concern. I hope, you will tide over it and be more careful in the future. After all business is business and you have to follow the rule of the game, carefully. Please let me know when everything has been settled.
Sri Paresh Das from Shillong will be going to Calcutta on the 7th. I shall send with him a few bulbs of “Accidenthura” for Dr Pashupati Babu. Please inform him when they reach you.
Hope Sudha is engaged somewhere now! How is Jyoti doing? Are Bablu and Kiti serious in their studies? Tell them, I often think of them and hope they will come out with flying colours in their exams.
With love for you all,
Ever yours,
A.
OM. Haimavati,
Shillong
9.6.63.
My dear Gautam,
Your letter of the 3rd; with the receipt of the parcel. Thank you. I shall ask Usha to enquire about the arrival of the consignment. Last time, it took about 20 days.
You need to send the three magazines now. Another copy of the encounter is due. Bimal, younger brother of Sri Anirvan- Sri Narendra Chandra Dhar, will bring it to you and he will inform me. After that I shall decide whether they are to be send by parcel or not.
Please let me know about the forwarding charges. I have not paid for a registered parcel you send last month. Please include its postage in the bill. (Anirvanji was very particular about accounts like Gandhiji! He followed the adage- “Hisab Kodika- Bakshish Lakhki” Accounts to the last pie, no limit or accounting in present)
Sandhya was asking if you have got her letter. We are now working on the Isha Upanishad, once a week. There is a chance of its getting printed in the Baleshwari (?). The gentleman who is here to look after the affairs of the magazine told me the other day that he will be referring the matter to Calcutta. We have enough matter ready for one year. Let us see what happens.
I hope the crisis through which you are passing will be over soon.
We are having an extremely nasty weather here. But you cannot complain. You cannot complain against anything in the world. Life is so short. So you can only laugh!
Never lose your child-like sense of fun in everything.
With love for you all,
Ever yours……
A.
9.10.08 The next letter from Haimavati, Shillong is dated 30.6.63.
My dear Gautam,
Your letter of the 26th. If the printing of the Upanishads is delayed I don’t care. I have talked so many times and so many people have so many times have talked about them before and will talk in future. What is the use of preserving all these talks? Only gain that I see is that by talking we get warmed for some time and the fire goes down in the course of time.
You may preserve the talks, but then they become texts on which people again begin to talk and more they talk this further they go away from the original!
V.M. (Vedamimamsa Part II) has gone to the press, I have heard but I have not got the proofs yet.
From Gopalnagar to Jhargram! Well, that’s a fine idea. Of course, I have not struck root here in the soil of Assam (the idea of Sri Anirvanji’s coming to Calcutta which actually took place in Nov. 1964.) last year when I left from here I thought I might not be coming back again. This year also I will keep my mind open and be ready to be carried by the stream. Perhaps these quakes mean something after all!
I shall be accepting a letter from Kiki and Bablu.
Is Sharad back from his tour? How is Jyoti? And what is Sudha doing now? Any Job?
With love for you all,
Ever yours,
A
OM. Haimavati,
Shillong,
21.7.63.
My dear Gautam,
Your letter of the 17th Mr Das’s father died here recently. He was tom start for Shillong on the 19th. I don’t know if he has seen you in the meantime. Let the periodicals remain with you now. I have very little time to read them.
The Valeshwari people have taken the press copy of the Ishopanishad this week. The publication will start from the Ashvin issue. A general introduction (from Veda Mimamsa), a special introduction, Shanti Patha and the first issues in a year. They say, they will publish as much as they can. Well, the spinning of Upanishad yarn begins at last!
Jhargram fades away! Don’t bother! There is Gopalpur still. And if that too fades away, well, Haimavati will surely choose a place for me to rest and die!
“Yoga- Samanvaya- Prasanga” in the Bartika will be finished this week- I mean my writing of it. It will run up to the April issue of 1965. A great burden is off my hands. I still have four months before I go down. I shall devote them to the Veda Mimansa II. I don’t know if it will finish, but I shall try my level best. And this means hard work. I hope Sandhya will also
be able to finish the editing and copying for the press the rest of the Isho- Upanishad by this time. She is all right, though she is taking a course of Injections for her nose and eye trouble. It is a course of vaccination. She sends you all her love.
My love to you all. My regrets for Sharad’s mother. (Two lines in Bangla for Kiki and Bablu). Bablu and Kiki do pay full attention to your studies. I have not forgotten you! I accept a lot from both of you.
My love to both of you.
Ever yours
A.
P.S. Ipomcea grows very quickly. But it is a delicacy for Cows. You may try Bougainvillea. But they take time. Coral vine grows fairly quickly. This is the time to sow seeds.
OM. Haimavati,
Shillong.
11.8.63.
My dear Gautam,
Your letter of the 6th. I hope you are quite all right now and Sudha too. I am anxious about you both.
Kiki asked me to write to her separately as she wants some elucidation of her mantra. (Anirvanji had initiated and given a Mantra to Kiki (Aparna Dharmapal) when he was last in Calcutta. So I have written to her under a separate cover. I hope Bablu will soon make up for this remiss.
Sandhya is still going through the course of injections. There are not much appreciable results. This disease seems to be very common these days. The doctors say, it is due to allergy and some suspect atomic radiation! Who knows?
We are progressing with the work of the Ishopanishad we can work only twice a week as she is busy with her school work and I with the second Vol. of the V.M. which has gone to the press. I have got some proofs and the press wants more material. So I am working as hard as I can. I want to finish the work before I go down by the 2nd week of December.
I think some change will be brought about next year. I am quite satisfied with Sandhya’s work and want her to be free now. Now, the family is nicely settled and she can now look to her own interest. In my case I am keen to finish the second Volume of V.M. so that I need not hurry back to Shillong and am left free to look about myself. Somehow, I feel something is going to happen. Perhaps one phase of the life is open and the last phase is before me. Actually this happened at the end of the next year i.e. 1964. Sandhya married on 14th Dec. 1963 to Benoy Lahiri. Anirvanji fell seriously ill in 1964 and at last he decided to leave Shillong and came to Calcutta in Nov. 1964 and the final phase of his life began.
Narayani* the patient (and not the doctor, but how is she?) is now in Howrah. She has collected and edited a good numbers of my letters written to her, and Bimal proposes to bring them out in 1964 under the name of “Patralekha.” It will be a rather big book.
Where is Sharad? In tour?
My love to you all…….
Ever yours…
A.
* Narayani- daughter of Anirvanji’s sister Surabata, translator of Lizelle’s book on Nivedita, later “Patralekha” was published in two parts.
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