Sri Aurobindo: A Relevant Challenge

Of all the national heroes who fought for the freedom of India Sri Aurobindo an all-new spiritual trail-blazer was distinctly different & divinely creative. He clearly defined what it meant by freedom of a country like India and gave to the fight for it a definite new turn. He was the first among all who openly and boldly declared total freedom of the country from the ugly clutches of British rule when others dared not to even dream about it.  

Today when India observes its 64 independent years on the 139^th birth anniversary of Sri Aurobindo reeling amid a plethora of socio-economic, political, ethical, cultural and religious problems he, though almost forgotten in socio-political arena due to inappropriate presentation of historical facts and events, should be the most felt, most remembered and most sought after genius to come to our rescue. Indeed he has the solution to each of our crises with most modern, nay futuristic and prophetic interpretation of the very ancient spiritual scriptures of great Indian civilization. All he said and did based on the solid realization of his completely new spiritual adventure and exploration.

 The present sordid scenario of India is such that all are clueless and groping in the dark to find a right path. We all will agree that comprehensive development must always remain a distant dream unless transparency in all sections of the society is well established. But unfortunately, in sharp contrast to this, corruption now seems to be all pervasive and deep rooted in the very mind-set of almost all, top to bottom.

Today the hooded head of corruption probably tries in full swing to fight its last battle taking control of those who are in the peaks of power, money and politics. Political leaders, bureaucrats and business honchos have turned to be its octopus like instruments. They endorse and promote corruption, pile up black money and love to flourish sucking the blood of all else. They are in a hurry to run away from life and hide quickly enjoying what-ever comes on their way. They try to sustain their selfish motives at any cost mercilessly supressing every attempt to eliminate the evil.

But there are always rays of hope to overcome problems when they are most acute. Civil societies and even leaders from the schools of yoga have taken formidable stands to protest injustice and fight against corruption. Time has come; they can give it a shape of revolution with the massive support of common people of the country. Here come the many choices of strategies Sri Aurobindo devised to follow in fighting against the British rule in India. Interestingly, later when Gandhiji entered into politics he had precisely implemented them of his own during the freedom struggle. But now there is no foreign rule to fight against so they cannot be aped to apply to the present crises. Only their core ideas have to be contextually interpreted and implemented.    

To realise the relevance of Sri Aurobindo today is simultaneously a great chance and a challenge for every one of us. Ironically when we are very much in terms with to always maintain our status quo and still find an easy go, he was not the kind of a seer to be content without total spiritual transformation of all the deformities we have created out of ignorance. So our will to change, to be and to study Sri Aurobindo can only open the gate to a glorious future.        

who is not creative?

A creative person is one who is always able to draw inspiration and experience from every bit of life and the world at large. They are the inexhaustible warehouse of innovative imaginations and activities. They revive at every instant and inspire others by their hypnotic creative talent and works. They are channels of change and indicators of growth.

Their creative works are able to elevate people’s level of consciousness, widen their awareness of life and the universe as well as ignite their will to change towards greater perspectives according to their upward reconciliation of instinct and intuition. In short, a creative person inspires others to be creative for the love of self-fulfilment and self-giving. A creative person when comes across the creative works of others, experiences a spontaneous delight of union and uniqueness with true adoration of it. One who is creative naturally turns to be an all time disciple, a learner of the All-in-all.

There might obviously be setbacks in the life of a creative person breaking their present equilibrium; but that only for achieving a higher equilibrium indeed! The flame of creative urge though totters then, never goes out from within. For the desire to create incessantly is always infinite and insatiable in them. They always carry a self-delight and world-delight in them, radiate it around and hardly complain of boredom and disdain. The life of a creative person is indeed an ever inspired and inspiring life.

A creative person is an alchemist, a good communicator and a hypnotist. As aesthetic people, they are worshiper and adorer of life, love, beauty, change and freedom. They have the magic and magnet of imposing imagination on reality and vice versa. They are able to draw stimulation from smallest and so-called trivial or ordinary things, which elude other’s attention. They reshape and give new meaning to such things and present before all to contemplate and have reflection.

Those who are creative always nurture and express good intentions and an ever-widening worldview, which are spontaneously reflected in their life and works. That may go against the system or society and invite unwanted reactions from general public; but its sincere valid truth is justified on its own merit one day or other. The fear-free creative person knows it and acts accordingly. They create for the joy of creating with their eyes wide open towards life and the world. For the creative individual though not separate from own creative works is certainly bigger than they are. How can the creation ever cast a spell over the creator?

One is all inclusive and at the same time tuned to ones inner being. They evolve and wish to revolve their surrounding. As they cannot stop to responding their creative urge to manifest they must reveal the truth face to face. They question to the system, try to break the long-standing inertia and for that matter become ready to voluntarily accept a life of hardship if the situation so demands. They, therefore, look unusual, different and treading on the opposite direction of the current. A creative person develops the discerning eye to face all criticisms with an open mind and take full care and responsibility of their works. But when they feel their creation is clear but in danger they stand firm to protect their point despite the whole world goes against it.

The works of creative people wish to involve those who come in contact with them and prepare a field in individuals to sow and reap the harvest of their highest personal and collective growth. A creative person shall have the vision of life’s mission here and their creation must bear the testimony of it for others. They and their creation shall have the power of motivation to lead a higher life.

A creative person is always optimistic. They have great faith in the future of humanity and the whole world. They genuinely begin their life, work and relationship with faith. They do not preach but speak or do something which is potentially rich in vibrating the psyche of change in life. They present facts as they are and all sides of truth with overt or covert linkages to progress and upliftment. They do not see and approach life from either or and neither nor point of view. They are able to reconcile and bring pole opposites together at one platform. They can deal with all in one and one in all as also vice versa.

So the question is who is creative in particular? Clearly, every one of us is creative whether we know it or not. But man being a conscious being by nature cannot claim of total ignorance about the creative force in oneself. One can be born creative as well as made creative which is not impossible in this world of infinite possibilities. But in both cases they have to explore, identify, cultivate and develop yet further. Once the bud of creativity starts to bloom it must be provided with the scope of spreading its scent out for the creative fulfilment of oneself and all.

Actually all are born as well as made creative at the same time but potentially according as the level of one’s ascending and expanding consciousness. The heat of creative fire is present with everyone in the world. There is, therefore, nobody as uncreative, as the Creator-of-all is indeed self-involved and self-evolved in the entire creation itself! 

CHITTA BHAI: SIMULACRUM HIMSELF

Ever heard of him? No? Of course he never gained popularity of so-called celebrities. Neither he was that powerful as to command people at his finger-tips! Nevertheless, he honed the tactics of how to harness true power and deserved the caliber to have international repute. 

Meeting and talking to him you would hear him say – 'I am basically a teacher. Wherever I am, my simple job is to teach.' Sometimes, even when you tried to reply his queries he would be saying at once – 'Don't explain to me; I am not your boss. I am not your master asking for an explanation. Just keep to yourself.' This was how such apparently opposite poles of approach wonderfully blended in one personality! 

Here it is - mark his might. He was a freedom fighter, a thinker, a clear-cut major writer – Prof. Chittaranjan Das, popularly known as Chitta Bhai, a young man of 88. He always had the guts to speak face to face and say no even to someone who seemed most powerful to us. People, even the state cared to listen to what he had to say and write. 

As diverse and complex as he was, creating a compact profile of him was no easy task either. Only if you have gone through his books, met and talked to him you could have a glimpse of it. However, he served as a professor in Agra University, as the founder teacher in Jeevan Vidyalaya, as a great promoter of Integral Education in Odisha and as a visiting professor in many foreign countries. He was an all-time multi-level, multi-subject and resourceful expert of wisdom and knowledge. Still he was always down to earth. A multilingual, an exemplary translator he still preferred to write in his typical style of the mother tongue. 

He was never in frantic search of young people – they came to him all the time and were caught in his net. Rather he created young people and also made people young irrespective of their age and gender. Thus under his able leadership grew the group of Suhrud a very firm and flexible state-wide community of aspiring people to study, to work and experiment life together in the light of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother's vision. 

Once you met him his prime concern would be to explore what you really were constantly provoking to evolve and become that. If in spite of the scope you didn't turn up he would mercilessly approach and attack you until you caught his point. But when he introduced you to someone he would be describing you like a VIP before the person. Such was his love for and unfaltering faith on your being and becoming! 

He always led an uncompromising style of life with a divine discontent. His worldwide visits, relationships and extensive studies had only strengthened his ever-evolving world-view. Bhima Bhoi, Gopabandhu Das, Kabir, Sri Ramkrishna, Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, Sri Aurobindo, Khalil Gibran, Spinoza, Martin Buber, Eric Fromm, Karl Marx... all of them found their place in him! But he needed no reference to introduce him. A friend, philosopher and guide, he was his own simulacrum! 

Passing away on January 16, 2011 he only broke his physical limits to reach right into our hearts and grow.

2011

How can I greet you?

What way this time?

Tens of thousands of poems 

Will greet you with words of philosophy,

Of events and anecdotes:

Personal, local and global.

With new ideas, new resolutions

And new promises to keep

With wishes greeting to

Near and far,

Kith and kin.

You will be explored

By all means of wisdom and knowledge

Of old and new.

Why should I repeat the words

Told a thousand times?

Is it because

They don’t sink to the skin?

However, how can I keep quiet?

I’ll still welcome you,

Let only every moment of life

Fill me with you. 

Thanks, wishes and regards to you

2011; – A year all anew! 

Handwriting

I came about one interesting thing after I posted my 1^st blog. It was my reading of a cue about hand-writing by the editor of a leading Oriya monthly. He expressed his concern about how on coming of computers, mobile phones etc. writing by hand is fast receding to the past.

It was really nostalgic to go through the editorial. I felt like introspecting myself to see what I have already done, what I can do later and what balance I can bring about between word-type and hand-writing. In his conclusion, he went to the extent of suggesting about preserving handwritings, handwritten letters and manuscripts of eminent Oriya writers to save they becoming extinct.  

Many ideas and anecdotes related to hand-writing, pen and paper at once peeped up in my mind. My father who was also my primary school teacher was always insisting on to improve hand-writing. He would be regularly checking them too. I realized it was no waste, it showed its result. My handwriting had improved as to have at least compliments from friend circle. Clearly I followed suit when my daughter started writing with pen and paper. But she is gradually getting used to word-typing. This being a worldwide phenomenon, no wonder the new generation will be leading handwriting to its near extinct.

Generally something which is more user-friendly and accessible by all must replace its old versions. We cannot term this is a decadence although initially this may appear like that. Gradually people learn to strike a balance between the old and the new. Because we cannot altogether part with all that is old but having essential validities.

I had a lot of letters of my father sent to me at different times. He had also a good collection of axioms and so many other handwritten documents. I kept them for few years after his expiry; but did not find any sense of preserving them. Today when I realize their utility I feel so much like missing them!  His handwriting was clear, so the axioms could have been brought out into a beautiful book form. Here we can think of bringing out handwritten books and periodicals which is now so easy with help of computer devices. This can generate interest to write with pen and paper at least for the specific purposes & help sustain the culture. I have good experience of it.

As I said earlier, while editing a children’s quarterly magazine (‘Kagajadanga’ - The Paper-boat) I got suggestion to use children’s handwriting in it. It was really a very good introduction which attracted appreciation from all corners. This created extra spaces for children who could not share with or contribute arts and articles to the magazine. This also improved its get-up. The other day one of my friends was also telling about how some people published a complete handwritten children’s magazine elsewhere. We organize a 10-day work-cum-study camp twice every year at different places of Odisha and bring out a wall magazine (Gabaksha - The Window) with legible handwriting and beautiful illustration of campers. Recently I am facilitating and editing children’s wall magazines in three schools where children write with colour pens and draw illustrations to give them a complete shape of hanging on walls. They are quite innovative, inspiring and interesting indeed! Children derive a lot of satisfaction and confidence out of them.

One of our friends Asish Pathy has been sending post cards to friends for years together, even in this age of mobile phones and e-mails. Another Sarat Bhai always insists us in every camp for using post-cards for major communications instead of mobile phones which not only eliminate our handwriting but also deprive us to preserve our good and important ideas. However e-mails, SMS and tweets can carry our ideas but not our hand-writings. One leading Oriya daily has been regularly organizing good hand writing competition to keep the tradition up. So it would be interesting if we willingly keep up some writing activities by hand – then it will neither lose its importance altogether nor prevent us going ahead with word-types too. Maintaining a personal diary can well come to the rescue.

These days I write with pen and paper as well as word-type. Before going through the editorial, I in my previous blog expressed how pen and paper inspire me to write. The feeling is always intimate and that even drove me once to write a poem under the title ’White Paper’. The concluding lines of the poem went like this:

Lekhanies or quills, palm-leaves, cloths as writing materials have become things of the past and are preserved in museums. No wonder if pen-paper handwritings face the same fate soon! But when it comes to sign legal documents and give our signature it cannot go without writing by hand. Because signatures are all unique – they reflect the person concerned and also one’s individual character!

In nutshell, coming to the conclusion, can we resolve that we are not going to altogether eliminate handwriting from the world?

A Great Day Indeed

It's indeed a great day today!

A sudden and strong inducement of my daughter made me start blogging at this moment. She has been blogging since more than a year and thus far ahead of me. She taught me to enter into this new format of creativity that I longed for ever since I knew about what blogging is. I feel very much delighted of the event.

I don't remember when exactly I heard or came to know about computer. I started using a computer just by March 2003 after I changed my job from a corporate sector to a development one. My use of computer is limited to typing with Microsoft word, using internet and visiting/browsing websites. But I am aware of the multitudinous performance of computer. When I took charge of editing and publishing a children's quarterly I came to know how this works wonder in layout and designing of books. It is flexible enough to capture and shape one’s intricate ideas of get-up.  Computers made printing process dead easy.   

I used to write with pen and paper from childhood. Almost all elders did so. But a sheet of white paper always captivated and inspired me a lot. It would take me to the endless world of imagination when I must seek for a good flowing pen to write my ideas. Pen and paper have become a part and parcel of my life ever since I started writing poems in 1971. They still play a vital role in my writing activities even today.

Coming to a PC set I realized the blank word-page and the key-board are no less inspiring to put ideas into words. Some of my poems and articles I entered straight into a computer and created files to save them. It was a great experience to feel the difference and similarity between a PC set and pen-paper mode of expressions. 

When I created this blog today now I thought about who is going to visit and peruse my blog at all! There may be millions of blogs posted till today all over the world. Either I have to let others know about my blog or some people may visit it randomly ever. However it’s a kind of instantly global self-publishing of one’s works which can be accessible to all at once. The best ones must catch the best eyes always. Everyone has a right to express and when you have something new, different, more and better to say you must say that. That will surely contribute the human civilization something or other to march forward. That may stimulate someone to come out of their stupor. After all when I release my ideas I at least feel a sigh of relief. Whatever formats, expressing oneself creatively is a bit of becoming self-fulfilled.

Guessing I am not going to write something right now my daughter told me to post something from my previous writings to start with the blog. But I assured her to write something new and post it as my first blog-work. This is why this article saw its light.

It was indeed a great day today. Sri Aurobindo left his body on December 5. His body remained medically intact for about four days without any sign of decay. The Mother of Sri Aurobindo Ashram revealed that an aura of light radiated from his body till mahasamadhi on December 9. It was the great sacrifice which caused descent of supramental light, force and consciousness into the world atmosphere. The mother then took charge of the task of supramental change in earth nature & earth consciousness.

World Wide Web, Internet and weblog etc are the words of a new age. They express and reflect both the oneness and the diversity of life and the whole world. This can be realized only when all can access them for the benefit of one and all. Otherwise there is every chance of misuse by ugly hands.

Sri Aurobindo sought for world unity. He dedicated his life for an integral metamorphosis of earth nature by an upward process of evolution and with conscious collaboration of mankind. But ‘belief shall be not till the work is done.’ Done or not done, he will be most remembered and revered for ever as a giant prophet of the time.

Today the December 9, 2010 is a great day indeed!