Dortoir

III — Recollections of Anu Purani

Working in Dortoir

SOME people tell me that I was brought to Pondicherry when I was 6 months old, with my mother. After about two years, when I started walking, I fell very ill and the Mother told my parents that I was not able to bear the pressure of Sadhana besides the terrible heat of summer. She told them that I should be sent back and my parents decided to send me to my grandparents. Pujalal-bhai took me to Surat and left me with my grandparents. My mother came after some years to Surat. It seems I had come to Pondicherry twice or thrice but I was not allowed to enter the building as I was still very young, but I did see the Mother passing by.

When I began going to school my mother asked me if I wanted to visit my father and see Babuji (Sri Aurobindo). I jumped at the idea at once. When I came I could recognise my father as I had already seen his photograph.

After some time the Mother made me an Ashramite, when I was about twelve years old. I was quite a restless child. Once my father sent me to Madras with Udar. There I saw a dance performance by Uday Shankar’s troupe. It is only then I came to know about this activity known as dance. I came back and told my father that I wanted to learn dancing. Can you imagine his reaction? He flatly refused to send me for dance lessons. Finally the Mother had to step in. She told my father, “Purani, let her go.” So off I went. After two years of training in Kalakshetra with Uday Shankar I came back and then the Mother gave me some work.

I was told to work with Mona for Golconde, which was then almost ready. We were taught to embroider on bedspreads to be used later in Golconde. I worked for about two years with Mona in Golconde. She had asked me to keep Kusum as my helper in my work.

During that period, Dortoir was supervised by two elderly ladies, Gul-ben and Shirin-ben. Once the Mother told me to go to Dortoir and iron the clothes of the children there. I became very friendly with them. Sometimes the Mother would ask me about the Dortoir children and I would report to her my observations. This work I did perhaps for two years. One day, Amrita-da came and told Kusum and me that the Mother had called us at 4.15 p.m. We were excited and surprised at this rare opportunity. When we met her and she told us that we were to work in Dortoir and look after the children there, our happiness knew no bounds. Perhaps the next day itself I told Kusum, “We should treat the children with such care that they should not miss their mother.”

The Mother gave us a bell and said that the bell should be rung at 5.30 a.m. to wake the children. The Mother had told us that we should not touch the children while trying to wake them up. She had said that they are often in some other plane and it disturbs them if they are abruptly awakened by loud sound or by someone touching them. It was necessary to supervise their brushing of teeth and bathing. Breakfast time was at 7.30 a.m. Ravindra-ji came regularly at that time and checked that the children ate well. Sometimes he would tell them stories while they had their breakfast.

At about 9.00 a.m. I would go to the Mother and she would enquire if I had slept well, eaten well and if everything went well in the Dortoir. One day, as I was going up the stairs to meet the Mother I thought, “How lucky I am! Mother has given me so many children!” When I stood in front of the Mother she smiled and said, “How lucky to have so many children!” I stood stunned. I was convinced that she knows everything we think and do.

The children’s clothes were collected by some washermen and washed by them. Sometimes they did not wash them properly. So, I would myself sit down and wash the clothes with them. In the evening Kusum and I took turns ironing the clothes.

When the children came back from the Playground, we saw to it that they took their bath properly. After dinner we would sit with the children to get their homework done. About an hour after that Ravindra-ji would come and talk with them, tell them stories. At 9.00 p.m. we rang the bell and the lights were put out.

One day the Mother said that she had heard a complaint against me. I was truly shocked. Then she smiled and said “Tara says you are not telling them stories.” You cannot imagine my relief and joy. So a story session started. It proved to be very popular. At times both the children and I forgot our time limit.

One day, the children said they wanted some special food. In short, they wanted us to cook for them. I was a greenhorn as far as cooking was concerned but Kusum had some experience in it! We got hold of a book on cooking and we had a lot of fun. I would mix masala in a vegetable and taste it. The only thing I understood was that it was not the right taste. Then Kusum would try and taste it. Both of us continued this way till it turned out well. One day we had many tomatoes. So I thought to make juice of these and boil it. I told the Mother about it and she said, “Never boil juice. It is best as it is.” Sometimes when bread slices were not used for many days and they became dry, I asked the Mother what should I do with these. She told me to put the slices in a frying pan and to pour milk on it and just turn the slices twice over. This became a special treat.

Once, when I was ironing the clothes someone called me and I went down without putting the iron up. When I came back up Lata’s dress was burning. I informed the Mother about it. “What would you like to do?” she asked. I said, “I have a new saree. Shall I make a dress for Lata from my saree? It is new and I have not used it.” It was a pleasure to see her magnificent smile.

The Mother visited the Dortoir one day. She found it clean but the toilets were not clean enough. She said we should use phenyl in the toilets.

The Mother gave us a prayer to repeat every morning before going down for breakfast.

Those were wonderful days. It was a wonderful experience and I can never forget it. She taught us so many things! The best experience she gave us was the capacity to love children.