The Mother's Embroidery Department

Origins of the Embroidery Department 

When the Mother decided to form a fully equipped Ashram collectivity, a self-sufficient unit within the town, each group of activities was known as a 'department' or a 'service'. Thus, we always spoke of the unit for construction and maintenance of houses as the Building Service and the group looking after the clothing of the Mother and Sri Aurobindo as the Embroidery Department. This department grew into prominence simply because the everyday wear and tear of the Mother's clothes had to be taken care of.

The photographs taken in the latter part of the 19th century show the Mother in long dresses reaching down to the ankles — just as the women in France wore in those days. But those taken in Japan in the early 20th century (1916 to 1920), show her wearing the Japanese kimono. After 1920, when she came to India, the photographs show her wearing a gown or a saree.

In 1946, when she started playing table-tennis in the evenings, she would wear a saree. In 1948, she changed into salwar kameez for the game of tennis which she started playing then. After her game, around 5.30 or 5.45 p.m., she came to the Ashram Playground and was there till about 8.15 or 8.30 p.m., at times even till 9 p.m.

Needless to say, her elegance was unsurpassable in each attire, as is apparent in every one of these pictures. She was indeed the very embodiment of grace and refinement. The Embroidery Department of the Ashram spent all its time and energy creating with thread and needle exquisite dresses for the Mother. It also took care of mending the Mother's as also of Sri Aurobindo's garments. For these young women working in this department, it was a unique occasion to feel close to the Mother and Sri Aurobindo, and they felt it was a special grace bestowed on them to be able to help the Mother in this way; everything was done with a loving care as part of their spiritual life, it was their sadhana. Let us go back in time and try to find out how this unusual department came into being and developed into an important feature of the Ashram.

Dorothy Hodgson, an Englishwoman, had met the Mother in France in 1915-16. When the Mother went to Japan in 1916, Dorothy was teaching in a well-known school in Japan. She was about six years older than the Mother. She saw the Mother again in the beautiful garden of cherry blossoms of Japan. At the very first sight of the Mother amongst the cherry blossoms she felt that the Mother was not an ordinary human being, that she was the Divine in a human form. She felt attracted to the Mother and took the opportunity to help her with a few of her minor needs. When in 1920 the Mother decided to come to India, she asked Dorothy whether she would like to accompany her — and that is how Dorothy came with her to India. Shortly after their arrival, there was a great tempest and heavy rainfall, a nearby house collapsed. The roof of the Mother's house started leaking dangerously. To avoid any accident Sri Aurobindo asked his young followers to help them shift to the residence where he was staying with these young men.

Sri Aurobindo gave the Mother's companion, Miss Hodgson, a new name — 'Datta' — entire self-giving. And she did offer herself entirely to them. In 1922, the Mother and Sri Aurobindo shifted from the building where they were staying — Guest House — situated on François Martin Street to a new house referred to then as the Library House situated at rue de la Marine, on the South-Western side of the present Ashram building. Datta, their full-time attendant, stayed in one of the rooms on the first floor of this building. In 1927, the Mother and Sri Aurobindo shifted to the present section of the Ashram building known as the Meditation House. Datta was given accommodation in a building across the road on the western side of the main Ashram building, now known as 'Datta House'.

In that spacious building Datta made arrangements for all her work — a kitchen for cooking, another small room for storing coal, a different place for washing vessels, and one for washing clothes. There was a long hall where clothes were dried. Datta worked there with her helpers. She took care of all the linen used for the Mother and Sri Aurobindo and all personal clothes of the Mother were also taken care of by her. She was a perfectionist in her work. In 1927, the Mother accepted Vasudha, a young Gujarati girl of fourteen who had come here with her brother Chandulal, as an inmate of the Ashram. She sent her to Datta, to be trained in all that had to be done for the Mother's clothes. Swarna, a Bengali woman from East Bengal, who came here for the first time in 1933 was also sent to Datta by the Mother to learn this work. These two finally took care of all the clothes used by the Mother. Datta taught them cutting, stitching, as well as mending the Mother's and Sri Aurobindo's clothes. They learnt from her how to wash and even the way to iron all that the Mother used for her everyday wear.

Mrinalini Chattopadhyaya, a devotee of Sri Aurobindo, used to visit us in that house. She was the sister of the well-known politician of those times — Sarojini Naidu. During one of her visits in 1923, she taught the Mother how to wear the saree. Both the Mother and Datta now discarded their usual western attire and started wearing the saree. We have heard that initially the Mother had only two sarees. She would wash one, wait for it to dry to wear it again. Her saree was even patched up over torn places. We come to know of this through one of her letters written to Vasudha on December 10, 1935.

My dear little smile,
You are quite right. I prefer a beautiful embroidered sari to a lace gown by far. It is not a question of number or need. For years I was perfectly satisfied with two saris per year — but I am proud of the beautiful things my dear children make for me and I wear them with love and joy. . . .
My blessings and love are always with you.
Your maman

(Letters to my little smile, p. 107)

Later on, in the morning hours, the Mother used to wear an inner chemise over which she put on a long ankle-length silk gown with short sleeves, then a sleeveless coat reaching down to her knees. The coat was made of a very light material and had beautiful embroidered designs. When she met people she covered her head with a veil — a piece of cloth fixed round her head. After her bath late in the morning she put on a saree with a matching blouse. Her blouses were long. A gown-like petticoat of matching colour was stitched. Over this she used a broad cloth band to tuck in her saree. Her head was always covered with the pallu of the saree, which was kept in place by tying a narrow band of cloth, known here as the crown. She wore a light pair of sandals. In 1948 when the Mother started to play tennis, she wore a salwar and kameez with a kitty cap covering her head. Henceforth this was her evening attire. She stopped wearing a saree every day. She wore a saree for the special blessings on the four puja days. However, on her ninetieth birthday in 1968, she put on a saree for that special occasion. From the middle of March 1960 her daily programme changed. She stayed in her room on the second floor of the main Ashram building. Now instead of the coat she used a stole over her gown. All her garments were hand-stitched. She never bought any clothes for herself. The Mother wore whatever was offered to her by the devotees.

Sri Aurobindo's answers regarding the Mother's attire:

Why does the Mother wear rich and beautiful clothes?

Beauty is as much an expression of the Divine as Knowledge, Power or Ananda. Does anyone ask why does the Mother want to manifest the divine consciousness by knowledge or by power and not by ignorance and weakness? It would not be a more absurd or meaningless question than this one put by the vital against wearing artistic and beautiful dresses.

27 February 1933

(CWSA, Vol. 32, p. 596)

*

Does it make any difference to the Mother's consciousness whether she puts on the best saris or the old ones, whether she lives in a palace or a forest? What do these outer things add to the inner reality?

Outer things are the expression of something in the inner reality. A fine sari or a palace are expressions of the principle of beauty in things and that is their main value. The Divine Consciousness is not bound by these things and had no attachment, but it is also not bound to abstain from them if beauty in things is part of its intended action. The Mother, when the Ashram was still unformed, was wearing patched cotton saris; when she took up the work, it was necessary to change her habits, so she did so.

22 October 1935

(CWSA, Vol. 32, p. 596)

Some ladies started embroidery work quite early in the Ashram. We find in the monthly magazine Mother India as well as in some old publications of the Bengali quarterly Bartika interesting details regarding this activity. A few of those who work in the Embroidery Department today have also shared with us their views and experiences. It is from these main sources that we have built up the account of this department.

*

This is how things seem to have taken shape. A few young ladies had joined the Ashram between 1927-1929.¹ The Mother had given them work in different departments, and yet what was common to all of them was that they did some embroidery for the Mother. This they did in their own homes after their regular work in other departments was over. They embroidered beautiful designs on tablecloths, bedspreads, cushion covers, wall hangings, tray-cloth, handkerchiefs and many such things. All of these were done as an offering to the Mother. This activity also became a part of their spiritual life here, and it gave them immense satisfaction and pleasure.

¹ We have gathered from old articles the names of some of the ladies of those years: Meenakshiamma, Lalita, Vasudha, Tripura, Tara, Subhadra, Lila, Sahana, Padmasini, Tajdar.

Lalita, a Parsi lady, who arrived here in December 1927, wrote that once she did a very detailed embroidery work on a kimono for the Mother; the design was of the Buddha seated in his well-known posture, with a group of his disciples all around him. It took her a pretty long time to complete the work but she managed to finish it. The Mother, she says, looked magnificent in it. Lalita embroidered one of the Mother's sarees with the design of swans and silver clouds. Meenakshiamma, Tripura, Tara and Vasudha helped her. She had been also entrusted by the Mother to stitch her blouses and her crowns.

One day, Lalita asked Vasudha how she managed to keep her patience for months to finish one saree. Vasudha replied that every day she concentrated only on what she had to finish on that day and never thought of the rest of the saree. This was a very good lesson for Lalita, who considered herself to be of a very impatient type. She writes that when she was doing the embroidery work on the Mother's saree she kept on wondering when she would complete it!

Lalita mentions a work done by Tara and Lila. Usually these two did the embroidery work on different pieces other than sarees. She says that once Tara embroidered the design of a lion on a bedcover for Sri Aurobindo and it was done very well and was admired by everyone, specially by the Mother and Sri Aurobindo.

The first name that occurs to us, prominently, in golden letters, is that of Vasudha, known to the younger generation as 'Akka' — 'elder sister' in Tamil. 'Embroidery' and 'Vasudha' always go together in the Ashram. A few days after her arrival, when she was receiving her cup of soup from the Mother after the evening meditation, she noticed a band with some ordinary zari-work around the Mother's head. She told the Mother in Gujarati that she knew how to do this type of work. The Mother did not understand her Gujarati. Champaklal who was present there explained to the Mother what Vasudha was saying.

The very next day the Mother sent her to Datta who gave her the first work which was to make vase mats out of a fine bamboo mat. Then Datta gave her to sew the Mother's blouse. Gradually her work increased. She was washing, ironing, mending the Mother's clothes along with her regular embroidery work.

It is a beautiful and uplifting story — how a young girl of fifteen developed through the Mother's loving guiding force and was able to make embroidery a wonderful creation of art.

The Mother encouraged her to learn French and English. Vasudha also attended the mathematics class as well as a physics class conducted by Pavitra for some of the young Ashram inmates.

The Mother guided her through her difficulties and tribulations. Here are some golden nuggets gleaned from the book, Letters to my little smile, Vasudha's correspondence with the Mother.

The mind always runs like a madman. The first step is to detach one's consciousness from it and to let it run by itself without running with it. (p. 9)

. . . It is good to observe oneself in order to see one's weaknesses and to be able to correct them. (p. 9)

Keep your smile, little child, it is that which gives you your strength. (p. 11)

We shall, however, concentrate on what concerns her work.

Once, the Mother came to see Vasudha's house and asked her whether she would embroider a saree for her.

Vasudha replied, "Oh, yes!" and the Mother imitated her "Oh, yes!". In 1929, Vasudha embroidered her first saree, the design for which was made by Amal Kiran. Once the Mother had asked her to get the design made by Krishnalal, one of our artists here.

The Mother wrote to her in 1933:

I am very happy when I wear your saris, but also I want to keep them with as much care as one keeps works of art and that is why I do not wear them very often. (p. 33)

At that time any work for the Mother was a means of sadhana. This conscious effort of offering is expressed so well in Vasudha's correspondences with the Mother.

She would inform through her letters "I have prayed with my body" or "Today I prayed to you with my body for more than ten hours", "At every stitch that I make, I aspire to Thee, all day I try to concentrate on Thee — to keep my mind on Thee" and the Mother answered, "You are a lovely and skilful worker, my little smile, and I am proud of you and your work that is so beautiful."

Vasudha used to work ten hours or more in a day on her embroidery work. We might remind ourselves that for quite some years when her work continued into the night, she worked in the light of a kerosene lamp, as that was then the only source of light at night. Pujalal, who used to distribute kerosene to the inmates every month as per their requirement, wrote to the Mother:

It seems Vasudha requires more than two litres of kerosene and she may even require more than three litres per month. Up to what limit can she take?
I am giving her a third bottle of kerosene today.

This is the Mother's letter to Vasudha:

Little child,
What is this? Why so much kerosene? I hope you are not working at night. You would spoil your eyes and it would be such a great pity! . . . If it is for some other use it does not matter. I do not care for the kerosene but for your eyes.
December 21, 1931

(p. 4)

In was only in the middle of 1933 that an electric connection was provided to the house.

On April 6, 1933, Vasudha wrote to the Mother: "Have you seen my little roses on your gown? Are they nice?"

Mother's answer:

They are most lovely! It is impossible to say which is the original and which the copy, and it might very well be that the copy is lovelier. Did you see that I was wearing the gown when I went for a walk on the terrace? (p. 39)

The Mother wrote to her on June 21, 1933:

This morning I was literally filled with admiration. It is magnificent; the birds are so beautiful and so living; I found their little heads with the lovely little silver aigrette very pretty, much prettier than on the original. The little diamonds also are very nice, and in silver on the sari it will be magnificent.

Where did you iron? It is good that you are learning. (pp. 49-50)

Vasudha was also drawing the designs needed for her work. Once the Mother complimented Vasudha on her "most beautiful drawing. It is exactly what I wanted". On another occasion, Vasudha made a drawing of iris flowers from a photograph. She expressed her difficulty in making a design of it for her embroidery work. The Mother called her to her room and promised to help her with the design on the crown. Each time that Vasudha learnt something new, there was always a word of appreciation from the Mother. "I did not know that you had learnt knitting, — that is one more skill acquired." Vasudha cuts for the first time a chemise for the Mother, and the Mother wrote to her, "You are most hard working and diligent". The Mother sent her a sewing machine for her work.

Once when Vasudha was given a grey georgette saree to do an embroidery on its border with the design of fishes, she did not do it the usual way. She passed her threaded needle between the woven threads of the saree to create her design. This was something unique. Though Vasudha was not satisfied with her work, the Mother was very pleased to see it. Vasudha was a master of this art.

Maman, this sari that you put on today is, I think, my "finest" embroidery. Don't you think so?

It is a work of art. It is simply splendid. I feel I am clothed in light.

September 1, 1933

(p. 63)

Vasudha also embroidered a design of fishes on a handkerchief that she had stitched for Sri Aurobindo; he greatly admired it. We reproduce here a letter of Sri Aurobindo to Vasudha regarding one of her embroidery works:

Vasudha,
What a beautiful fish! and every detail so perfectly filled in! It is a supramental fish surely!
September 12, 1935

(p. 107)

In the context of embroidery, we quote a few words from Jayantilal, one of the artists in the Ashram, on Sanjivan, another artist who joined the Ashram in 1933:

Sanjivan, because he had done drawing and wished to pursue art, the Mother asked him to develop drawing and he was given the work of drawing flowers. Mother slowly began to give him the work of preparing designs for the Embroidery Department. You have no idea about the kind of work he had done in preparing designs with flower motifs. The Mother often used to give even the measurements for the designs of the sarees. She used to say the 'pallu' must be twelve inches, one border four inches and the other border must be only two inches and all these kinds of instructions. There is a very big collection of these designs which he did, and some of them I hear are not in good shape today because they were used so often.

(Jayantilal, Mother India, 1992, pp. 399-400)

Another artist, Krishnalal, also made designs for the Mother's dresses when needed.

Lalita remembered:

Once when the Mother had no new sari to wear on a certain Darshan Day, I told the Mother that I would buy one from Bombay and get a design embroidered on it. Finally the design was made, most probably by Sanjivan. It was a design of wheat stalks with a bunch of grains on each stalk. This design was embroidered with silver threads on a grey georgette sari. The Mother, very pleased, wore it on the Darshan Day and looked very beautiful.

At that time small frames used to be fixed on the sarees during embroidery work. When Lalita told the Mother that in Bombay larger frames were being used for doing embroidery on sarees, Mother had a large frame made for Vasudha. There was a special process of fixing the saree on the large frame which Lalita taught her friends after informing the Mother. (Mother India,1979, pp. 4-10)

On August 12, 1933, Vasudha informed the Mother, "I have started fixing the sari on the large frame and tomorrow this work of fixing the sari will be over. And then I shall start the embroidery . . ."

I remember that one day in 1940, as I was going to visit a lady staying in the same building as Vasudha and as I passed in front of a hall, I saw a few ladies sitting together on the ground and doing some embroidery work. I came to know later that they were embroidering the Mother's saree. I could not quite figure out as to how all those ladies could together do some embroidery on one saree. I still remember the faces of two of them: they were Meenakshiamma and her daughter, Anusuya. They must have been using the long frame made for this work.

Mother once wrote to Vasudha:

The beautiful Japanese and Chinese embroideries are always done without any cloth underneath and generally, the Japanese embroideries have no right side and wrong side. That is to say, they are absolutely identical on either side. The embroideries that they do here are, I think, quite coarse.
September 23, 1933

(p. 65)

This advice of the Mother was the guideline for the workers. The embroidery done here has such perfect stitches, and often both sides of the cloth have an identical design.

The sadhikas who worked on these designs were a devoted group. Some of them worked for 8 to 10 hours a day for eight months to a year-and-a-half to complete their work. It is only if you have a chance to see these finished pieces that you will understand the amount of work that had gone into them.

In 1933 while she herself was working on the Mother's saree, Vasudha guided two others — Bala, who was preparing a carpet for the Mother, and Subhadra, working on the Mother's blouse. They were both working in Vasudha's house. On getting this information the Mother wrote to her, "It is very good — if you continue you will soon have a little school of embroiderers!" a prophetic comment indeed! Gradually some ladies — Meenakshiamma, Subhadra, Lila, Tara, Anusuya — started doing embroidery work in Vasudha's house.

Vasudha became increasingly competent in embroidery and could do many different kinds of needlework, laces etc. She had once shown to some of her young students a thick encyclopedic volume on needlework and had told them that she could do all the different types of work detailed in that book! Thus she developed into a perfect instrument of the Mother for her work in this line.

It was quite common in those years for many young girls and ladies to do some needlework as offering to the Mother. They received unstinted help from Vasudha who taught the new girls, students or visitors alike, embroidery and hand-stitching of the Mother's clothes. One young student, about eleven years old, wanted to stitch the Mother's gown. Vasudha first took the Mother's permission who graciously allowed this little girl to stitch her gown. This young student still remembers how carefully Vasudha taught her step by step, all the care one had to take while doing Mother's gown. She sat crosslegged on the ground, first a lap cloth was put over her legs, she had to put some powder on her palms so that there would not be any perspiration to spoil the Mother's clothes. She was cautioned that the end of the thread which would be inserted into the eye of the needle should never be wetted by putting it in the mouth as is commonly done. A small bowl of water was kept there for this purpose; also no knot should be tied at the end of the thread. Lastly, the most important part, was that the worker should concentrate on her work and there should be no talking while stitching, to remember always that she was stitching the Mother's gown. She was then taught the way to stitch. She was the youngest person to have stitched Mother's gown.

Everyone was eager to prepare something for the Mother. Many, young or old, men or women did some hand work to offer to the Mother on their birthdays. It was a joy to spend extra hours trying to do some beautiful item for her. Offering these items to her was a heavenly experience and everyone was eager to get a direct contact with her through these offerings. It is incredible how the Mother appreciated and accepted each and every item however insignificant it might be! With what grace and love she received the things offered to her! It was a unique means of an unforgettable communion with her.

We mention now another example of embroidery done in those years. We have something interesting from Sahana's reminiscences. When she joined the Ashram in 1928, she was already a well-known vocalist in Bengal. She was given work in the Building Service of the Ashram and the embroidery for the Mother at home. A few years later, she was given charge of the ladies' tailoring section where the garments are stitched for the lady inmates. A few ladies worked with her.

She recounts:

The French littérateur and poet Maurice Magre was coming. I was busy embroidering a curtain for the big door of the Mother's room on the design submitted by Sanjivan . . . The old French houses of Pondicherry have large doors and windows. Consequently the curtain too was large.

I had gone to ask the Mother about some points as regards the curtain when, after a moment's reflection, she asked, "Maurice Magre is expected, do you think you will be able to finish the curtain before his arrival? There are still three months in hand." Guessing her intention, I said enthusiastically, "Yes, Mother, most certainly." Mother was very pleased and blessed me. . . .

Mentally working it out, it seemed that to finish the curtain within three months would entail a work of eleven to twelve hours a day, which I put in, but strange to say I never felt tired even after such long hours of work. The work was intricate and extensive — a very thick trunk of a tree spreading proportionate branches mounting upwards; on a branch towards the top a white peacock looking down and on a lower branch another white peacock gazing up towards the other bird. The size of the birds would come up to the stature of a full-grown Bengali girl. The design was superb too. I was surprised at the energy with which I was able to complete the work without tiring — it was clearly derived from the Mother herself. When it was taken to the Mother and spread on the floor for her inspection, I can hardly describe the expression of her eyes, I wonder if I have ever seen anyone appreciating in like manner. After looking at it for a long time with a face beaming with joy she said in French, "Oh, c'est magnifique!" Even today the same curtain is hung in Sri Aurobindo's room on every Darshan Day of 24th November; and each time I gaze at it in wonder, I try to imagine what I had offered the Mother and how she had transformed it, that even after nearly four decades it hangs as perfectly as on the first occasion — a perfect example of preserving a thing with the utmost possible care.

(Sahana, in Breath of Grace, pp. 157-58)

To the girls working with her, Sahana taught a special type of embroidery — the drawn thread technique, and they prepared a whole set of curtains in this style for the Mother's room. This type of embroidery was done here for the very first time.

Swarnaprabha, known to us as Swarna, came to the Ashram from Chittagong in 1933. She was young, fair-complexioned, soft-spoken and yet firm; she was already connected to Sri Aurobindo and the Mother through her correspondence. The call for this life was so great that she left her six-year-old daughter with her mother and had come now to serve Them.

She had brought with her some good quality wool. She wove a small mat with this and offered it to the Mother. The Mother was pleased with this work and she made some small ones and then larger ones for the Mother. Mother wanted to see her embroidery work. Swarna embroidered a small flower at the edge of Mother's saree. The Mother was pleased with the work. She was sent to Datta with whom she then worked. She had to stitch or darn the old pillow covers, bed sheets, towels, Mother's dress, saree, handkerchief etc. Both Datta and the Mother were happy with her perfect work. She was then given the Mother's clothes to wash and iron. Datta repeatedly reminded her ward, "Swarna, remember always that the Mother is not an ordinary woman; She is Divine. When stitching her clothes, it should be done in a clean manner with as much purity as possible."

Now Swarna was allotted a more difficult work. She had learned to cut the Mother's gown. The Mother would tell her the measurements needed and Swarna would quickly jot them down. All stitching was done by hand. Once the Mother received a few sarees offered to her by some businessman of Pondicherry. The Mother chose one saree and said that she would like to wear it on the next 'Prosperity' day, which is the first day of each month. That meant that there was just one day's time for Swarna to complete the work. A blouse from the same cloth had to be stitched and the pallu of the saree too had to be embroidered. Datta asked, "What, Swarna, will you be able to complete so much work?"

"If the Mother wants to wear the saree, she will make me do it," thought Swarna. The next morning Swarna had an early breakfast and sat down to her work. Her hands moved fast, silently concentrated only on her work. This was her sadhana. At eleven thirty at night she completed her work. The next day when the Mother came to the 'Prosperity' wearing the saree, what a wave of joy passed through Swarna.

And the Mother was looking at her with a mysterious smile on her face. Datta remarked, "Look, Swarna, the Mother is looking so wonderful! Do you know how many hours you worked yesterday? You have worked sixteen hours at a stretch!"

Many people offered sarees to the Mother and Swarna took care of the Mother's sarees. She would darn the places which were damaged, she would also embroider a small beautiful flower at one corner of the saree so that the Mother did not have to waste her time searching for the reverse or obverse side of the cloth.

A French couple who had lost their two beloved children had come to Pondicherry in search of peace. The Mother permitted them to stay in the Ashram and gave them work and also new names: 'Sarala' to the wife, and 'Suchi' to the husband. The Mother gave Sarala some work with her and thus Sarala was blessed with the opportunity of being in the Mother's presence every day for a short while. The Mother had sent a few ladies, Swarna was among them, to learn embroidery from Sarala. Others could not continue as they had other things to do. But Swarna continued her work, and they became quite close friends. Sarala did very fine embroidery work. Swarna and Sarala together made a chemise for the Mother, entirely by crochet work. Swarna worked on the small rose flowers while Sarala did the larger ones. These were joined to form a chemise. The Mother was very happy with the work. She looked at the chemise from all angles, appreciated it and praised their perfect work with her wonderful smile of love. We may mention here that Suchi was a very talented worker. We have seen Nolini-da with a skull cap on his head to protect him from the hot Pondicherry sun. He once told us that this cap was made by Suchi, and when the street urchins saw him in the street wearing this strange cap, they would shout gleefully, "Quel bonnet! Quel bonnet!" What a cap!

We, my sister and me, came here in 1940. I remember seeing many of the ladies then wearing sarees darned in a few places, and as I was fascinated with this work, I used to observe those parts and try to figure out how were they done. The inmates of the Ashram receive four sets of clothing every year. These get easily worn out. Mother did not like anyone to wear torn clothes. The ladies darned or patched up their sarees. The men sent their torn garments to the tailoring section of the Ashram to get them repaired.

The Mother never liked rejecting any item just because it was much used and old. Once, Swarna received a few of the Mother's kerchiefs from Datta. Some of them had been used so much that there was hardly any thread left in them. Swarna wondered how could she repair them? She mentioned her problem to Datta. Then Datta told her that once she had received one hanky which was so used and worn out that after informing the Mother, she had rejected it and thrown it in the waste paper box. Perhaps the Mother was busy with some other work and had not quite heard Datta. Later, she asked for that hanky, and being told that it had been put in the waste box, the Mother carefully searched the pile, found the hanky and took it so gratefully, saying, "You have thrown this hanky? Do you know the number of years it has served me?" For the Mother all objects, animate or inanimate had a consciousness! They were living entities.

Pranab-da writes:

Mother used to take great care of her things of daily use. She never threw her old torn clothes away. She would get them mended by Swarna-di and use them again. I remember once seeing Mother use a handkerchief which was stitched and mended like that.

Once she gave Swarna-di a dress to mend. It had become extremely worn out so Swarna-di suggested to Mother to discard it. Mother answered: "You are asking me to discard this? Do you know how well it has served me?"

(I Remember, Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya, p. 228)

Here is another similar example.

Once the Mother gave to Datta a blue satin gown covered with black lace, with instructions to see if it could be altered for the Mother's use. Datta entrusted it to Swarna who used to sew the Mother's dresses. Swarna reported to Datta that the satin had become so old that it simply disintegrated in her hands.

When she heard this, the Mother instructed, "Tell her my grandmother used to wear this gown. She should remove the satin very carefully and bring the lace-net to me." Swarna-di separated the lace-net with utmost care and sent it to the Mother.

Then the Mother said, "Tell Swarna to make a manteau from it for me. I will wear it with a satin gown." Swarna made a manteau which the Mother liked and wore over a new satin gown. We have a photograph of the Mother in this gown.

(More Vignettes of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Shyam Kumari, 1991, pp. 43-44)

We quote here from Priti Das Gupta's book where we get yet again the Mother's unwillingness to discard old dresses.

I would notice while going to the Mother for her blessing that flowers were embroidered on the Mother's gown at several places. It was quite puzzling to me. Minu, Jaya, Bela and others were responsible for stitching the Mother's gowns. So one day I asked Minu:

"Why do you keep embroidering flowers here and there on the Mother's gown? Can't you do it in a certain pattern? It looks so strange."

Minu laughed and said:

"Is the Mother short of gowns? But the Mother will not throw any of her old gowns away. As soon as there is a tear in the gown, she asks us to patch that area and embroider a flower over it. All the flowers on a gown just go to show how old [the gown is]. The Mother has many such gowns on which we have embroidered flowers on her instructions."

(Moments Eternal, p. 271)

When Swarna's daughter, Minu, whom Swarna had left back home with her mother in Bengal, came to the Ashram in 1942, she was allotted work with Swarna. Bela joined her in her house, and later another young girl, Madhuri was also given work there. They learnt some stitching and a little of embroidery as also washing and taking care of the Mother's garments. These young girls were later transferred by the Mother to Vasudha's workplace and in 1948 she gave a name to the workplace — "Mother's Embroidery Department". That is how this department was started and as long as Vasudha was alive she remained its overall in-charge.