Esha's recollections of some episodes of her life, as narrated to Nirodbaran in Bengali, who translated it in English. This is presented here in form of a book.
Sri Aurobindo : Contact
Nirodbaran on Esha's story : Esha, the late Dilip Kumar Roy's niece, was a little girl visiting the Ashram when I came to know her through my niece Jyotirmoyee with whom she had become very friendly. She wanted to settle in the Ashram, but her mother did not want it as she was still a minor. When after many years she came to the Ashram again and stayed with Sahana Devi, I became more closely acquainted with her. By that time she had already married and obtained her divorce and had decided to settle here. I came to her help and made all possible arrangements for the purpose. Since then I have come to know her well and listened to her narration of the incidents of her life. As I found them interesting I began to note them down and was thinking of publishing them in Mother India when somehow she got wind of it and strongly objected to it. As I felt I had Sri Aurobindo's sanction for it, I did not listen to her. In spite of my disregarding her objection, luckily she did not stop recounting her saga. Of course she narrated it in Bengali and later I put it down in English as faithfully as I could. When the story began to appear in Mother India, she insisted more than once that I should stop it. My answer was that I believed it could be helpful to many readers and that Sri Aurobindo seemed to support me.
THEME/S
When my case had proceeded to some extent, my lawyer called me and said, "I have to be frank with you. Our case has become very difficult, the way it is going. I am afraid we have very little chance of winning it. If it is to be turned around, there is only one lawyer who can do it. You may have heard of him. He is the well-known Mr. .... "
"Oh yes, I know him very well indeed as he happens to be a relation of mine. But, for reasons I don't want to go into now, I would rather not go to him. Is there no one else?"
"I'm afraid not. Whatever hesitation you may have, you'll have to forget them and go to him. I am sure he'll win it for you. You know, there is a saying in English 'Nothing succeeds like success.' And he is a very successful lawyer indeed."
I pondered over this for some days, then finally decided to go and see him, as my entire future and that of my son depended on the outcome of the case. I prepared myself to face him, come what may.
Accordingly, I arrived at his house without, on purpose, making an appointment. The peon received me and said, "The saheb is now all alone. You're lucky. Please write your name on this interview paper...." Instead of writing my own name, I wrote "Mr. Mukherjee". I was called in. As soon as I entered, he said in a rough voice. "Who are you and why have you come without making an appointment?"
Without giving an answer, I quietly sat down, looked at him and said, "I see that you haven't recognised me." He then looked at me sharply, and I continued, "I am Esha."
"Oh, you're Esha!" he said, softening. His look changed and then he asked, very tenderly, "What brings you to me, Esha?"
"I'm sure you have guessed the reason why. You must have heard all about my case."
"Yes, I have indeed."
"Now my lawyer says that without your help, I have very little chance of winning. That's why I'm at your doorstep."
He heard me out with concentrated attention, looked at all my papers and then said, "All right. I'm ready."
"Will you make me win?"
"I cannot say that for sure. Victory or defeat is not in our hands. All I can say is that I give you my word that I will do my best."
"That's enough for me. Now I would like to make one thing very clear. You may find it strange."
"Let me hear it."
"I'll be ever grateful to you for taking up my case and more so if you win it for me, but in my outer conduct and manner please don't expect any formality from me, as is often done in society, you know. I hope you have no objection — ."
"No," he interjected, "none. Those formalities, courtesies, flatteries, etc. need not bother you. I'd rather you be yourself and come in a simple and easy manner. Only," he added, not without humour, "let me know beforehand of your coming!"
Thus I returned home thanking him, considering myself lucky for his easy-going manner with me in spite of his reputation as an arrogant lawyer.
It is true that without his help I would have lost my case and the custody of my son and I am ever grateful to him. But you may think it odd that I kept no contact with him afterwards. Even when he had a serious accident I did not go to see him. People may think I am devoid of humanity, or that I am self-centred and things like that. But it is not so. In my heart I have always been grateful to him and have goodwill towards him. But it is not in me to be always humble with or to please or flatter my benefactor. And I appreciate his largeness of mind that he did not expect it of me or resent its absence.
Years later, on the occasion of my son's marriage, I asked my son to go and invite him. As he was not part of my son's circle of friends or relations he didn't want to. I told him all that this man had done for me, for us. He then came willingly with me to give the invitation in person. As soon as we approached him, with much warmth he welcomed us. I introduced my son to him and said that we had come to invite him and his family to my son's marriage.
"We shall most certainly come."
"It's an inter-caste marriage," I warned him. "I hope you won't mind."
"Not at all. What does it matter? In fact, my own son has married a Muslim girl who comes from a highly placed family in Afghanistan. She was studying in St. Xavier's College with my son. He refused to change his decision in spite of all our objections and persuasions."
"Oh him? He is your son? My son knows him. They were class-mates."
"Oh, I didn't know that! How interesting!"
On this happy note ended our meeting. Strange indeed are the world and its ways!
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