Recollections

My Introduction to the Cultural Programmes of the Ashram

First December 1953

It was in 1953 that I went to the stage to perform for 1st December Programme. In that epoch the vacations were meant for the preparation for 1st and 2nd December celebration.

The academic year ended by the 31^st  October, and the rehearsal for both the dates would begin in full swing. It is, I feel necessary to mention that many an item used to get prepared for the 2nd December by 18 October. It is Pranab-da’s birthday and members of green and red group would compose quite a few items to demonstrate on this particular occasion i.e. Pranab-da’s birthday.

The members of these two groups would compose and practice the items when Pranab-da would likely be absent at the Play Ground or Tennis ground.

I am reminded of a very amusing incident that occurred one year. A teenage boy joined the Ashram and as he was of Red group age, he became one of the members (At present he is a guru some where in the west). This young member had learnt some drills from the West Bengal Police Force. When the preparations for 18 October began he proposed to teach us a rifle drill. As it was something new everyone became very enthusiastic and it was decided that if successful it will be performed also on 2nd December.

As mentioned it was a rifle drill, but from where will we get the rifles at least some thirty or so of them? Then there was a talk that Udar-da who was in charge of Harpagon would make some wooden replicas and those will be used for the drill.

Some how the local police came to know about this particular item and they objected to our learning or presenting it. They were upset imagining that Ashram was giving training to young boys and girls how to handle fire arms.

I believe The Mother was informed about the displeasure of the Pondicherry govt. and so She didn’t approve even of wooden replicas. Ultimately we performed the drill with long wooden sticks. And as far as I remember the local police objected even to that.

It was but one amusing incident out of many that we witnessed when young.

So as I stated the vacations were meant to prepare for the two celebrations. First December: the anniversary of the school, Second December: the anniversary of the physical education.

For 1st December Anuben, Normam-da, Amita-di, Shobha-di would put up their ideas and suggestions in front of the Mother for Her approval.

In1953 among other items there was a dance drama based on Sri Aurobindo’s poem “Love and Death”.

The story being of Ruru and Priyumvada, a young couple deep in love lived an enchanted life in Nature till one morning Priyumvada is bitten by a snake and she dies in Ruru’s arms.

The separation was most painful for the loving bereaved husband and he decides to go to the abode of Yama in search of his beloved wife. In his journey to the other world he passes through different planes and finally reaches his destination. He brings back his wife only in exchange to half of his life span.

There were many scenes in the dance drama depicting Nature and other worlds. The cast had to be big.  So one evening Amita-di just asked me to follow her while marching was going on and we were waiting for concentration and distribution. We went to her house which is at the opposite corner of the same street, there on the Verandah she showed some steps which were ballet steps and asked me to reproduce them. I was terribly clumsy and failed miserably. They needed very many people to depict so many characters. So I was not rejected out right. They found out a very very small part for me.

I was to be a bird flying through when Ruru passed. Even that was foreign to me as my knowledge of dance was limited to moving hands and legs in graceful ways and that too with songs.

I believe my uncle and aunt sat with great expectations on the day of the Programme, as they had seen me rushing out of the house anytime of the day for rehearsal.

When my turn came I entered the stage from one wing making flying movement and exited from the opposite one.

Can one imagine the disillusion state of my poor aunt and uncle regarding my ability to dance?