Recollections

Sadabala

The only inmate of the Ashram who had the privilege to sit on Sri Aurobindo’s lap was possibly Sadabala. Bala’s father Sada (That’s how he was known in the Ashram) was connected to this small Ashram community. He would often bring along his baby daughter and leave her at the feet of the Master and go to help in the Ashram chores.

As the baby grew she began to crawl all over the room and slowly holding on to Sri Aurobindo’s legs stand up. From that step to climb up to the lap wasn’t difficult.

Once she confided to one of the Sadhikas who was her co-worker in the Press, “I used to climb on Aiya’s lap; sit facing him and then catch hold of his beard”.

This child grew up to be quite a pretty woman. On another occasion she with a lot of regret spoke about one of her follies.

In those early days of the Ashram on the occasion of Diwali the Mother used to distribute saris & dhotis with Her own hand to the workers of various departments. Bala always received a white sari with a stitched red border. She realised that her sari was always a little old and different from what the others received. Naturally she became curious and wanted to know why it was so. And what she found out didn’t please her in the least. The fact was that she was receiving a dhoti worn by Sri Aurobindo. The Mother would take a dhoti, get some red border, give them to a particular Sadhika to stitch it on the dhoti.

When Bala found out why she was receiving same of kind of Sari, she wasn’t happy at all and went and complained to the Mother.

The Mother informed Sri Aurobindo regarding Bala’s displeasure. Sri Aurobindo then suggested that she be given a sari as the others. Thus her privilege of   receiving a dhoti used by Sri Aurobindo came to an end.

When Bala became infirm due to illness she would request her press co-workers to visit her. Then she would often go back to her early childhood & narrate many incidents.

There was one in which she took great pride. She would say “It seems when my father got married Aiya had come with the others to grace the occasion. Not only that, he even partook of the marriage feast.”

Even having so much contact with the Mother and the Ashram she entered to the mundane family life. She had two sons who were neither interested in Ashram life nor had any respect for anything spiritual.

The Mother had sanctioned for Bala every thing that a Sadhak or Sadhika received from the Ashram. And when her sons refused to look after her even after getting everything from the Ashram, the authorities arranged for her a room at New Creation. Then the sons used to visit only when they needed something from her. She was sad about the treatment she received from them otherwise lived quite contented by being an Ashramite in its full sense.