January 2012

News from Puducherry

Upcoming Events

22nd - 28th February 2012: Savitri Study Sessions

Sri Aurobindo

Study Sessions on Sri Aurobindo's epic 'Savitri' will be held at the Society House (formerly known as beach office), Puducherry, from 22nd to 28th February 2012. These will be conducted by Dr. Alok Pandey. There will be two sessions daily, from 5.15 to 6.00 p.m. and 6.15 to 7.00 p.m. All are welcome.

Special days in January 2012

14th January 2012: Makar Sankranti

Makar Sankranti

Makar Sankranti is one of the most auspicious festivals of India and is celebrated in almost all parts of the country in myriad cultural forms, with great devotion, fervour & gaiety. Makar Sankranti is perhaps the only Indian festival whose date always falls on the same day every year i.e. the 14th of January. Astronomically, it is the day when the glorious Sun-God begins its ascendancy and entry into the Northern Hemisphere and thus it signifies an event wherein the Sun-God seems to remind us of the famous line from Upanishads - ''Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya'' (Lead us from darkness and ignorance to light).

In Tamil Nadu it is celebrated as "Pongal". To symbolize a bountiful harvest, rice is cooked in new pots until they boil over. Some of the rituals performed in temples include preparation of rice, chanting of prayers and offering of vegetables, sugar cane and spices to the gods. The festival is celebrated over four days.
Other names of the festival include Uttarayan (Gujarat and Rajasthan), Maghi (Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab), Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu (Assam), Shishur Saenkraat (Kashmir Valley), Makara Vilakku Festival (Kerala)

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Recent Events

1st January 2012 : Bonne Année

New year celebration at Beach Office

New Year Decoration at Society House

The programme started with the Mother's music followed by vedic chant by Shivkumar.
Then little children Oishiki and Ritwja sang a French song which was followed by a Sanskrit
chanting by Sampad. Andrea and Laura sang a beautiful sankrit stotra.
Trupti and Krishna rendered a song and a Sanskrit stuti. There was a classical
Tamil rendering by Radhakrishnan and also Saikat and Kajori filled the atmosphere with
Dilipkumar Roy's "He kan kojal..." Towards the end our friends from Jhunjhunu sang for the occasion.

Finally there was meditation with Sunilda's music and lighting of candlesticks by the memebers of the Society.

Office was decorated with Mother's symbol and lotus flower in gold paper on the floor.
It was surrounded by 100 stars in silver paper with illuminating lamps over it.

CELEBRATIONS AT ASHRAM

New Year Day's celebrations at the Ashram began at 6.00 a.m. with Sunilda's recorded New Year music to mark the dawn of the year 2012. 'Bonne Année' blessings and a message card with Mother's words were distributed (click here to see it).

5th December 2011
Maha-Samadhi of Sri Aurobindo

A meditation around the Samadhi at the Ashram in the morning, followed by a visit to Sri Aurobindo's Room and a meditation in the evening at the Playground were held to commemorate the anniversary of the Maha-Samadhi of Sri Aurobindo.

Sri Aurobindo Foundation for Integral Management (SAFIM)
21st & 22nd December 2011: MDP on "Harvesting Values"

Two-day Management Development Programme (MDP) on "Harvesting Values" for the Superintendent and executive engineers of Rural Works Dept. of Govt. of Odisha at their Training Institute, Bhubaneswar was conducted by Prof. Saikat Sen, Director, Sri Aurobindo Foundation For Integral Management (SAFIM), Centre of Excellence in Management of Sri Aurobindo Society, Puducherry. Mr. Shankar Pradhan was the coordinator of the programme.

Visit by Jennifer A. McIntyre - Consul General of U.S.A

US Consul with Vijay bhai

Ms. McIntyre was briefed about the work of Sri Aurobindo Society and discussions were held to outline scope for future collaboration.

Youth Camps for Self Development

For more than 25 years Sri Aurobindo Society has been conducting regular youth camps called All India Youth Camp in Puducherry. From last year this youth camp is being carried out at state levels as well by its branches and centres. The main objectives of the Camps are to:
- inspire the youth to discover their aim in life and help them in realising it;
- awaken the youth to their great future and prepare them to play their true role in all aspects of life;
- make the youth conscious of the rich cultural and spiritual heritage of India and work for a united and awakened India.

Last year's camps both in Puducherry as well as at the state level were sponsored by the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), New Delhi. A complete report of the youth camp in Puducherry and the youth camps held at the different centres and branches around the country are available here.

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News from Branches and Centres

Bhind (Madhya

11th December 2011: Programme themed ''Divine Life -In The Light of Sri Aurobindo''

Shri Bhadoria, Shri Manoj Sharma and Dr Suresh Chandra Sharma

A view of the audience

Sri Aurobindo Society centre Bhind organised the programme. Shri Manoj Sharma (Bhopal) and Dr Suresh Chandra Sharma (Gwalior) were the guest speakers. Shri Vishwnath singh Bhadoria ji presided over the programme. Secretary of Bhind centre Shri Vishal Singh Chauhan welcomed the guests and Shri Munni Singh Kushwah conducted the program. The event concluded with a question and answer session. Approximately 120 persons attended the event.

Indore (Madhya Pradesh)

28th December 2011: Bal Mela

Rashtriya Bal Anand Mahotsav

Participants of the Bal Mela

Dr Suman Kocher along with Manoj Kiyawat, Suresh Kabra, Shruti and Shraddha Kiyawat participated as faculty on behalf of Sri Aurobindo Society. Around 2500 tribal children participated and were enlightened on areas such as Yoga and the vision of Sri Maa and Sri Aurobindo.
Dr.Suman Kocher recited Durga Stotra with the group. Concentration games were also conducted by Manoj Kiyawat. Instrumental Music was played by Shruti & Shraddha Kiyawat and classes were also conducted for the same.

Khandwa (Madhya Pradesh)

12th November 2011: Celebration of enshrinement of Sri Aurobindo's Relics

Khandwa Branch of Sri Aurobindo Society celebrated the anniversary of enshrinement of Sri Aurobindo's Relics. Shri Sujanmal Ratanpura from Ratlam and Shri Madhusudan Shrivastava from Ujjain spoke on the occasion. More than 100 persons attended the function from Khandwa and nearby Centres.

Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh)

18th December 2011: Lectures on Sri Aurobindo and The Mother at Central Jail, Varanasi

Sri Aurobindo Society (Varanasi Kendra) organized lectures on Sri Aurobindo and the Mother at the Central Jail, Varanasi. Dr. Brij Bala Singh and Dr. Madhu Singh (Varanasi Centre), and Dr. J.P. Singh, Chairman, Sri Aurobindo Society, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand deliberated on the occasion. Reading material on Sri Aurobindo and the Mother was provided to the Jail inmates beforehand through Capt. S.K. Pandey (Superintendent, Central Jail) who was instrumental in organizing the programme. Five inmates participated and Dr. J.P. Singh linked the deliberations for improvement of the quality of life of the inmates.

Lucknow - Jopling Road (Uttar Pradesh)

21st December 2011: Savitri Session by Dr. Alok Pandey

Lucknow-Jopling Road Centre of Sri Aurobindo Society (UC-12) organised a Savitri Session under the guidence of Dr. Alok Pandey, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry.
About 35 sadhaks attended the session with the book 'Savitri' in hand. Dr. Alok Pandey answered the questions of the participants.

Sultanpur (Uttar Pradesh)

22nd December 2011: Talk on "Destiny and Determinism" by Dr. Alok Pandey

A special lecture was organized by Sultanpur Centre where Dr. Alok Pandey delivered a talk on "Destiny and Determinism" at Sri Aurobindo Society premises. It was attended by more than 200 people including ladies and youth. Question and answer session was also there. Other speakers were Dr. J.P. Singh, Shri B.B. Singh, Dr. Pawan Kumar Singh. The function was presided over by Prof. C.M. Pandey (SGPGI Lko).

Lucknow - Gomti Nagar (Utter Pradesh)

23rd December 2011: Talk on Savitri by Dr. Alok Pandey

Lucknow-Gomti Nagar Centre organized a talk on 'Savitri' in which Dr. Alok Pandey discussed "Why and How to read Savitri". It was very well attended.

Amravati - Vilas Nagar (Maharashtra)

24th November 2011: A talk on "Significance of Siddhi Day"

The Secretary of Amravati - Vilas Nagar Centre delivered a talk at the Centre. About 12 sadhaks attended the programme. The programme ended with meditation along with the Mother's music.

Dombivli (Maharashtra)

24th & 25th December 2011: Visit to Navsarjan Vidyasikshan at Nargol, Sanjan, Gujarat

Dombivli Centre organized a two-day visit to Navsarjan Vidyasikshan at Nargol, Sanjan, Gujarat. The purpose of the visit was to know the significance of the Nargol Navsarjan Vidyasikshan and to have the Darshan of the shrine at the Navsarjan Campus.

Shri Kaivalyabhai Smart delivered a speech on "Religiosity & Spirituality" & "What is Spirituality" on 24th December and "Realisation of our Soul - Individual Divine, Universal Divine & Transcendental Divine" on 25th December 2011. 20 Members from the Centre participated in the programme.

Ompuri (Gujarat)

8th and 9th November 2011: Annual "Shivir" organised by the Branch

Ompuri Branch has been organising shivir for the last 28 years. This year, Shri Jayesh Desai, Vice Chancellor, Saurashtra University, delivered talks on "Revolutionary, Nationalised and Spiritual Mahaguru Aspects of Sri Aurobindo" over two days. About 50 sadhaks were present on both the days. Dr. Pushpaben delivered a talk on "Spiritual Aspect of Sri Aurobindo's Purna Yoga".

A bonfire was arranged on 11.11.2011. 45 sadhaks present on the occasion recited "Om Anandamayi, Chaitanyamayi, Satyamayi Parame". Meditation began at 11 hours 11 minutes 11 seconds on 11.11.2011 which continued upto 12.30 p.m. After the meditation the Mother's message card was distributed to all. The Primary class students of La Vision School, Ompuri Branch presented a programme.

Noida (Uttar Pradesh)

5th December, 2011: Sri Aurobindo's Maha-Samadhi Day

On the occasion of Maha-Samadhi Day of Sri Aurobindo on 5th December 2011, a Collective Meditation was held from 5 PM to 5.30 PM at Sri Aurobindo Bhavan, Noida. About 25 devotees along with their families were present.

10th December 2011: Seventh Anniversary of Sri Aurobindo Bhavan, Noida:

Dr. Sarojini Kulshrestha speaking on the occasion

On the eve of 7th Anniversary of Sri Aurobindo Bhavan, Noida, a programme of Bhajans by Devotees of Noida Branch and Indirapuram Centre was held from 5.30PM to 6.30PM. About 40 devotees and their families took part in the programme.

24th and 25th December 2011: U.P. & Uttarakhand State Committtee and Hindi Zonal Committee Meetings

From Left to Right: Dr. J.P. Singh, Shri V.P. Goyal; Shri O.P. Dani;
Shri Vijay Poddar and Shri Manoj Sharma

Participants of the meeting

Sri Aurobindo Society U.P. & Uttarakhand State Committee and Sri Aurobindo Society Hindi Zonal Committee Meetings were held on 24th and 25th December 2011 respectively at Sri Aurobindo Bhavan, Noida. Participants included Shri Vijay Poddar, Chairman, SAS Hindi Zonal Committee; Dr. J.P. Singh from Sultanpur; Dr. Archana Modi from Mahoba; Shri Manoj Sharma from Bhopal; Dr. Akhlesh Singh from Lucknow; Shri Ravi Kant Khandelwal from Rudrapur; Ms Shabya Roy from Ranchi, Dr. Brij Bala Singh from Varanasi, Mrs. Usha Chopra from Chandigarh; Mrs. Shama Kapoor from Delhi; Shri O.P. Dani and Shri V.P. Goyal from Noida and others.

24th December 2011: Talk on 'Victory Over Fear of Death'

Dr. J.P. Singh, Chairman, Sri Aurobindo Society State Committee
for U.P. and Uttarakhand deliver the talk

The talk by Dr. J.P. Singh, Chairman, Sri Aurobindo Society State Committee for Uttar Pradesh & Uttarakhand was organized from 5.30PM to 6.30PM followed by Question - Answer session. About thirty devotees and their families took part in the programme.

Other programmes at the Sri Aurobindo Bhavan, Noida

Besides the above, regular activites of the Branch include meditation, sale of books and other products, discussions on the Gita, Yogasanas & Pranayam sessions, free eye check-up/consultation and free acupressure treatment.

International

Nairobi (Kenya)

9th November 2011: Booklets presented to Lions Eye Hospital, Nairobi

Two thousand booklets in ten titles were presented to Lions Eye Hospital, Nairobi by the Nairobi Centre of Sri Aurobindo Society. The presentation was made at Sri Aurobindo Bhavan to the deputy executive and to the marketing manager of the hospital. These booklets will be distributed to the staff of the hospital and will be kept in various points. The hospital which is run by the Lions Club, Nairobi, deals with various eye, dental and ear treatments.