October 2011

News from Puducherry

The Mother

Upcoming Events

Seminar of Women’s Council – The “Power of Beauty” (21st, 22nd and 23rd November 2011)

In everything, everywhere, in all relations truth must be brought out in its all-embracing rhythm and every movement of life should be an expression of beauty and harmony. Skill is not art, talent is not art. Art is a living harmony and beauty that must be expressed in all the movements of existence. This manifestation of beauty and harmony is part of the Divine realisation upon earth, perhaps even its greatest part.
                                                                                                                          -The Mother

This year, the Society's Women's Council is embarking on a beautiful adventure to find and manifest beauty in all the movements of our existence.

The 'Power of Beauty' is the subject chosen for our annual Seminar, to be held at the Society House (Beach Office), 11, Saint Martin Street, Puducherry, on 21, 22 and 23 November 2011.

All interested are welcome to participate in the Seminar. For details, write to: The Secretary, Women's Council, Sri Aurobindo Society, 11, Saint Martin Street, Puducherry-605001.
E-mail: sushila@aurosociety.org

Education Innovation Fund for India - Grants upto Rs. 4 Crores

We are happy to announce that the India Council for Integral Education (ICIE), a project of Sri Aurobindo Society, has launched the Education Innovation Fund for India (EIFI), a collaborative project with Hewlett Packard, USA.

The purpose of EIFI is to identify, nurture and support the most promising and innovative ideas and projects for Education within India through the grants. These grants will be awarded to projects that show the capability to be developed, refined and scaled up so as to impact the next future of India’s education.

There is a One Crore Grant to the most promising project in educational innovation, 15 grants upto 15 lakhs and micro grants for students and children of ages 11 – 17 years. The last date for submission of the applications is 15th November 2011.

The full details are available in our website: www.eifi.aurosociety.org

Can you please pass on this information to as many schools, colleges, educational institutions, NGOs as possible who you feel will be interested, so that if they have some innovative ideas they can apply for the grants.

For any queries or information, you can contact Aishwarya Ramanujam. She will be glad to help. Her contact details are given below:

Email id: aishwarya@eifi.aurosociety.org
Ph.: 94894-36397

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Recent Events

6th September 2011: "Insights" Workshop, New Delhi

"Insights" workshop in progress

A one-day workshop was conducted by Harvinder Kaur as a part of the 'Insights' series in Sri Aurobindo Centre for Arts & Communication (SACAC), Sri Aurobindo Society for the students taking media courses. The sessions were geared to gain insights into oneself.

The programme started with meditative silence. Interesting responses came when the group was asked, "Do you know yourself?" The next session, blindfold walk, started from the outdoor bamboo-shaded canteen. This was followed by the most intense session of the day, "peeling-the-onion", that involved understanding the layers of one's mind. An attempt was made to understand the interplay of action, emotions and thoughts/beliefs. Taking off from the cognitive-behavioural approach an example was taken, discussed and analysed by the facilitator. Then the procedure discussed earlier was followed wherein they could identify their belief/thought behind it. Some members were asked to volunteer and share what they wrote. This led to some very intense discussions and rigorous analysis.

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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Some Special Days in October 2011

6th October 2011 - Nava-ratri and Dashehra

Dashehra

The Festival of Nine Nights (nava-raatri) this year began on 30 September. During the festival, the Supreme Mother in three of her prominent forms is worshipped: on the first three days Durga, Goddess of protection and valour, on the next three days Lakshmi, Goddess of inner and outer harmony and prosperity, and on the final three days Saraswati, Goddess of knowledge and perfection. The tenth day, which falls on 9th October, is the "Victory Day", Vijaya Dashami or Dashehra. This day is regarded as the day of Sri Rama's final victory over the Asura king Ravana.

Another legend has it that on this day Goddess Durga slew the buffalo-headed demon Mahishasura in a battle and became victorious. In Mysore, South India, Dushehra is a royal celebration. The demon Mahishasura is believed to have come from the city of Mysore and therefore it is the most affected by this event. A regal procession of decorated elephants, courtiers and court symbols wends its circuitous way to the Durga temple at the Chamundi Hill, decorated splendidly for the festival. On reaching the temple, prayers are offered to the goddess.

It is a time for the devotees to engage in various spiritual practices to make the entire ten days a period of deep inner growth.

Here is what the Mother says about the Victory Day:

Durga… who every year has to destroy her asura; and always she is compelled to begin again. It goes on in this way till the end of the reign allotted to the titans. When they will be banished from this world, it will not be thus any longer. But till then, that is as long as they are useful for intensifying the aspiration, clarifying the consciousness, for putting to the test the sincerity of people, they will be there. The day the test will not be needed, the day the sincerity will be pure and self-existent they will disappear. Then that day, Durga will no longer need to begin her battle over again every year.

Sri Aurobindo has said:

Durga is the Mother's Power of Protection. The lion is the attribute of Goddess. Durga, the conquering and protecting aspect of the Universal Mother.

Sri Aurobindo has also written a powerful and inspiring invocation to Mother Durga in Bengali. We present this time its English translation along with excerpts from its audio rendering.
Full English translation of Hymn to Durga
Download excerpts of the recitation

26th October 2011 - Deepavali

26 October 2011 will be celebrated as Deepavali, the Festival of Lights, more popularly known as Diwali, all over India. It comes 21days after Dushehra and Celebrate the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after his 14-year exile. To celebrate this event, people of Ayodhya are believed to have lit up their houses with lamps. According to another legend, it is on this day that Lakshmi emerged from the ocean during the samudra-manthan, the churning of the ocean. Goddess Lakshmi is the Goddess of prosperity and wealth and it is believed that she visits everyone's house during Diwali and brings peace and prosperity to all. In South India it is celebrated on 27th October, a day before the Diwali day in North India.

In West Bengal, Kali Puja is performed on Diwali as it is believed that on this day Kali killed the wicked demon Raktavija. In South India, Diwali is celebrated signifies the killing of the evil Narakaasura by Sri Krishna. Another Southern legend associates Diwali with the killing of the demon king Hiranyakashipu by Lord Vishnu during his incarnation as the man-lion Narasimha.

During the festival, the houses are lit with rows of lamps symbolising the kindling of the inner light that drives away from our lives the darkness of falsehood and ignorance. Exchange of traditional sweets with relatives, neighbours and friends forms an important part of the celebrations.

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News from Branches and Centres

Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh)
28th August 2011: Seminar on ''Role of Women in changing time''

Sri Aurobindo Society centre Jabalpur organised a seminar on ''Women'' at Regional training centre Jabalpur.

Dr Ranjana Gupta presided over the function. Shri Manoj Sharma(Bhopal),Dr S.C.Sharma (Gwalior) and Dr Suman Kocher (Indore) were the guest speakers.They covered the Subject in the light of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. Programme began with Bhajans of Shri Jitendra Bajpai. Secretary of the centre Smt. Kalpna Arjaria welcomed the guests. Ms Ankita Shrivastava conducted the programme.

Audience at the Seminar ''Role of Women in changing time''

Hindi translation of the book ''Prenation Natal Education'' (Prasav Purva Shiksha) distributed to all participants.

Shri Vijay Poddar presiding over the State Committee meeting

In the afternoon State committee meeting of SAS Madhya Pradesh has taken place. Shri Vijay Poddar jee presided over the meeting.

Hanamkonda (Andhra Pradesh)
7th August 2011: Elocution and Essay writing competition on "India of My Dreams"

To celebrate Sri Aurobindo's birth anniversary the Branch organized an Elocution and Essay writing completion among the school and college students at the premises of the Branch. The topic was "India of My Dreams". About 100 students participated from different schools and colleges.

On 15th August at 9.30 a.m. flag was hoisted and at 10 a.m. collective mediation was conducted. 35 people participated in the programme.

Sultanpur (Uttar Pradesh)
15th August 2011: Seminar on 'Savitri'

The Sultanpur Branch celebrated Sri Aurobindo's birth anniversary on 15th August with collective mediation in the hall of the Branch where Sri Aurobindo's Relics are installed.

In the evening the Branch organized a Seminar on 'Savitri' at Ram Raji Balika Inter College, Sultanpur. Dr. K.S. Verma, Director, K.N.I.T. was the Chief Guest. About 80 persons participated in the programme. The Branch also organized a questionnaire competition on "Sri Maa & Sri Aurobindo" at the college in two groups (Sr. Div & Jr. Div.)

Noida (Uttar Pradesh)
22nd August 2011: Shree Krishna Janmashtami Celebrations

On the occasion of Sri Krishna Janmashtami, a talk on 'Shree Krishna' by Shri Viswa Mohan Tiwari, Air Vice Marshal (Retd.) was organized in which about 15 devotees participated.

Gomti Nagar (Uttar Pradesh)
21st August 2011: Seminar on "Spirituality and Morality"

The Centre organized a Seminar at Vijayant Khand, Gomti Nagar, Lucknow on "Spirituality and Morality". Chief Guest was Shri B.P. Singh, I.G., CBCID, Lucknow. About 100 persons participated in the programme. Booklets were distributed to the participants.

Chengalpattu (Tamil Nadu)
15th August 2011: Cultural Programmes and Talks

The 139th birth anniversary of Sri Aurobindo was celebrated by Chengalpattu Branch. About 400 persons attended the function. Since this Branch is situated in a rural area, many enthusiasts from these areas attended the function. On this occasion cultural programmes were presented by the students. Kalaimani - Thiru Nagai Mugundan delivered talks on "The Life of Sri Aurobindo" and "Right Upbringing of Youth in the Present Days".

Bhagalpur (Bihar)
4th September 2011: Meeting of Sri Aurobindo Society State Committee

The meeting of Sri Aurobindo Society State Committee, Bihar was organized by Bhagalpur Centre. Dr. Durga Prasad Khaitan, Chairman, Sri Aurobindo Society Bihar State Committee chaired the meeting.

The Committee discussed as to how we could reach out to more and more people. 24 members from different Centres of Bihar in addition to the members from the local Centre attended the meeting.

Teliamura (Tripura)
15th August 2011: Centenary Celebrations, Talk on "Divinity of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother"

The Teliamura Centre celebrated the 139th birth anniversary of Sri Aurobindo on 15th August 2011, with the hoisting of the National flag and the Mother's flag.

In the evening the members of the Society and other devotees offered prayers to Sri Aurobindo and the Mother at the Society House. The chief guest, veteran educationist of Teliamura, Shri Kalisankar Ganguli delivered a speech on "Divinity of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother". The Chairman of the Society explained the importance of 15th August. The programme was attended by approximately 40 persons.

Hindi Zone Annual Conference at Varanasi
17th-18th September 2011: 11th Annual Conference of Hindi Zone

Annual conference of Hindi Zone

11th Annual conference of Hindi Zone was held at Banaras Hindu University campus Varanasi. The central theme of the conference was "Sri Aurobindo and Future of Humanity". The conference was well attended by members from all over the Hindi speaking states.

Dr B.D.Singh, Rector of B.H.U. inaugurated the conference. Shri Vijay Poddar, Chairman of Sri Aurobindo Society Hindi Zone presided over the function. Prof.P.N.Jha ,Director Management Institute, Prof. Kamal Sheel Dean and Dr Shashi Kant Dixit were the special guests. Dr J.P.Singh briefed about the subject.

The subjects discussed were "Future of Education and Futuristic Education", "Towards Integral Health" and ''Future of Society and Futuristic Society''. The Speakers were Shri A.P. Khare from Panna, Shri D.N. Dani from Udaipur, Dr. J.P. Singh from Sultanpur, Dr. Archana Modi from Mahoba, Shri K. Pawan from Patiala and Shri Manoj Sharma from Bhopal.

Cultural Programme in progress

Dr Suresh Chandra Tyagi concluded the conference. On 17th evening a cultural programme also was arranged. Participants visited Sarnath after the conference.

Sri Aurobindo Complex, Sri Aurobindo Marg, J.P. Nagar, Bengaluru
9th August 2011: "Ankur Fest" Inter-school Competition

Mirambika School for New Age (MSFNA) organized "Ankur Fest" interschool competitions. Programme was inaugurated by Dr.C.R.Chandrashekar, Prof. of Psychiatry and Deputy Medical Superintendent, National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Science. Shri Ajit Sabnis, Chairman, presided over the function. Children from 20 schools of different age groups participated in the various competitions viz., Dance, Music, Painting and Calligraphy. Senior Students of High School Section compered the program.

On 15th August 2011, MSFNA & SACT jointly celebrated the 65th Independence day and 139th Birth Anniversary of Sri Aurobindo. Shri Ravi Shankar hoisted the National flag followed by invocation. Students sung patriotic songs and spoke on the significance of Sri Aurobindo's birth day in relation to Indian Independence day. Thereafter, meditation was held at Meditation hall from 10.30 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. Message card along with prasad were distributed.

28th August 2011: A talk on "An Overview of Savitri"

Talk was delivered by Shri A.S.Rajanikath, Trustee, Sri Aurobindo Complex trust. About 50 Devotees attended the function.

25th September 2011: A talk on "All Life is Yoga in the Light of Science"

Shri Rajiv Nadig delivered a talk along with powerpoint presentation. About 50 devotees attended.

International

Singapore

The centre regularly conducts programmes with the following themes-
a) Silent Reading
b) Morning walk and brunch
c) Meditation with Savitri
d) Readings from "Vignettes of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother" and "Om" Meditation

Nairobi (Kenya)

On 26th August 2011, Nairobi Centre presented 3000 booklets in ten titles to SOS children's Villages, Nairobi. The Village Director, Mr. Wabara received the booklets on behalf of the Villages. The booklets will be distributed in Mombasa centre of the Villages as well.