Sri Aurobindo's Letters on Himself and the Ashram

Sri Aurobindo's Writings - Volume 35 PDF last updated: 17 May 11

Letters on Himself and the Ashram

Sri Aurobindo's letters between 1927 and 1950 on his life, his path of yoga and the practice of yoga in his ashram.
In these letters, Sri Aurobindo writes about his life as a stu­dent in England, a teacher in Baroda, a political leader in Ben­gal, and a writer and yogi in Pondicherry. He also comments on his formative spiritual experiences and the development of his yoga. In the latter part of the volume, he discusses the life and discipline followed in his ashram and offers advice to the disci­ples living and working in it. Sri Aurobindo wrote these letters between 1927 and 1950 — most of them in the 1930s. [ON HIMSELF, COMPILED FROM NOTES AND LETTERS. Sri Aurobindo Birth Centenary Library, Popular Edition, Vol. 26.]

Rabindranath Tagore-Aurobindo meet's 83rd anniversary ... - The Hindu PUDUCHERRY, May 31, 2011

On May 29, 1928, the former French colony of Pondicherry had an important visitor in Rabindranath Tagore, who had made a halt near its shores to call on one of its most famous residents, philosopher and revolutionary Sri Aurobindo, whom he had last met in 1907 and had dedicated a poem in praise of his struggles.

The 83rd anniversary of that historic meeting, between two of the country's foremost intellectuals, was observed at the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) by the World Peace Trust here on Sunday.

Secretary of the trust Dibyendu Goswami said that though the poet was older to Sri Aurobindo, he offered his poem in 1907 as a “salutation” to the philosopher.

Though Sri Aurobindo had retired into complete “seclusion” by 1928 and had avoided meeting even his own disciples, he made exception when it was learnt that Tagore had halted near Puducherry, on his way to Europe, in order to meet him. While the meeting itself lasted only for a few hours, it ended with Tagore reciting the poem that he wrote in praise of Sri Aurobindo once again.

'PUDUCHERRY BLESSED'

Member of Legislative Assembly and former Minister K. Lakshminarayanan said that Puducherry was blessed by the fact that great men such as Sri Aurobindo and Subramanya Bharathi chose to live in the town and spread their message of love.

Though Tagore and Bharathi never met during their lifetimes, both of them understood each others' thoughts well and this was proved by the references that Bharathi has made of Tagore in many of his works, he said.

PHOTO EXHIBITION

A photo exhibition, displaying rare pictures of Tagore's visit to Puducherry, was also held as part of the celebrations.

Member of Legislative Assembly Lakshminarayanan having a look at photographs displayed at INTACH on the occasion of the 83rd anniversary of Tagore's visit to Pondicherry on Monday. Photo: T. Singaravelou