Department       Philatelic activities began in the Ashram because Mother had an interest in stamps since her childhood. Pavitra-da (Monsieur St. Hilaire) was the first collector in the ashram. In France he had many albums, at least eight or ten. With the  Mother’s approval he got his stamp albums from France and started the stamp collection work. This was in the late 1920s.     This work was being done in Pavitra-da's own room in the main Ashram building, upstairs where Mother used to come daily. At times she would see the collection which was kept in Pavitra-da's bed room, the room through which Mother used to pass while going to give Balcony Darshan. There he had a