Chapter 1   SADHANA AND LIFE   Introduction           This section contains the Mother's replies to my questions on spiritual life and other related topics. In introducing this text, I would like to explain how this correspondence came about and share with the reader a few reminiscences which show how much interest the Mother took in us during the early years of our school. She tried to mould our characters by pouring into us Her personal love as well as Her constant advice.       The Mother started coming out of the Ashram in the evenings towards the end of 1947. At first She played table tennis and when the tennis courts were ready in 1948, She started playing

                 Growing Up With The Mother                                                                                                                                                                                                         ®1999 Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust, Pondicherry 605 002   ISBN : 81-900175-4-3               Published by    Sri Aurobindo Ashram — Delhi Branch Trust       New DelhiO 016       Phones: 652 4810, 656 7863, 656 9225 Fax: 011-685 7449 E-Mail: aurobindo@vsnl.com         Growing Up With The Mother                         

       Chapter 5        Sketches & Photography         I have already narrated how I came to sit at the Mother's feet while She supervised the gymnastic training of the Captains' Group.       One day, as the training finished, I looked up at the Mother from where I sat. She suddenly asked Amiyo for a pen and paper. Amiyo pulled out a small chit pad from his pocket and gave it to Her. She asked       me to continue looking up at Her and in three minutes sketched my portrait. Amiyo watched the time She took in his wrist-watch. Page-168          For recitation classes on Tuesdays, the A Group children would be seated in a big semi-circle around the M

  Preface              Growing up with The Mother is an experience not easy to put into words.       "Bliss it was in that dawn to be alive but to be young was very heaven."       It is not often that a person gets the privilege of close proximity, guidance and love from the Divine incarnate in a human form and that too of a wonderful Mother. "A Mother to our wants, a friend in our difficulties, a persistent and tranquil counsellor and mentor, chasing away with Her radiant smile the clouds of gloom and fretfulness and depression, reminding always of the ever present help, pointing to the eternal sunshine." My destiny took me to Pondicherry and engulfed me into Her Divine embrace

      Chapter 2     EDUCATION   Introduction       My heart leaped up with joy when in September 1959 the Mother told me that I could start corresponding with Her. "You can send me your notebook with your questions," She said," and I will answer them." I at once sent Her a notebook with questions from The Life Divine. My questions began from the point where the Mother had left off explaining the book in December 1958 during our Wednesday classes at the Playground.       In January 1960 I started another notebook, this one with questions on Thoughts and Aphorisms from the point where the Mother had stopped discussing the book in the Group A classes, which were being

  GROWING UP WITH THE MOTHER   by   TARA JAUHAR   CONTENTS   PreContents     Foreword   Preface   1. Sadhana and Life                   Introduction                                      Questions and Answers on Sadhana and life                   Thoughts & Aphorisms   2. Education                    Introduction                   Diplomas and Certificates                   To Women about Their Body                   Questions and Answer on Education

      Chapter 6   PERSONAL       Correspondence Concerning Family   In April 1955, my brother jitendra met with a serious accident during wrestling, and had to stay for a whole month in the Madras General Hospital where my elder brother Narendra and I stayed with him throughout and nursed him. I did however, return every Wednesday for the Mother's class. Since I could not leaver Jitendra and return to the Ashram for the Darshan on 24th April, the Mother sent me a card.               The following letter was written to the Mother from Madras. Mother,       I shall try my best to make the best out of circumstances, so that when I come back you

       Chapter 3       Meditations   (Introduction)           I came to Pondicherry on the 1 of August, 1944 at the age of eight. Ever since I can remember, I had made it a point to commemorate my arrival by asking the Mother for a special audience on that day. The early years have faded in my memory, but in later years, the Mother always gave me special time and attention every year, on the 1 of August.       In 1970 I was working with the Mother daily in the evenings on a new book of flowers. When I went to Her at the usual time on 1 August, I carried a new notebook with me, for Her to write something for me in it. In answer to my request, She said She would wri

                 Growing Up With The Mother                                                                                                                                                                                                         ®1999 Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust, Pondicherry 605 002   ISBN : 81-900175-4-3               Published by    Sri Aurobindo Ashram — Delhi Branch Trust       New DelhiO 016       Phones: 652 4810, 656 7863, 656 9225 Fax: 011-685 7449 E-Mail: aurobindo@vsnl.com         Growing Up With The Mother                         

      Chapter 4   Flowers   Introduction       The Mother instilled in us a keen interest in the spiritual significance of flowers. She Herself had a deep contact with flowers all Her life; they were Her friends and She understood them. She could know all about a flower by identifying Her consciousness with it and what quality it expressed. In this way She named many flowers according to their inner significance. We, in the Ashram, grew up knowing many of the names the Mother gave to the flowers. We knew that jasmine signified purity, that zinnias meant endurance and so on. Let me relate how the Mother fostered in me a loving interest in flowers.       In the lat