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I will now' write about our Sweet Mother's new rooms, on the second floor. This is how it all started. She had no bedroom,not even a bed to sleep on for over forty years. She never actually slept. She would just 'retire' from 2 to 4 a.m. and all were asked not to disturb Her during those two hours. Mother would be working with some of us up to 2 a.m. and then She would start working with others again at 4 a.m. For those two hours, She would sit in Her chair in a meditation rather than sleep and so I say that Mother had not slept for over 40 years.
The Mother's new room with the Aubusson carpet |
The Mother's new room
Then, one day, we suggested that She should have a proper bedroom with a bed and other furniture in it, where She could retire when She wanted to, and take rest. The money for this work was forthcoming and eventually Mother agreed. Then Her bedroom with the attached bathroom was designed, the one She used up to the end. Mother liked this room very much and used it happily but it meant Her having to go up and down the stairs. Mother had been presented with a wonderful Wurlitzer Electric Organ on which She would play regularly. It was kept in Pavitra's room. This also She could not use now. Then one day 1 said to Her that unless She played on the Organ from time to time it would get spoiled, and none of us would like to play on Her Organ. So Mother asked me what was to be done and I suggested that we bring the Organ up to Her new room. She refused to agree to this as She said that there was no space for the instrument in Her room: it would upset the balance of the furnishings of the room. So then I suggested that we build a special room next to Her bathroom as there was enough place on the terrace for it. Mother agreed to have a small room, specially for the Organ, and we set about to design it. - Udar- Now my Aunt Mary had given to Mother a beautiful carpet, an Aubusson, which she had herself received from the Maharaja of Mysore. Mother liked the carpet very much but did not know where She could use it. So we decided to put it into the Music Room that we were designing. We then did a strange thing: we designed the size of the room to fit the carpet instead of getting, as is usual, a carpet to fit a room. This made the room quite large and then there was still some space left between the end of the room and the eastern extremity of the building. That space, we felt, could well be used for a covered balcony which could be carried round to the south side also. This change we kept rather secret and did not even inform Mother about it. It also meant more expense. So Dyuman, who had to find the money for all the work, was annoyed at this additional expenditure which had not been sanctioned by Mother, and he expressed The Mother's new room with the Aubusson carpet himself quite Strongly. |
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The mother on the stairs to Her new room |
The mother in Her new organ and interview room |
When all had been built I informed Mother that everything was ready for Her to see, and She came to see. she like the large Music Room very much in which we had already installed the Organ. Then She looked out east and saw the balcony and she me said, "Udar! What have you done? A balcony! Do you expect me to start giving Darshans again from here? I replied, "Mother, I expect nothing but that you are happy with what we have done. So please come out and see this Balcony." And Mother came out. In the meanwhile ,we had sent word around that Mother might come on the new balcony, and so there were people all about, on the street and on each surrounding terrace, etc. almost the whole Ashram had turned out and they all had a Darshan of Mother, after such a long time. Mother gave a real Darshan, standing some time looking at all as she did whenever She gave Darshan. All were so happy and Dyuman came to me and embraced me warmly and said, "Udar, forget all i said before. Our people have had Mother's Darshan at last. This is worth all that has been spent and even more; I am very, very happy. - Udar - |
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The Mother's Darshan from the new balcony - 29th Dec.1967
The Mother had asked Udar to sound the gong for the commencement and the end of the Darshan meditation. |
Udar ringing the gong to commence and end the Darshan meditation - 24th April 1994 |
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