Nirata: The Embodiment of ‘Sincere Devotion’ by Anurag Banerjee

“Reassure yourself that I love you and all forever. My love is invariable and equal for all. But to each one I give according to his need and nature… The one who loves me sincerely places himself in proximity with me and receptivity grows according to that. Don’t torment yourself. Let your heart be joyous and confident.”

The aforementioned letter was written by the Mother to Nirata, a senior member of Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry, who left her body on 14 February 2024 to join Sri Aurobindo and the Mother in Their world. Known for her loving, generous and accommodative nature and motherly attitude, she was loved by her peers, contemporaries and juniors and revered for her sincerity, dedication and devotion. She had quite an intimate relationship with the Mother. Her eyes would turn moist whenever she recalled her long and loving association with the Mother who poured on her so much love that she became a lifelong captive of it and subsequently she would share it among the aspirants of the younger generation.

Nirata was born as Raghavamma in a middle-class family to Vire Raghavan and Shakuntala on 4 June 1935 in a village in the erstwhile princely state of Hyderabad. Two more sons were born to the couple after the birth of Raghavamma: Ranganath in 1939 and Srinivas in 1943.

Vire Raghavan worked as a Revenue Officer in the government of the Nizam. Through a friend of his, he came across Sri Aurobindo’s book The Mother and decided to follow him. He arrived at Pondicherry in 1944 to visit the Ashram of Sri Aurobindo. However, in those days, one had to seek prior permission to visit the Ashram and Vire Raghavan was not aware of this rule. Since he came without any permission, he was not allowed to enter the Ashram main building. But he was informed of the famed Balcony Darshan in which the Mother—the spiritual collaborator of Sri Aurobindo—appeared at the balcony situated on the first floor of the Ashram main building everyday around six in the morning. When Vire had the Mother’s darshan, he was so touched and overwhelmed that he could not suppress his tears from rolling down his cheeks. One gentleman who saw him in tears came to him and inquired about his identity and whereabouts. On being informed about the purpose of Vire’s visit, this gentleman obtained the necessary permission for him to enter the Ashram main building and to meet the Mother. During his sojourn at Pondicherry, he asked the Mother whether he could bring his wife and children to the Ashram. The Mother consented.

In 1945 Vire decided to visit Pondicherry with his wife and sons. At that time his daughter, Raghavamma, was about to be adopted by Shakuntala’s childless sister. So before leaving for Pondicherry, Vire had asked his daughter what would she like to do: stay back with her aunt or come to Sri Aurobindo Ashram with him. Raghavamma readily consented to travel to Pondicherry much against the cries and appeals of her aunt. The Raghavans reached Pondicherry on 4 June 1945 and the day happened to be the tenth birthday of Raghavamma. Millie Pinto, sister of Udar Pinto, had come to the railway station in a jeep to escort them to the Ashram. They were lodged in a small room next to the Ashram Laundry. That day, around 8 p.m., Vire and Shakuntala went to meet the Mother in the Ashram main building while Raghavamma stayed back to look after her young brothers. In those days, the Mother would taste a bit of everything that was cooked in the Ashram Dining Room and it was distributed among the inmates as the Mother’s ‘prasad’. Raghavamma got to taste the ‘prasad’ on the very first day of her arrival and she found it wonderful. Soon she was introduced to the Mother. Along with her younger brother Ranganath, she joined the Ashram School which had started in December 1943.

On 15 August 1945, Raghavamma joined—along with hundreds of other devotees and inmates of the Ashram—the queue to the Darshan Room where Sri Aurobindo and the Mother gave Darshan four times a year. As the queue entered the hall in front of the Darshan Room, Raghavamma could see people stepping out on the left and to the right to have a glimpse of Sri Aurobindo before their turn came. She could also hear her father—who was standing just behind her—sobbing out of sheer devotion. When she stood in front of Sri Aurobindo, she felt something wonderful and great.

From August 1945 to November 1950 Raghavamma had the Darshan of Sri Aurobindo. Since she was too young, she did not recall anything significant about these Darshans but she remembered that in case anyone stood in the Darshan queue longer, some attendant from the wings used to make a small gesture to indicate that it was time to move on. However, the incident which left an indelible mark on her young heart was the mahasamadhi of Sri Aurobindo. When Sri Aurobindo’s body was kept in state in His room, Raghavamma would join the queue of devotees going for their Darshan several times a day but every time she saw Sri Aurobindo, she could not believe that He had left His body. She would go on telling herself: “This is not the reality, He will wake up.” It was only when Sri Aurobindo’s casket was being lowered down inside the Samadhi vault on 9 December 1950 that she realized the truth. 

In 1945 the Department of Physical Education was organized under the leadership of Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya who conducted the children’s activities. When in 1946 he was affected with Conjunctivitis, he abstained from visiting the Ashram Playground for a few days as he did not want the children to catch the infection. In his absence, Tara Jauhar and Usha Raojibhai conducted the activities at the Playground. As a result, after his recovery Pranab Kumar made both the girls captains of the children’s group. Soon after, Raghavamma and Aruna were also made captains. Although the young girls were barely twelve years of age, they were selected for their capacities of leadership.

In 1949 Shakuntala Raghavan had to leave Pondicherry for a few days to sell off a property she had inherited from her deceased father. Vire had convinced her to sell it and offer the money to the Mother. As Raghavamma was staying with Shakuntala, the Mother asked her whether she was going to accompany her mother. Raghavamma replied in the negative. She stayed back in Pondicherry and never left the Ashram with the exception of a visit to Chennai some years later.[ more later on that Chennai visit ] However, during Shakuntala’s absence, everyday whenever the Mother would meet Raghavamma, She would inquire whether she had eaten properly, slept well and that if she needed anything. She was overwhelmed with the love and care the Mother showered on her. Following the demise of Shakuntala in 1955 at the young age of thirty-six, Raghavamma took up the responsibility of looking after her two younger brothers.

Raghavamma was not happy with her name. In 1951 she approached the Mother with a request for a new name. On 4 June, on the occasion of her seventeenth birthday, the Mother renamed her ‘Nirata’. And She explained the meaning of her new name in the following words: “Faithful attachment to the Divine, sincere devotion and straightforwardness.” She also gave her a card in which She wrote: “Nirata (Dévouement sincere)”. From then onwards Raghavamma was known as Nirata in the Ashram community.

Nirata, being quite strong physically, excelled in boxing and wrestling which she had learnt from Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya who had made quite a name for himself as a boxer in Bengal before joining Sri Aurobindo Ashram in 1945.

After she completed her education in the Ashram School in 1958, Nirata was approached by Dhanavanti Nagda with the request of helping her to start a new boarding in the Ashram. Although this proposal had the Mother’s approval, it did not materialize because Dhanavanti’s parents had written to the Mother requesting Her not to consider Dhanavanti to start a boarding for some family reasons.. Following an invitation by Tehmi Masalawalla, a senior sadhika and teacher of Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education, to teach the students of Class I, Nirata joined the Ashram School as a teacher of English. She continued to teach till her eighties. 

We would now share a couple of incidents to illustrate the unique bond of love that existed between Nirata and the Mother.

The Mother with Nirata

Once in the late 1940s, a movie titled Jhansi Ki Rani (‘The Queen of Jhansi’) was being shown in a local cinema hall. In those days, films were not shown in the Ashram. Shakuntala suggested going and watching this movie. Nirata and her best friend Smriti Ghosh both agreed but then it occurred to them that they should take the Mother’s permission first. When they met the Mother later that day after She had come to the Playground, they told Her that they were going to watch a movie that day. With utmost enthusiasm, they told the Mother what the movie was all about and what the Queen of Jhansi had done for the country. When they spoke the Mother went on nodding Her head and then She asked: “Do you know what is measles, chicken-pox and mumps?” Then the Mother explained how these contagious diseases were plaguing the local cinema-halls and a visit to such places could result in contagion among the children of the Ashram. She did not ask them not to go but Her words made them ponder why She disfavoured visiting cinema halls. And they decided not to go to watch the movie.

Once, Nirata needed a bicycle. Her father was supposed to send the money for the bicycle. As was the custom in those days, Nirata went and told the Mother about her requirement. That year, 150 cycles had come to Harpagon and the Mother was distributing them to inmates who needed one. So the Mother told Nirata: “I’ll see.” Soon she asked Udar Pinto, the in-charge of Harpagon, to arrange a cycle for Nirata. But Udar gave a rather old, clumsy-looking cycle with two rods to Nirata who was naturally not happy. Next day, when she went to meet the Mother, the latter asked her whether she had got the cycle. Nirata replied in the affirmative but began to cry instantaneously. She told the Mother that she was given an old cycle. The Mother did not say anything but very soon Nirata received a brand new cycle.

On another occasion, Nirata was depressed and felt that she was not good at anything. When she went and told the Mother about it, She told her very lovingly: “My child, close your eyes and call ‘Ma, Ma, Ma’. I will come and flow into your veins.”

In early December 1958, Nirata decided to take the children in her group for a picnic on the tenth of that month. But she needed some money to buy oranges for the children. On 6th December, she went to the Mother and asked for some money. In those days, 120 oranges could be purchased for a sum of ten rupees so Nirata asked for the said sum. The Mother asked her to come after two days to collect the money. But unknown to all, a radical change was going on in the Mother’s life. On Friday, 5 December She took her last class at the Ashram Playground, on 7th She played Her last game of tennis and on 9 December, She stopped leaving the premises of the Ashram main building with the exception of certain special occasions. These changes took place on account of Her ill-health. On 8 December, Nirata—unaware of the Mother’s health conditions—went to meet Her in the Ashram main building and waited for Her at the staircase leading to Her apartments on the first floor. After some time Champaklal, the Mother’s attendant, came out and told Nirata that as the Mother was unwell, She won’t be seeing anyone that day. Nirata did not know how to react. But to her surprise, the Mother came out with a ten rupee note and asked Champaklal to give it to Nirata.

In March 1962 the Mother fell critically ill and for the next few days, Her health remained a matter of concern for all. On 13 April, She dictated the following message in which She spoke of a very significant spiritual experience:

‘Suddenly in the night I woke with the full awareness of what we could call the Yoga of the World. The Supreme Love was manifesting through big pulsations, and each pulsation was bringing the world further in its manifestation. It was the formidable pulsations of the eternal stupendous Love, only Love. Each pulsation of the Love was carrying the universe further in the manifestation.

‘And the certitude that what is to be done is done and that the Supramental Manifestation is realized.

‘Everything was Personal, nothing was individual.

‘This was going on and on and on and on.

‘The certitude that what is to be done is DONE.

‘All the results of the Falsehood had disappeared: Death was an illusion, Sickness was an illusion, Ignorance was an illusion – something that had no reality, no existence. Only Love and Love and Love and Love—immense, formidable, stupendous, carrying everything…’

When Nirata read this statement of the Mother, she became curious. She went to Nolini Kanta Gupta and requested him to explain what this experience actually was. Nolini Kanta Gupta answered: “You have read the book, The Mother. There are four aspects of the Mother mentioned in it: ‘Maheshwari’, ‘Mahakali’, ‘Mahalakshmi’ and ‘Mahasaraswati’. But this is a new aspect of the Mother that has dawned in the universe: the Mother of Love has manifested now. The possibility of transformation is concrete now because the Mother of Love has descended.”

In November 1967 Nirata wrote to the Mother in French: ‘Can you promise me you will keep me always with you.’ The Mother answered her in a small card (dated 20 November 1967) in which She wrote: ‘Nirata, my beloved child, whom I guide on the way towards the realization of the Divine. With love and blessings.’

On another occasion, Nirata wrote to the Mother: ‘It happens to me sometimes that I think of you and I call you a lot intensely but the heart is dry and even the aspiration does not seem to come up to the temple and the temple is also dark. So, I cannot do anything with personal effort. So you better do something for me.’ The Mother replied in French: ‘I am always with you and it goes without saying that I can always hear your call. Perhaps you call me too much with an active mental. You have to learn to call me inwardly, from the interior, from the height of the solar plexus without thinking. Try this and I will help you.’

At a certain phase in her life, certain unfavourable thoughts had begun to trouble Nirata. And she could do nothing to chase them away. When she went to the Mother, She asked her what was tormenting her. She replied: “Bad thoughts.” The Mother hugged her and caressed her for a long time. The Mother told her: “Nothing will happen. Have faith. Let nothing torment you.” She tucked a rose in Nirata’s sari and said: “Keep it as long as you want.” Then She asked: “Do you want a blessings packet?” “No, Mother”, Nirata replied, “You are in my heart.” “But you are in my heart!” was the Mother’s reply. It goes without saying that Nirata was completely cured with the Mother’s love and compassion. And it was also from the Mother that she had learnt that pain always resulted in progress.

Sometime in the 1960s, Nirata began to embroider and paint gowns for the Mother which She wore on special occasions. One of the gowns made by Nirata was worn by the Mother during a special Darshan which She had given on 29 December 1967. During Sri Aurobindo’s Birth Centenary in 1972, Nirata had made a gown on which she had painted blue lotuses to symbolize the Avatar.

Once, Nirata thought of making a gown for the Mother which She could wear during the winter. So she decided to make a gown made of embroidered pasmina (fine cashmere wool). But for this, she had to go to Chennai to buy the materials. She wrote to the Mother seeking Her permission. The Mother wrote back: ‘Only if you think it is indispensable and if you want to choose, then you can go.’ As Jayantilal Parekh, a senior Ashramite who was also a reputed painter and founder of Sri Aurobindo Ashram Archives and Research Department, was travelling to Chennai for some work, Nirata went with him and made the necessary purchases. On their way, Jayantilal told Nirata that the Mother had said to him before their departure: “Nirata is going for me [to Chennai]. Take good care of her and help her.” Needless to say, Nirata was moved to tears!

On the occasion of her birthday in June 1973, Nirata had made a gown on which she had painted the ‘Indian cork tree’ (also known as ‘Tree jasmine’) the spiritual name of which—as given by the Mother—is ‘Transformation’. The Mother wore this gown on 15 August 1973 which happened to be the very last Darshan She gave before Her physical withdrawal on 17 November 1973.

Not only Nirata and her siblings but their father Vire Raghavan too received the Mother’s love and affection in abundance. Once, when he had lost his job, Nirata had gone to the Mother to ask for Her blessings for him. The Mother said to her: “Tell your father that the Grace is always with him because he deserves it.” 

As a young girl, Nirata would often hear the elders of the Ashram community talking among themselves that that one ought to have a deep inner contact with the Mother in this very life, or else one would not know where he would end up in the next life and that there was no guarantee that unless one established the inner spiritual contact with Her, the psychic being may not be able to be ready to come back to earth with the Mother. Nirata’s outer life revealed nothing about her sadhana; it was only towards the end of her life when she began to disclose her spiritual experiences that her loved ones realized how rich her inner life was.

Nirata relinquished her designation as a group captain of the Department of Physical Education at quite an advanced age. But whenever her advice was sought she was always available. She continued to teach English to the young students of Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education as long as she was physically fit.

However Nirata’s health suffered a major setback in 2018 when she was in her eighty-third year. One day, while she was conversing with Dilip Mehtani, a Trustee of Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust, at her own residence, suddenly she became unresponsive. She was rushed to the Ashram Nursing Home where she was diagnosed as having had a cerebral stroke which had partially paralyzed the right side of her body. Although she survived the attack, she had to be confined to a wheel-chair; her speech also got affected and she could speak haltingly. She had to spend almost three years at Desiree, the home where senior members of the Ashram are looked after. However, as she was mentally alert, she was most unwilling to stay at Desiree and longed to return to her own residence. Eventually she was brought back to her house but had to be hospitalized at regular intervals owing to deteriorating health.

However, it was during this period that Nirata revealed two significant spiritual experiences that she had had. One day, while she was resting with her eyes closed, she had a dream-vision of the Mother. The Mother said: “Open your eyes.” When Nirata opened her eyes, she saw the Mother in front of her! So overwhelmed was she to see the Mother with her eyes open that she started to weep.

On another day, when her younger brother Ranganath came to visit her, Nirata told him: “I had a very interesting experience. Nothing seemed to matter at all what was happening in the world. I was absolutely calm and peaceful. And all the small problems had disappeared completely. I was at peace!” This was the experience of the Self! When asked how long did this experience last, she replied: “It continued for two hours.”

Gradually, Nirata’s health began to deteriorate further. The functioning of her brain and lungs got affected and she developed certain allergies owing to which she had to be hospitalized a couple of times. Finally, on 13 February 2024, at 11.17 p.m. Nirata’s soul left her ailing body. But she has left behind the inspiring tale of her life which would surely continue to inspire all those who love and adore Sri Aurobindo and the Mother.

_________

Nirata with her mother Shakuntala and brothers Ranganath and Srinivas.

Nirata with her father Vire Raghavan and brother Ranganath.

Nirata as a boxer.

Nirata as a teacher.

Nirata with her friend, Sumedha.

Nirata with Ranganath Raghavan a few days before her stroke in 2018.

Nirata with her brothers Ranganath and Srinivasa.

___________

About the Author: Born on 13th October 1984 to Jayanta and Sanghamitra Banerjee (eminent actress of Bengali cinema), Anurag Banerjee is a multiple award-winning poet, essayist, researcher, biographer and translator. A former faculty at NexGen Institute of Business and Technology, Kolkata and Sri Aurobindo Centre for Advanced Research (SACAR), Pondicherry, he established the Overman Foundation, one of India’s leading research institutes dedicated to the ideals of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, at the age of twenty-five in March 2010. He has lectured in several national symposiums and seminars organized by Sri Aurobindo Centre for Advanced Research, Sri Aurobindo Bhavan (Kolkata), National Council of Education and Jadavpur University and authored more than two hundred and fifty research papers which have been published in anthologies and journals of repute. He is a Trustee of Sri Aurobindo Sakti Centre Trust which runs the Sri Aurobindo Bal Mandir School at New Alipore, Kolkata, and editor of Srinvantu, one of the oldest bi-annual journals of West Bengal dedicated to an exposition of the teachings of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. In April 2011, he received the prestigious Nolini Kanta Gupta Smriti Puraskar awarded by ‘Srinvantu’ and Sri Aurobindo Bhavan, Kolkata. In December 2021 he received the Shiksha Bharati Award’ from the Indian Achievers’ Forum ‘in Recognition of Outstanding Professional Achievement & Contribution in Nation Building’. In 2024 he received the Golden Book Award (declared Asia’s most prestigious book award by the Business Standard newspaper) for his magnum opus, Sri Aurobindo and His Ashram in Contemporary Newspapers.