Shraddhavan: In Memoriam by Anurag Banerjee

Whenever one stood in her presence, one could feel a spontaneous outpouring of reverence for her. Be it her smile, demeanour, way of speaking—such was her personality that even a few minutes spent in her august presence turned out to be not just memorable but unforgettable moments. There was not an iota of imperfection in her and whatever she did—be it her extraordinary twelve-volume series on Savitri entitled The English of Savitri or the Savitri Bhavan which, undoubtedly, is the second most important place to visit in Auroville after Matrimandir—the stamp of perfection prevailed everywhere. Such was Anne Margret Robinson alias Shraddhavan!

Anne was born on 4 June 1942 in England. Her father was a protestant pastor while her mother Winnie was a teacher. Anne had studied English language, literature and Library Science at the University of Bristol.

It is interesting to know how young Anne came to know of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. When she was in her twenty-sixth year and working in the Library Association located at the British Museum, one Sunday, in April 1969, she had casually dropped in at the residence of a friend in London where a talk was going on. As Anne had missed the beginning of the talk, she did not quite understand what the discourse was all about. But she listened attentively to the speaker who seemed to answer all the questions which she had about the future course of her life. When the talk ended after forty-five minutes, she rushed to the speaker and asked him who was he talking about. The reply that came from the lips of the speaker was: SRI AUROBINDO. And the speaker—Dick Batstone—was in charge of the Sri Aurobindo Centre of London and had visited Sri Aurobindo Ashram at Pondicherry in the 1950s.

The name of Sri Aurobindo touched a chord in young Anne’s heart. Although she had been reading books on philosophy and spirituality for the past several years, she had not come across the name of Sri Aurobindo. And she wondered: “How come somebody like that existed and I had not heard about him!” In those days, books authored by Sri Aurobindo were not easily available at the bookstores in London. Fortunately, Dick Batstone had quite a number of books and booklets like Bases of Yoga, Letters of Sri Aurobindo, A Practical Guide to Integral Yoga and Nolini Kanta Gupta’s The Yoga of Sri Aurobindo which he lent to Anne who read them on her way to the Library Association. While reading one of the letters included in Bases of Yoga, she realized the actual reason of her birth. It was a life-changing moment for her. That day, instead of returning home, she went to a friend and told him about her experience. The friend said: “If it is like that, then you must read The Synthesis of Yoga and make it your Bible.” The Synthesis of Yoga gave Anne not only the overall vision of Sri Aurobindo but also rendered to her ‘everything’ that she needed to lead the rest of her life. She would later remark that following the perusal of The Synthesis of Yoga, she did not feel the need to go anywhere else or to do anything different because she had only to live with what she had been given.

As no books of Sri Aurobindo were available in London, Anne contacted a gentleman who was the distributor of Sri Aurobindo’s books all over Europe and placed an order. When the parcel of books arrived, she found in it the first brochure on Auroville which had been established on 28 February 1968. Anne’s partner, who was not quite keen to stay in England, found the concept of Auroville interesting and told her with enthusiasm that Auroville was the place where they should go. On further enquiries, they were informed that to join Auroville, one had to fill up a form and affix his/her photograph on it which would be sent to a member of the Auroville Administrative Committee which, at that time, consisted of André Morisset (the Mother’s son), Roger Anger and Navajata. After the form along with a letter was posted to India, a reply came from Navajata who wrote that they had been accepted as Aurovilians but were asked to wait for some time as it was no use coming immediately. Anne wrote to Navajata: “Are you going to let us know when it is time or must we write again?” Navajata replied back: “We would let you know but you are also free to write if you wish.”

Meanwhile, Anne and a group of her friends had decided to form a commune in the countryside of England. Accordingly they shifted to the southern-west of Manchester where they spent a year in a three hundred year old cottage situated in a beautiful meadow. One day Anne received a postcard from a friend (who had sent it from London Airport) informing her: ‘Leaving for Auroville. Hope to see you there.’ Anne realized that it was time for her to leave for India as well. She left England and arrived at Pondicherry on 12 November 1970. She stayed at Park Guest House for a week and shifted to Auroville on 19 November.

Soon after she reached Pondicherry, Anne was taken to Roger Anger, the architect of Auroville. While perusing Anne’s application form, Roger observed that she had done some work with children despite the fact that she never wanted to become a teacher. To Anne he said: “Mother is pressing us to start a school in Auroville. You can do that.” As he was very sure that Anne could start a school in Auroville, he took her to the Mother—whom he used to meet every morning—on Friday, 19 November at nine o’clock in the morning. Anne had to wait at the staircase leading to the Mother’s second floor apartments for her turn to come. Prior to that, she was taken to the Flower Room situated in the premises of the Ashram main building where she was given a bouquet of flowers for the Mother. When her turn came and she went inside the Mother’s room, she found the Mother seated on a chair wearing a bluish green dress. Anne wanted to narrate to the Mother the story of her life but she was asked not to speak but to look into the eyes of the Mother and she would know everything that needed to be known. She knelt before the Mother and looked into the eyes of the Mother who looked back at her. From the Mother she received a beautiful creamy rose. Anne would admit later that she did not have any overwhelming experience at the time when she had met the Mother but when the Mother had looked at her, she felt extremely happy. When she realized that it was time for her to take leave, she touched the Mother’s feet and stood up. When she came out of the Mother’s apartments, she had completely forgotten about Auroville. Roger Anger came running after her and said: “Yes, Mother says it’s alright, you can go and work in the school.” Anne was then taken to meet André Morisset. On that very day she was taken to Auroville which she joined as its 54th resident and was provided accommodation at the place where presently the Perfume Factory exists.

When Anne had joined Auroville, the international township was still in its infancy. Life in Auroville was also quite frugal. There were two single rooms joined and a bathroom in between. In ease of these single rooms, three people stayed. There were some square huts, both big and small in size. The hut which was given to Anne had half-thatched roof which collapsed one day following a downpour. She was given accommodation in another hut which was the sewing room of another Aurovilian named Alice, so Anne was permitted to use it only at night to sleep.

On 24 November 1970, Anne had her second Darshan of the Mother when she appeared on the terrace of the Ashram main building. On that day, Anne had a special inner experience. After the Darshan, she and some other Aurovilians were being taken back to Auroville in a van. She did not know any of her co-passengers but she realized that all of them were closer to her than all those whom she had known in her life and that they were dearer and closer to her than her own family and relatives. And it was because of the Mother that they were all here, together.

Anne was under the impression that she would have to start a school in Auroville. But she was somewhat relieved when she found out that classes had already begun for children living in the ‘Aspiration’ community of Auroville. The school was getting organized and Norman Dowsett was given the charge of running it. The school—‘Entity Aspiration School’—was formally inaugurated on 16 December 1970 by André Morisset. Anne worked in this school until it was dissolved six years later in 1976. After that she continued to work with the children of Auroville, first, in the children’s community of ‘Ami’ where a group of ex-students of Aspiration School had gathered under the guidance of another Aurovilian named Janna, and afterwards she worked at ‘Certitude’ where Renate, a former teacher in Aspiration School, worked with many children living nearby. Anne took charge of this school when Renate returned to Germany. Afterwards, Anne and a few other Aurovilians were invited to join the Kindergarten which was established in the Centre Field by Diane Hassinger. She worked here till 1979 or 1980. In the mid-1980s, she was invited to assist another Aurovilian named Helga who was looking after the newly established Transition School. Here she worked for a few months.

Meanwhile, in June 1972, Anne received from the Mother the new name of ‘Shraddhavan’ which means ‘One who has faith in the higher being’. She was also a prolific writer who contributed short stories, poems, articles and book reviews to magazines such as Mother India, The Heritage and Collaboration to name a few. However, posterity would always remember her with gratitude for the pivotal role she had played in setting up Savitri Bhavan at Auroville.

Contrary to prevalent notions, Savitri Bhavan was not the brainchild of Shraddhavan. It was Suresh Dey, the erstwhile Secretary of Auroville Foundation who suggested—on 24 November 1994—that the Aurovilians should come together to study Sri Aurobindo’s epic poem, Savitri. Prior to that, the Aurovilians did study Savitri but the idea of studying it in a collective manner attracted many hearts. Shraddhavan and a few Aurovilians decided to take this idea forward and every Sunday morning, they would meet at the Laboratory of Evolution in Bharat Nivas to study Savitri. Thus the Savitri Study Circle took shape. One day, an Aurovilian named Narayan, who worked at the Matrimandir for several years, suggested to Shraddhavan—while both of them were on duty at the Matrimandir—that there ought to be a place in Auroville where all the materials related to Savitri should be housed. Shraddhavan found this idea delightful and shared it with the members of the Study Circle. It was further discussed with Suresh Dey and Roger Anger and both of them endorsed the concept. Eventually the name of Savitri Bhavan was suggested and a location was chosen in the International Zone of Auroville to house it. On 24 November 1995, Dr. Nirodbaran Talukdar—Sri Aurobindo’s attendant and scribe—laid the foundation stone for Savitri Bhavan in the presence of many members of Sri Aurobindo Ashram and Auroville. Subsequently, the weekly Study Circle would meet under the trees on the said location.

Exactly a year later, on 24 November 1996, the master plan and model for the Savitri Bhavan complex was presented by Helmut Schmid based on an inspired vision of Shraddhavan in which an environment was dreamt of in Auroville which would ‘breathe the atmosphere of Savitri’, ‘welcome Savitri lovers from every corner of the world’, become ‘an inspiring centre of Savitri studies’, house all kinds of materials and activities to enrich ‘one’s understanding and enjoyment of Savitri’ and finally, it would be ‘the abode of Savitri, the Truth that has come from the Sun.’

In May 1998, a fund-raising effort was organized by Dr. Beena Naik, an occasional visitor in Auroville from Navasari, Gujarat. She approached Hema Malini, the legendary film actress and accomplished classical dancer, with the request for a fund-raising concert. Hema Malini happily consented to perform. Her concert was quite successful and a sum of rupees six or seven lakhs was raised. With this money, the construction of Savitri Bhavan began. The first phase of the building was completed and formally inaugurated on 9 August 1999. This building functioned as a multi-purpose hall, an office, an archive-cum-storage area and also as the Reading Room where the Savitri Study Circle began to hold its sessions. Following a funding made by Sri Aurobindo International Institute of Educational Research (SAIIER), a large multipurpose hall with domed roof was constructed near the Reading Room and was formally inaugurated on 21 November 2004.

Meanwhile, it is important to note that the Savitri Bhavan project had enjoyed a supportive interest from Huta who had once told the Mother that Savitri must have her own home in response to which the Mother had remarked after a deep concentration: “It will be.” Huta had made 472 painting entitled ‘Meditations on Savitri’ under the guidance of the Mother from 1961 to 1966. Huta believed that Savitri Bhavan was the place where her priceless paintings could be housed and preserved so she gifted the entire set of her paintings to Savitri Bhavan on 11 June 2001. On 28 February 2008, a large bronze statue of Sri Aurobindo was inaugurated at the front of Savitri Bhavan complex. The statue was a gift from the Government of India to Auroville on the occasion of its fortieth anniversary. Gradually, an art gallery, a hostel and a large circular hall named ‘Sangam Hall’ having a capacity to house around two hundred people were added to the main structure of Savitri Bhavan. Needless to say, Shraddhavan was the heart and soul behind this entire venture. It was because of her tireless efforts that Savitri Bhavan went on to become a much loved and cherished place. Not many are aware of the fact that she had donated to Savitri Bhavan the sale proceeds of her share in her mother’s property in England. Yet, she preferred to call herself the Project Coordinator of Savitri Bhavan. Her role did not merely end in organizing talks of scholars and researchers at Savitri Bhavan or taking classes on Savitri, The Life Divine and Essays on the Gita or editing Invocation, the journal published by Savitri Bhavan since November 1998. She played a bigger and a much more significant role for she helped many an aspirant in his/her intellectual, emotional and spiritual growth like a loving friend. In fact, she has left behind a permanent mark in the hearts of innumerable individuals who met her.

Another notable contribution of Shraddhavan was the series The English of Savitri. Sometime in 1980, Shraddhavan had started to teach English through close readings of Savitri with a small group of people. These classes were later held at Savitri Bhavan in the mornings thrice a week and afterwards in the afternoon once a week. Several interested individuals including young Tamil teacher-trainees from the Arul Vazhi School participated in these classes which were given the name of ‘The English of Savitri’. In these classes Shraddhavan would explain Savitri sentence-by-sentence and present this epic-poem in such a way so that people with limited knowledge of English could understand it with ease. To quote her own words: ‘Each sentence is examined closely, and explanations are given about vocabulary, sentence-structure and imagery.’ The objective of these classes was to ‘assist people who wish to improve their understanding of Sri Aurobindo’s revelatory epic, to enter more deeply into its atmosphere and, as a side-effect, to improve their knowledge of the English language.’ Following the completion of these classes in May 2009 fresh classes began from 6 August of that very year. This new series of classes were filmed and recorded and their edited transcriptions were published in Invocation as many found these talks to be extremely helpful. Thus took birth the idea of compiling these transcripts and publish them in book form. And the first volume of The English of Savitri, covering the five Cantos of Book I of Savitri, was published in 2015. This entire series was completed in twelve volumes out of which ten were published during Shraddhavan’s lifetime, the eleventh volume was sent to the press a few weeks before her demise but by the time it was published, she had passed on to the Beyond. This series has also been translated into Gujarati by Kirit Thakkar of Vadodara and published in multiple volumes under the title of Savitri Shabdamrut.

The present author was first introduced to Shraddhavan on 22 August 2009 by late Dolly Mutsuddi, the youngest niece of Dr. Nirodbaran Talukdar, at her residence. It was her birthday and Shraddhavan had come to attend it. What had struck him the most about Shraddhavan was her radiant personality and a heavenly smile which always adorned her face. He was cordially invited by Shraddhavan to visit Savitri Bhavan. What started as a casual visit to Savitri Bhavan became such an engrossing experience that whenever the present author visited Auroville, he made it a point to drop in at Savitri Bhavan without fail. During one of such visits, Shraddhavan had personally led him to the Art Gallery where the paintings of Huta entitled ‘Meditations on Savitri’ was put up as a permanent exhibition and told him how these priceless paintings arrived at Savitri Bhavan. On another occasion, after a couple of years, she took me to a room where a gown used by the Mother and a bowl used by Sri Aurobindo—both offered to Savitri Bhavan—were on display. On 18 November 2012, Shraddhavan and Dr. Prema Nandakumar were honored with the ‘Auro-Ratna Award’ presented by Overman Foundation at Sri Aurobindo Centre for Advanced Research (SACAR) in the presence of Kittu Reddy, Dr. Ananda Reddy, Dr. Alok Pandey, Narad, Dr. Murali Sivaramakrishnan (artist, poet and former Head of the Department of English, Pondicherry University) and others. In December 2016, the present author had met Shraddhavan at the premises of Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education, Pondicherry, where she was presented with the ‘Sri Aurobindo Puraskar’ awarded by Sri Aurobindo Bhavan, Kolkata. When he congratulated her for this award, she replied with a smile that can melt a rock, “Thank you, but the process of recognition was initiated by you with the ‘Auro-Ratna Award’.” Meeting her was always a joy for she was one of those rare souls who had offered her everything to the Divine and lived only for the Divine.  

One Sunday morning, while on her way to the Sangam Hall in Savitri Bhavan, Shraddhavan fell down on the steps in front of Sri Aurobindo’s statue. This accidental fall—which led to a shoulder injury—slowed her down considerably and gradually ushered in a number of physical complications. She developed back-pains and her eyesight began to fail. During the Covid-19 pandemic (which broke out in March 2020), ‘a fast deterioration of her mental concentration’ was observed by a friend. By May 2022 an overall decline in her health was noticeable. Someone who met her at her residence in the first week of May 2022 felt strongly that Shraddhavan ‘was at a different level of consciousness and struggling to keep her contact with the physical world. Her words had different suggestions, distinct from their meaning, which I only half-understood.’ When further deterioration took place, she was shifted to Desiree Home at Pondicherry where senior members of Sri Aurobindo Ashram are treated. On 19 July 2022, her condition worsened and she left her body at 1 p.m. A few hours before she breathed her last, she gave an extraordinary smile. Dr. Alok Pandey, who attended upon her, recalls: ‘Her decision to leave was clearly a conscious one… Though visibly distressed she said she is fine and wanted to stay in the Ashram atmosphere rather than be shifted anywhere.’

But is Shraddhavan really dead? Can divine workers like her ever die! No, they live for ever and so would Shraddhavan through her The English of Savitri which has enabled many a soul to absorb the power of Sri Aurobindo’s thought and, of course, through Savitri Bhavan, the abode of Savitri.

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With Hema Malini, legendary film actress and classical dancer.
With Huta and Manohar
Shraddhavan with Dr. Karan Singh, Dr. Aster Patel, Roger Ange and Shyam Sundar Jhunjhunwala.
Dr. Prema Nandakumar and Shraddhavan
Shraddhavan, Dr. Prema Nandakumar and Prof. Kittu Reddy at SACAR on 18 November 2012.
Shraddhavan and Dr. Prema Nandakumar with Dr. Ananda Reddy.
Shraddhavan and Dr. Prema Nandakumar with Narad alias Richard Eggenberger.
Shraddhavan with Dr. Ananda Reddy.
(From left to right: Dr. Ananda Reddy, Shraddhavan, Anurag Banerjee, Dr. Prema Nandakumar and Narad)
(From left to right: Anurag Banerjee, Shraddhavan, Dr. Ananda Reddy, Helmut Schmid, Dr. Prema Nandakumar and Narad)
With Anurag Banerjee and Partha Sarathi Bose, Managing Trustee of Sri Aurobindo Sakti Centre Trust, New Alipore, Kolkata.

35 Replies to “Shraddhavan: In Memoriam by Anurag Banerjee

  1. Shraddhavan was a very special soul came from afar with a flaming vision and mission to establish the golden home and a shrine to install the living presence of ” Savitri ” She was kind and ever generous – During my visits to Savitri Bhavan she would always receive me with warm and affectionate hug -Attending her classes on Savitri was a beautiful experience -Once she confirmed my feelings that chanting Savitri verses tend to bring down higher supramental forces You have , Indeed, merged in Savitri that’s in the Divine Mother and Sri Aurobindo ‘s Supramental Consciousness –Surendra s Chouhan 69 ‘ SAICE

  2. Shraddhavan was a dedicated reader of Sri Aurobindo and left some significant clues for future researchers. The only problem was she didn’t like my intimacy with Sethna and disapproved of my booklength study of Sethna’s works. Maybe it wasn’t good enough. I didn’t publish it out of respect for her.

  3. Remembrance of Shraddhavan by Narad

    I would like to offer a very brief remembrance of one of the most special Aurovilians I have known, Shraddhavan. I am aware that much has been written of the construction of Savitri Bhavan which I consider the second most sacred place in Auroville after the Matrimandir.

    Shraddhavan and I were close in the way that children of the Mother are always close, in the unity of soul and the aspiration to live a life based on Sri Aurobindo’s Savitri. We spoke at times of passages in this greatest epic ever written and, of course, the longest written in English. Shraddhavan was masterful in her command of the language and her teaching bears this out.

    Personally we rarely met anywhere except in her office at Savitri Bhavan where she would often speak of the need of funds to continue her work, especially the Savitri Hostel. In the United States, Dakshina would sell my books and of the proceeds half the donation would always be sent for Shraddhavan’s work at Savitri Bhavan.

    Although there were always special events at Savitri Bhavan, Shraddhavan would always try to accommodate the OM Choir which I have always felt to be one of the Divine’s chosen places for the work of bringing down the new music which was Mother’s first adesh to me. Shraddhavan’s attention to detail was impeccable and she personally saw to all correspondences.

    Shraddhavan for me was one of the true Aurovilians sent by Mother to do Her work on earth and she did it in a calm humility that I shall remember all my days. I know she is still Mother’s true child and will continue to serve Her in all lives to come.

  4. Shraddhavan – A Very Dear Friend by Dr. Ananda Reddy

    No wonder the Mother gave the name “Shraddhavan” to Margret, who had come to join Aspiration School, Auroville. “Shraddha” comes from two Sanskrit words: shrat (shrad), which means “faith”, “will to believe” and “dha” which translates “to put or place; to direct one’s mind toward.” And indeed, Shraddhavan was given by the Mother the direction of her inner journey: to walk on the path of utter faith and trust in the Mother and Sri Aurobindo.

    We were together in the Aspiration School in the early ’70s as teachers. She taught English to the young children in such a way that the students loved her dearly. Most of the students, be it from the local villages or from abroad, had learnt to speak in English very fast, because the whole community spoke in English. But the real task was to teach them to love reading and writing the English language.

    After the initial years, we lost touch with each other because of a serious disruption that had uprooted the Aspiration School. In the political storm that had taken over the whole of Auroville, we were lost to each other and went on our own ways. Whatever the upheavals on the socio-political level, Shraddhavan stood rock-like in her faith in the Mother. It was a long period of isolation and suffering, but she did not sway in her faith and ultimately came through the storm stronger.

    We met again when Shraddhavan started the Savitri reading classes in the premises of the Savitri Bhavan. There was only a hut surrounded by “the green of the forest and the blue of the sky”! All of us, maybe ten to fifteen, sat on the ground and read loud and clear the magical verses of the epic. It was as if Nature around us too listened to the mantric verses, for she was all silent and solemn. It was an idyllic atmosphere reminding of the ancient Upanishadic rishis chanting the Vedas amid the tall Himalayan forests.

    As her inner faith increased in leaps and bounds, it manifested itself in the building of Savitri Bhavan. Soon its sacred existence came to be known all over the Sri Aurobindo and Auroville centres. People came to visit it as a part of their pilgrimage. Especially in recent years, it became the most sacred spot after the Matrimandir, partly because of the overwhelming statue of Sri Aurobindo that was installed at the entrance of the Savitri Bhavan on 21st February 2008.

    I had the privilege of giving classes at the Savitri Bhavan on The Life Divine, The Mother, Savitri, etc. for many years. Visitors to Auroville and the inmates were the regular enthusiastic participants. It was a special experience for me to give these classes because of the spiritual ambience of the place. I missed these classes during the pandemic and post-pandemic period.

    Shraddhavan had a clear vision for the growth and development of Savitri Bhavan. She had invited eminent speakers, like Nirodbaran, Prof Basu and Dr MV Nadkarni, to deliver the true message of Savitri. She kept to a high standard in her own regular classes on Savitri. She has firmly established not only the building but the vision of its future direction. It will always be the home for Sri Aurobindo studies at Auroville.

  5. The Ever Smiling by Dr. Alok Pandey

    Mystics speak of two types of souls. The first are ordinary souls that are seeking doors of escape from the difficulties and challenges of earthly life. The second type are rare heroic souls that come charged with a mission and a purpose to serve the Divine in the mysterious play. Their birth and works are part of the Divine’s occult arrangement. Shraddhavan surely belonged to the second type, the heroic souls that have chosen the hard conditions of the struggle so that God’s Light and Love and Beauty may increase in the world.

    This of course is an inner impression based on my limited interactions. But these interactions were based on the deeper ground of a common work for the Mother through Savitri. Her preoccupation with the Mother’s service was truly exemplary and inspiring. Her human qualities were no less. Kind and gentle, generous and smiling with a heart full of gratitude, Shraddhavan surely left an indelible mark on all who met her. Her smile spoke and conveyed so much. It is rare to see a smile with such beauty and grace. It was a clear sign that she had found her soul.

    I feel fortunate to have been able to attend upon her, however briefly during her last couple of months of this bodily life. It was enough to glimpse into her beautiful soul that extended far beyond her body. Her decision to leave was clearly a conscious one. A few hours before her departure she gave one of her extraordinary smiles. Though visibly distressed she said she is fine and wanted to stay in the Ashram atmosphere rather than be shifted anywhere. She needed a well deserved rest and surely she is resting well in Her lap of Light and Love preparing to return soon for Her Work. People like Shraddhavan never die. They simply move on to greater fields of work and live on forever.

  6. Shraddhavan – The Mother’s Mahasaraswati Aspect by Dhanalakshmi

    I came to join in Auroville in 2008, and from the month of April 2008 I started working at Savitri Bhavan one day a week on Wednesdays. When I was first introduced to Shraddhavan by Suriyagandhi, an Aurovilian, Shraddhavan simply said “I know Dhanalakshmi very well before itself”. It is true that I had visited several times to Savitri Bhavan while I was living near the Ashram from 2003 to the beginning of 2008.

    I was asked by Shraddhavan to assist her in the day-to-day administrative works of Savitri Bhavan. My Auroville journey started under the direct guidance of Shraddhavan. Assisting in all her day-to-day affairs I made a close association with Shraddhavan.
    Just observing how she manages all the multitude mode of tasks was itself an amazing experience. Replying to emails including queries on Sri Aurobindo’s epic Savitri, as Editor of the journal, organizing various exhibitions and events, publishing books, preparing speeches, taking care of administrative things and financial matters, welcoming donors and others and giving them time to share with them Savitri Bhavan’s activities and taking them around the building, all of that on top of giving classes on Savitri and The Life Divine. The list would be much longer if I narrated all her duties.

    When I joined Savitri Bhavan, I thought I was the more computer familiar person. But I felt ashamed when it so happened that I witnessed Shraddhavan at the computer and how she was using all the minute comforts that are given in the software to make a perfect Word document. She meticulously corrected every comma and semicolon and looked into every detail.

    Whenever she entered the Savitri Bhavan building with a smile she looked at each and everything, the dog that is lying at the entrance, the trees, the plants, and nothing escaped from her gaze.

    She assigned me the work of Editor for the Tamil journal Prarthana which comes twice a year from Savitri Bhavan. I had absolutely no experience as editor for a journal nor as a translator, but she gave me these two works and encouraged me with unwavering faith. She showed me how she collected articles and what are other things involved for an editor.

    She never failed to extend her help to anyone who sought from her. And again, I could say that she has helped many people both materially and inwardly.

    Shraddhavan’s wisdom on Sri Aurobindo’s epic poem Savitri is well-known to the Aurobindonian family around the globe. But I was quite amazed to see the in-depth knowledge she had of all the major works of Sri Aurobindo. She could instantaneously quote references from any of the books of our beloved Mother and The Master.

    In the sweet little book The Mother Sri Aurobindo says: “This Power is the strong, the tireless, the careful and efficient builder, organiser, administrator, technician, artisan and classifier of the worlds. When she takes up the transformation and new-building of the nature, her action is laborious and minute and often seems to our impatience slow and interminable, but it is persistent, integral and flawless. For the will in her works is scrupulous, unsleeping, indefatigable; leaning over us she notes and touches every little detail, finds out every minute defect, gap, twist or incompleteness, considers and weighs accurately all that has been done and all that remains still to be done hereafter. Nothing is too small or apparently trivial for her attention; nothing however impalpable or disguised or latent can escape her. Moulding and remoulding she labours each part till it has attained its true form, is put in its exact place in the whole and fulfils its precise purpose.” (p. 22)

    I could always see Shraddhavan as the Mahasaraswati aspect of the Mother.

    I could not accept the deterioration of her health during the beginning of this year, as in the past she was able to come out of any illness with her infallible will. And I still cannot accept her loss because she is there at Savitri Bhavan everywhere. I am grateful to The Mother and Sri Aurobindo to have me work with Shraddhavan for more than 15 years. It has been a long and meaningful part of my journey here in Auroville.

  7. My Memories of Shraddhavan by Manohar

    It was 2005, during my second year as a resident of Auroville, when I started attending the Sunday morning’s collective reading of Savitri at Savitri Bhavan, guided and inspired by Shraddhavan.

    This would become a weekly habit, and soon I found that these collective readings, and above all the wise and knowledgeable guidance by Shraddhavan, were offering me precious insights and inspirations from Sri Aurobindo’s great poem, a bridge between Indian spirituality and European culture.

    When Shraddhavan discovered my special attraction for the visual, or rather, the “visionary” side of the poem, expressed by the 472 paintings created by Huta under the guidance of Mother under the title “Meditations on Savitri”, together with a series of corresponding passages from Savitri, chosen by Mother, and read by Her and illustrated by Her and Huta, she asked me if I wanted to take care of a Power Point presentation of this collection of images.

    I suggested that “modern technology” would allow to make motion picture films instead of Power Point presentations, real movies with pictures in movement, voice and music, and offered to take care of this project. To my surprise, there was already a planning of “chapters” on which we started to work together, and that would lead, in the end, to the creation of 3 boxes containing 6 DVDs each, for a total of 18 DVDs, with an average duration of 40 minutes each.

    The first obstacle was the poor quality of the photographic reproduction of Huta’s paintings, made in low definition photo-slides in the sixties. Luckily, the originals of Huta’s paintings were available in Savitri Bhavan itself, so, together with Giorgio, a professional photographer also resident in Auroville, we could arrange some weekly photo sessions and finally get high resolution professional photos of each and every painting. Immense was my emotion in handling these paintings still charged with Mother’s energy, one by one, for positioning them under Giorgio’s photo-camera.

    The results were excellent, and finally I could start utilizing these digital images for creating my movies, always under the guidance and in strict collaboration with Shraddhavan, certainly among the best and most dedicated experts in this field.

    When the first DVD was ready we convinced Huta to come and view it in Auroville, in Savitri Bhavan itself. Her reaction was enthusiastic and she even said that “this is the final result that Mother would have liked for the “Meditations on Savitri” project.

    From that point a long collaboration started, which lasted months, even years, as this was not my main job in Auroville. At the same time I was taking care of the Auroville’s website, of some agricultural work in Adventure, the community where I was living at the time, and on documenting with photos and videos the various cultural events happening in a rapidly growing Auroville.

    The vicinity and friendship with Shraddhavan in this job helped me to understand more deeply the meanings and implications of the poem Savitri, and specially, working on images, an intuitive and more subtle connection which often, also during our Sunday morning readings, would lead me to inner visions inspired by the words we were reading.

    In those years, the progressive building of Savitri Bhavan was going on, and I was invited by Shraddhavan to document in photos and videos all the different construction steps, poojas, laying of first stones, inaugurations, together with documenting lectures, cultural, musical, dance, theatrical and social events that kept happening in Savitri Bhavan. All this video material is still available, both as DVDs that I donated to the Auroville Archives, and later on put on YouTube.

    The collaboration with Shraddhavan extended to other fields connected with Huta’s paintings. Working so closely with the paintings and photos, I noticed that deterioration was taking place. Very often I had to use Photoshop to correct black spots which, although almost invisible to the naked eye, would become visible and disturbing when an image of the painting would be projected on a big movie screen. Together we did a research, sent small samples of the paintings to an Italian expert working as Chief Conservator of Paintings for the Province of Liguria in Italy. She even came to Auroville, to Savitri Bhavan for a complete examination of the paintings, and gave instruction for better storage conditions, after they were cleaned, retouched and re-varnished by Huta herself.

    The organization of our work on the paintings involved a strict collaboration: for each chapter, as originally selected by The Mother, Shraddhavan would give me instructions and a basic guidance about the poem, which I didn’t know very deeply at the time. Then I would work on the videos, adapting a movement of the images in synchronicity with the length of the words and organ music by Mother. Frequent were the adjustments and corrections to be done, always with loving care and wisdom by Shraddhavan. When the final individual DVD would be ready, we would show it to Huta, and every time her way to appreciate and thank me for this work was with small presents. Sometimes these would be useful household utensils or books, but in one case, two small dishes which she told me had been used by Mother, and which I still keep in veneration as precious relics. The final approved DVD was offered in a special premiere vision in Savitri Bhavan, with interested public coming even from the Ashram in Pondy for the occasion.

    Huta was alive in time to view the complete finished DVD packages, before leaving her body and reaching Mother, without giving me the best present I had asked her for: to go and visit together the Inner Chamber of the Matrimandir, where she never wanted to go, in spite of the fact of having been the one who gave the first idea of it to Mother after a dream, and having been appointed by Mother as a caretaker of the Matrimandir itself, with a special accommodation nearby.

    After the work on the 18 DVDs was completed, there was other technical and graphic work which, again, was taken care of by Shraddhavan.Of course, this close working collaboration led to a friendship with Shraddhavan and Helmut, which included participating in each other’s birthdays, and other spiritual occasions.

    One Sunday morning, on her way to the Sangam Hall that was being used for the Savitri Study Circle, I saw Shraddhavan falling on the steps in front of Sri Aurobindo’s statue, and it was then that her health started to decay, first with back pains, later, during the Covid pandemic, with a fast deterioration of her mental concentration.

    Of course, it became more difficult for me to meet her, like before; occasionally we met during walks in the Matrimandir gardens. The last social occasion we met was on the occasion of her birthday in 2021, in her house, when there was a small gathering of friends. There I had the occasion to present her with a printed copy of a photo that she had appreciated so much – an image of the Sri Aurobindo statue at Savitri Bhavan, taken as a silhouette from the back against the sunset.

  8. My English of Savitri Journey with Shraddhavan by Rema

    During my newcomer period in Auroville in 2015, I expressed my interest to do some voluntary work at Savitri Bhavan, and sent an e-mail to Shraddhavan mentioning, among other things, that I have some experience in copy editing work. I was immediately called for a personal meeting with her and she assigned me the work of copy editing the English of Savitri series, of course on a trial basis. During our first meeting, Shraddhavan explained the objective of the classes as well as the book series: It is an attempt to bring this epic poem within the grasp of ordinary people who can only read and understand simple English. As she wrote for the covers of the books in the series, ‘Each sentence is examined closely, and explanations are given about vocabulary, sentence-structure and imagery’. Those who attended the classes of course had the additional advantage of listening to and reading the poem together. This is very important because each sentence has its own rhythm and when read with full concentration, pausing at the right places, the poem flows like a mantra and reading itself becomes a spiritual experience.

    At first I was assigned the work of copy editing the text of the talks for the Invocation journal. After the first few sections of the text Shraddhavan felt satisfied with my work and thus started my Savitri Journey. After she finished Volume 1, she started working on Volume 2 of the series, covering Book Three of Savitri rather than Book Two, and I helped with the copy editing. Shraddhavan had skipped Book Two because she did not intend to cover the full text of Savitri in this series. Volume 3 covered Book Seven, and Volume 4 was on Book Ten. Volume 5 covered just the first four cantos of Book Two, and at first she did not intend to cover the remaining cantos of Book Two. Volume 6 covered Books Eleven and Twelve, and ended with the words ‘The End’, which somehow had some finality to it.

    However, all of us who were involved in the publication of the series as well as the readers who eagerly awaited the publication of each volume encouraged her to take up the remaining cantos of Book Two and finally she relented. By then she started developing various health issues. Failing eyesight and a shoulder injury she sustained due to a fall that took a long time to heal had slowed down her work quite a bit. Savitri Bhavan Team members Kavitha and Dhanalakshmi became more involved in the project, helping Shraddhavan with reading and typing. She also needed help in keeping track of the files and e-mails too.

    Book Two was completed in another four volumes (7, 8, 9 and 10). With that the major part of the work was over. But for the sake of completeness we started on Volume 11 covering Books Four and Five of Savitri. This was completed and went to the press a few weeks before her passing. When the printed copies arrived she was not there to receive them. The final Volume 12 covering the remaining Books Six, Eight and Nine is presently being prepared based on the transcripts from her classes and is expected to be published in January.

    My involvement in the work increased with each completed volume. Though I had started with just the copy editing (checking spelling, grammar, punctuation, formatting, etc.) gradually Shraddhavan started involving me even in preparing the first draft from the transcripts. Of course, the first drafts would go through several revisions, and I cherished the opportunity to read and re-read each volume till it was ready for the press. I would check for any unfamiliar words that were left unexplained and point out the parts where further explanations were needed. Sometimes I would leave queries in the form of questions which she would answer patiently. Some of my questions (and their answers) have found their place in the published volumes.

    Receiving an autographed copy of the book every time a new volume came fresh from the press directly from her always brought tears into my eyes. She was always kind and generous with her words. In one volume she wrote: ‘To very dear Rema, without whose meticulous help this volume could not have been published satisfactorily.’ She always treated me with utmost love and kindness. I received a personal invitation from her to attend the award ceremony at the Ashram School Auditorium when the Sri Aurobindo Purashkar was conferred on her by Sri Aurobindo Bhavan, Kolkatta.

    Apart from all these external aspects, the change of inner atmosphere brought about in me by this work goes beyond words. I owe it all to you Shraddhavan. Please be with us and guide us, the Savitri Bhavan team, to complete the remaining volume of this series, work on which is now in progress.

    In February 1972 the Mother had remarked: ‘In fifty years the whole world, all the receptive section of humanity (I am not saying intellectual, I am saying receptive), all the receptive section of the world will be embraced—not “embraced”: ABSORBED in the power of Sri Aurobindo’s thought’.1 Shraddhavan has chosen to leave her body exactly in the fiftieth year after this prophecy was made. The door she has opened for the masses to be ‘ABSORBED in the power of Sri Aurobindo’s thought’ through the English of Savitri series will remain as her best service to the humanity. For anyone who is overawed by the language and content of the poem and hesitates to take the plunge, this series of books will be a real boon.

    During my last meeting with her at her residence in the first week of May 2022, I had a strong feeling that she was at a different level of consciousness and struggling to keep her contact with the physical world. Her words had different suggestions, distinct from their direct meaning, which I only half-understood.

    Thank you Shraddhavan for teaching many of us how to read Savitri and understand a little bit of it. May your onward journey be full of Peace and Light.

  9. Reminiscences of Sister Shraddhavan by Hemant Tewary

    Knowledge (Jnāna) is the very foundation of liberation (moksha), and Shraddha (unshakable faith) is the first condition and foremost basis to assimilate knowledge. Shraddhavan possessed and demonstrated during her entire life an “unshakable faith” in an “education” for the spiritual evolution of the Earth consciousness that is based on the knowledge that the Lord Sri Aurobindo and the Mother brought to mankind. That, I trust, is what the Mother foresaw in her and thus changed her name from “Margret” to “Shraddhavan”. The Gita says “Shraddhavan labhte Jnanam” meaning “The One who has faith attains to knowledge” (Sri Aurobindo). Shraddhavan was an outstanding living example of one who has faith that Auroville was gifted with!

    All those who had opportunity to have even a brief communication with her will find Shraddhavan a true child of the Mother, a child with bright, sparkling eyes, a soft and sweet voice, a gentle smile on her face irrespective of the host of intricate issues she had to tackle with, coupled with a staunch dedication to her work at Savitri Bhavan – such as the study circles and classes – was the personality of sister Shraddhavan.

    After nearly 25 years of my life in England and USA for higher education, scientific research and corporate financial management, when I moved from America and wished to settle in Auroville in January 2011, I thought I must contribute my work experience to the community. Somehow I was drawn to Savitri Bhavan and met her there for the first time. It was so touching to see her in her 70s when she said, “See, I am here doing the job of a cashier”. She wanted me to take up job of streamlining the financial accounting at Savitri Bhavan. Wow! I jumped up! Soon after, I was taken around by her and got introduced to other members of Savitri Bhavan. I immediately took up the job and streamlined the entire “financial accounting system” in about a month or two. This work continued by other members even after I left Auroville after about nine months to “have the flavour of life” of the Ashram in Pondicherry. This was actually a change of gear for my spiritual journey. There was a very special “instruction” for this movement which I realized later in life.

    Sister Shraddhavan was a model example to all of us. She was taking classes on Savitri and The Life Divine during those days. After lunch break in the afternoon, in spite of the scorching summer heat, she would be seen bent on her seat driving her “little moped” from her residence to the Savitri Bhavan. Whenever other members would have some difficulty or a kind of “disharmony” in our working, she would step in and gently sort our issues. She would always encourage us and listen patiently and give her opinion on various issues – whether literary or “house management”. It was really hard for me to depart from her then, but it was also the Mother’s instruction to proceed.

    The most remarkable reminiscence I have of her life is when I was listening to her during the inauguration of the Savitri Hostel in 2012. “When something has to be done, I don’t mind whatever it takes” she said, referring to the difficulty of managing the funds to construct the Savitri Hostel. Her inspiration towards building the Savitri Hostel was to enable those students who wished to engage in deep research on the literature of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. It was remarkably prophetic!! In fact, I foresee an outstanding contribution of Savitri Bhavan towards the education of mankind for spiritual evolution in the light of the Integral Yoga of Transformation.

    Shraddhavan is now not among us physically, but her spirit which started this project of “Education in Integral Yoga” at Savitri Bhavan will be with us to guide us on the right path. I believe she will again come back to Auroville in her new body. As the Mother said, “There is no death”. We are an eternal portion of the Supreme! “We are of one family and have worked through ages for the victory of the Divine and its manifestation upon earth.” (The Mother, 7 April, 1929, CWM 3: 3).

  10. I never met Shraddhavan personally, but was deeply influenced by her works on ‘Savitri’ and the little correspondence I had with her were an education to me.
    Sometime in 2019, I was asked by a college in Mumbai to conduct a series of classes on Savitri. It was to Shraddhavan that I turned for guidance to prepare myself for the task. Judging from the response I received from the students, it was a success.
    One of life’s blessings is to have connected with Shraddhavan, even if briefly. I count her as one of the revered Teachers in my journey through life.

  11. Number of times I had communication with her regarding SAVITRI & her own writings in INVOCATION was an exquisite artwork if not more.

  12. A great personal loss for me.
    She was a great help and guiding light during my research on Savitri. Over a decade long relationship ends today.
    May the Mother grant her the joy of traversing “greater dawn”.

  13. I had this opportunity by the grace of the Mother that I could meet her at Savitri Bhavan on the auspicious occasion of our Lord’s Birthday in 2021. By her kind permission I read full page of Savitri in her Savitri Study Class. She was also present at inaugural ceremony of ‘Flowers Show’. Remembering her with deep respect.

  14. Shraddhavan : A Homage from Himalayas.
    ———————–. ———————————————
    Some flowers never shed their fragrance,
    their sweetness lingers behind
    to touch and transform the morose
    and moribund visage of Life.
    She was one such bloom
    in the Garden of Grace.
    Shraddhavan, the faithful one,
    the thaumaturge
    the hierophant of Savitri,
    the lover of Light,
    an infallible guide and gateway to the majestic peaks of Savitri….
    When she was around,
    the Poem and The Poet seemed easy and
    accessible !
    This is how “the faithful ones” live,
    Before marching towards
    “the greater dawn”.

  15. I attended many sessions of Shradhavan on Savitri. Her work in Savitri was commendable, and of extreme significance to all Savitri lovers. Rest in Peace Shradhavan

  16. She taught me English…she was an angel who was always compassionate and caring; was so soft yet determined…a true Aurovilian!

  17. Respectful tribute to our dear Shraddhavan..
    I remember, before 30 years or so, once when we had just informed her about our visit to Auroville,
    she arranged very nice exhibition in open area where Savitri Bhavan was yet to be constructed.. and welcomed us with a great hospitality..!
    Always very graceful and loving yet composed and serious…
    Very focused on her mission…

  18. It has been my great fortune to work on Translating her The English of Savitri volumes into Gujarati. Quite enriching experience. She was symbol of magnanimity in all her dealings with all, particularly those who wish to learn from her about Savitri. Her Soul definitely continue to work for Mother and Sri Aurobindo.

  19. A Tribute – Shraddhavan leaves us … by Surendra Singh Chouhan (from Facebook)

    It was the feeling of sadness unspeakable when we heard the news of the passing away of Shraddhavan ” the name given to her by the Divine Mother – the one who is possessed of Faith -Shrddha -Truly , it was so – each moment of her earthly sojourn, she lived in the fullest possible the sense which her name signified.

    If Auroville and the Matrimandir are the dreams of the Divine Mother materialized, the creation and founding of ” Savitri Bhavan ” was entirely the mission and vision of ” Shraddhavan which came to be – it was years and years of tireless efforts on her part in marshalling all the possible sources and resources which had given finally the shape of ” Savitri Bhavan “as we see it today
    – It is a wonderful center of ” Light and delight ” which houses all the material , memorabilia and the countless other treasures related to ” Savitri ” – It is all absolutely extraordinary collection of priceless material.

    Shraddhavan was high priestess like the Rishika of our Vedas who encouraged and inspired countless devotees around the world to sip the honey wine of immortality in and through
    ” Savitri “- Week after week she would hold classes on ” Savitri ” which she named it as ” The English in Savitri “- it was not really the knowledge of English that she was imparting but the insightful understanding and appreciation of each verse of ” Savitri , so to speak –
    She was so kind.. So very welcoming and always gracious to her guests..
    – it was my good fortune to attend to her classes. I was wonderstruck by the felicity of her expressions , her measured tone while deliberating on each line with great circumspection – there was least interpretation of the marvelous lines of ” Savitri ” from her side – it was there only when it was necessary -It was so sweetly and powerfully impacting – She let ” Savitri ” speak for Itself –
    Her wonderful journal ” Invocation ” was devoted entirely to the eternal message of ” Savitri “-
    She had given me this privilege to communicate to her – she would always invariably responded to my queries with much affection –

    Once I wrote to her that I find ” Chanting the verses of ” Savitri ” highly beneficial – she replied that it was not only true but also greatly beneficial as this chanting if done properly tends to bring down the higher supramental forces –

    The life of Shraddhavan centered around ” Savitri ” and in ceaseless aspiration to spread in best possible manner its immortal message around the world – In this mission , she was eminently successful as countless devotees flock year after to visit the ” Savitri Bhavan ” the flaming abode –

    It is an oasis of all pervasive spiritual excellence and a place to recharge “our inner being ”
    These wonderful lines from ” Savitri ” describe perfectly “Shraddhavan – ”
    ” As a star moves uncompanioned in heaven , unastonished by the immensity of space – measuring infinity by its own light, the great are strongest when they stand alone.

    Salutations to the Divine Mother –
    Salutations to Lord Sri Aurobindo

  20. Beautifully written life story of Shraddavan, Anurag. I got to know her through email correspondence when she started to publish the Invocation magazine, she was always kind and helpful. Savitri Bhavan is a significant step in collective progress.

  21. Shraddhavan was an Auroville pioneer. Those years not even bicycles were available for all so every Sunday, around 2 pm, a group of ladies walked from Aspiration to the Matrimandir Nursery for Narad’s program. Walking was the normal way not just for the young adults, but for the students too; once, going through the canyons, they walked with Shraddhavan and other teachers up to Sri Ma (at that time called Far Beach).
    The pioneer imprint – solidarity, sharing – was always strong in her. I lived fourteen years in a hut in Anasuya, green belt; whenever the windmill did not turn, Shraddhavan would send from Grace a bullock cart with a barrel; if before Anasuya other communities had asked for help, sometimes this took days, but help always came, for free.
    Dedication and humility were her traits. When, with Aster Patel and Tineke, they chose to publish my book “Avatarhood – Human and Divine” to celebrate Sri Aurobindo’s Centenary Arrival to Pondy, Shraddhavan was so taken over that she did all the typing herself. Thrice I printed that book, every time enlarging it, lastly to celebrate Sri Aurobindo’s 150th Anniversary; this time it was me who did the typing and formatting, but she was present.
    The fiery-eyed picture of young Sri Aurobindo, at the end of Savitri Bhavan’s corridor, was part of an exhibition that those three ladies had approved, along with the book. The other two giant pictures I displayed were that taken by the police arresting Sri Aurobindo, and the god-like one by Cartier Bresson. But Shraddhavan’s favourite picture is the one with trespassing eyes and I was delighted by her request. Whenever I see it, I see her.
    Auroville is not an easy place. Savitri Bhavan did not exist yet, the ‘neutrals’ (she was one) had not been reintegrated. When I told Shraddhavan that I would quit Auroville and return to the Ashram she took my hands and, looking into my eyes, whispered “Don’t go…” I stayed.
    Sometimes I feel I just dreamed those people and those years. It was magnificent. But it was not a dream, it was real. The Avatar’s inner circle exists forever.

  22. She was a great Lady, new translation of some talks of the Mother, In mother india, and a series of twelve articles on Golconde, are incredible history and many more than I have yet to complete. Merci🙏 for the treat, Anurag.

  23. Mary, Satyavan and I were fellow aspirants around the same time but starting from Los Angeles and under the guidance of a center run by a wonderful woman who came to be named by Sri Aurobindo: “Jyotipriya”. Because in the 70’s Aurovilians numbered in the 200-300’s, we couldn’t help but know and love Shradavan. Although our trajectories took us out of Auroville in the late 70’s, we have returned and stayed connected through AVI and friends over the decades. On one visit to Auroville in the 90’s, we were invited to Shradavan and Helmut’s lovely home in Bliss for dinner and she was wearing that beautiful purple batik caftan pictured in this photo collection: (a photo I was glad to see used). I felt it was so expressive of her that I made her pose as seen here. Thanks for this lovely remembrance of this pioneer!

  24. Dear Mr Banerjee ,

    Subject: Concerns Regarding “Shraddhavan: In Memoriam” by Anurag Banerjee

    I would like to extend my thanks for your efforts in compiling the article “Shraddhavan: In Memoriam.” Your work in tracing the significant events of Shraddhavan’s life and her steadfast dedication is appreciated.

    However, I feel compelled to express certain serious concerns regarding the representation of Shraddhavan in your piece. As someone closely associated with her legacy, I believe it is my responsibility to address these issues.

    1. Misuse of her name: You consistently referred to Shraddhavan as “Anne” throughout the article. This is a significant oversight. While her birth name was Margret Anne Robinson, once she received the name “Shraddhavan” from the Mother, she unequivocally chose to be addressed solely by that name. To continue referring to her as “Anne” disregards her wishes and diminishes the significance of the name bestowed upon her. This repeated use of her former name is not just inappropriate but deeply disrespectful to her memory.

    2. Handling of her final days: Your portrayal of Shraddhavan’s final days, particularly the physical and mental decline she experienced, was presented with a level of intimacy that requires greater sensitivity and discernment. You quoted from various sources without any apparent consultation with those closest to her, notably her partner of 45 years, Helmut, or the executives of Savitri Bhavan. This omission is both troubling and unprofessional.
    When recounting deeply personal matters, especially those concerning her passing – it is not enough to simply compile snippets from different sources. There is a responsibility to ensure that the information is accurate, respectful, and, above all, considerate of the feelings of those who were intimately involved in her life and her care. In particular, the following passage raises concerns:
    “Her decision to leave was clearly a conscious one… Though visibly distressed she said she is fine and wanted to stay in the Ashram atmosphere.” Such sensitive information should never have been published without prior review and approval from the individuals closest to Shraddhavan. The handling of these intimate details feels careless and undermines the dignity of her last days.

    3. Oversight of consent and validation: It is evident that the article incorporates content from various other sources. While it is important to build a comprehensive narrative, it is equally essential to seek validation from the primary people involved in her life before publishing. Helmut, who was her companion for over four decades, should have been consulted. By failing to do so, the article lacks the necessary depth of understanding and respect for Shraddhavan’s personal journey, especially during her final phase. In conclusion, while I acknowledge the exposure your article has brought to Shraddhavan’s life and work, I strongly urge you to reconsider the handling of such personal narratives in the future. The importance of respecting the memory of a person, especially someone of Shraddhavan’s stature, cannot be overstated. Care, precision, and above all, respect are paramount when representing the life of a deeply spiritual individual.

    Yours sincerely,
    Kavithanjali (From the Home of Shraddhavan )

    1. Dear Kavithanjali-ji,

      Please note that I have not addressed “Shraddhavan-ji” (as I used to address her) as Anne “throughout the article” as pointed by you. I have done so till the year 1972 when she had received the name of Shraddhavan from the Mother. After this said period, she had been addressed as Shraddhavan only.

      Coming to the account of her last days, the details have been taken from the 54th issue of “Invocation” which was dedicated to her memory and published in November 2022. All the information including the passage (which has disturbed you) which actually are the words of Dr. Alok Pandey, are also from this special issue. Since this particular issue was published by Savitri Bhavan, I believe, all these details were properly reviewed and then approved by the concerned authorities of Savitri Bhavan. Please note that I have not added anything of my own. I repeat, whatever has been published in the November 2022 issue of “Invocation” has been incorporated by me in my tribute to Shraddhavan-ji.

      I hope I have clarified all the points.

      With warm regards,
      Anurag Banerjee

  25. I had a spiritual experience while attending Sharddhavan’s funeral in Auroville.

    First, with eyes closed, I tried to recall my brief interactions and several reminiscences of Shraddhavan over the years but soon I decided to concentrate on the audio recording of her voice reading from Savitri which was being relayed at the funeral site. Within a few minutes, I found myself in different rarified realms of consciousness above the mind. In a well-known talk on Savitri with a close disciple Mona Sarkar, the Mother said, “To read Savitri is to practice yoga.” After yesterday’s experience, I can now confidently change the word “read” to “listen” and say, “To listen to Shraddhavan reading from Savitri is to practice yoga.”

    I would like to suggest to the readers of this blog to consider integrating in their practice – probably before going to sleep – listening to Shraddhavan reading from Savitri. It goes without saying that besides Shraddhvan several other recordings in the voice of other disciples such as Nolini Kanta Gupta, Udar, Nirodbaran and even in the Mother’s voice are available. I can imagine that in the future there can be an international club of people who have developed a common hobby of listening to readings from Savitri by the Mother and by the students of Savitri and all sharing the spiritual and mental benefit and joy they derive from it.

    Second suggestion or an appeal I would like to make is to the funeral group – that each funeral in Auroville should be accompanied with such audios relaying Shraddhavan or other disciple’s readings from Savitri. I have attended so many funerals in Auroville but mostly they become either emotional outpourings or silent meditation which is not easy. With the relaying of recorded voice readings from Savitri, our mediation turns into powerful concentration. We get uplifted into a silent zone and inner levels of consciousness.

    Imagine all funerals in Auroville becoming a profound spiritual experience to attendees because of the readings from the supreme revelation of Sri Aurobindo’s “prophetic vision, including the announcement of the “earth’s future”. Savitri, as we know, is not just a literary creation but a record of Sri Aurobindo’s spiritual and mystical experiences and explorations. It has a power to communicate something of those mystical and spiritual levels. Even if the external nature takes over after some time, the inner touch does not get lost. Inner being gets stronger with each repetition of experiences.”

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