NANDHIVARMAN OPINES

Serial 2

 
Is the book on Aurobindo banned in India, if so why?

The Government of Orissa, Home [Special Department] by Notification No: 1612/ C dated 9.04.2009 had banned a book.

“ Whereas on careful consideration of materials place on record, it appears to the State Government that the  book titled as The Lives of Sri Aurobindo, written by  Mr.Peter Heehs and published by Columbia University Press, New York, USA contain objectionable matters depicting distorted facts about the life and character of Aurobindo. And whereas the State Government on the following ground is of the opinion that the said book contains matters which are deliberately and maliciously intended to insult religious beliefs of millions who idolize Aurobindo as a national hero and incarnation of Almighty and which promotes communal disaffection affecting public peace and tranquility, the publication of which is punishable under sections 295A and 153 A of Indian Penal Code, 1860 [45 of 1860] namely:

A] the book depicts wrong and distorted facts on the life and character of Aurobindo which is clearly blasphemous

B] the book contains absurd, irrelevant and self made stories which do not have any scriptural support and had caused widespread indignation amongst the devotees

C] the writings portrayed in the book have seriously hurt the sentiments of the apostles of Aurobindo and the said book with deliberate and malicious intention has insulted the religious beliefs of millions.

D} the said book, inter alia narrates at page 245 that “But those familiar with the literature of psychiatry and clinical psychiatry may be struck by the similarity between Aurobindo’s powers and experiences and the symptoms of schizophrenia”

E] it is mentioned at page 399 that “early in the afternoon the mother rejoined him, and they walked together to a small room where they sat together in a sofa, the Mother on Aurobindo’s right. Here they remained in for the next few hours as ashramites and visitors more than 3000 by the end of 1940 s passed before them one by one. There is no suggestion of a vulgar jostle anywhere in the moving procession, a visitor noted. The mystic sits bare bodied except for a part of dhothi thrown around his shoulders. A kindly light plays in his eyes. Aurobindo looked directly at each person for a moment. The moving visitor is conscious of a particular contact with these eyes as he bends down to do his obeisance. They leave upon him a mysterious feel that baffles description. The contact almost physical, instills a faint sense of a fragrance into his heart and he has a perception of a glow akin to that spreading in every fibre of his being. 147 most visitors had similarly positive experiences. But some, particularly those from the West were distracted by the theatricality of the setting and religiosity of the pageantry.

Now therefore in exercise of the powers conferred by sub section 1 of section 95 of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1973 [2 of 1974] the State Government do hereby declare that every copy of the book titled The Lives of Sri Aurobindo written by Peter Heehs and published by Columbia University Press, New York, USA, its copies, reprints, translations or other documents contains extracts taken there from be forfeited by the Government.

By order of Government: A.P.Padhi Principal Secretary to Government.

► How did Auroville foreigners react to the ban on a book by fellow foreigners?

 They have a separate web site: www.iyfundamentalism.info

 There they condemn the: Fundamentalism in the Sri Aurobindo Ashram

We, the writers on this site, are concerned about recent actions by a vocal minority among the followers or devotees of Sri Aurobindo, and reactions by impressionable masses inside and outside the Sri Aurobindo Ashram. There are signs of attempts to turn the Integral Yoga of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother into a religion with some of the characteristics of fundamentalism.

The word “fundamentalism” is often misused. Coined around 1920 to refer to certain sects of Protestant Christians in the United States, it now is applied to Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and members of other religious groups that claim to be the exclusive repositories of truth. But as the word “fundamentalism” began to be used more broadly, its meaning became vague. To avoid misuse, we will clarify what we mean by “fundamentalism” and show why certain persons inside and outside the Ashram might be called “fundamentalists

► How do the Ashram devotees counter this defence by Auroville foreigners club?

They have created a web site to counter the propaganda:

www.thelivesofaurobindo.com

Mr.Shraddhalu Ranade in his open letter to Auroville and Centers dated 1 st May 2009 had lashed at the foreigners especially David Hutchinson, Rich Carlson and their Indian associate Debashish Banerjee. He refers to the circular Integral Yoga Fundamentalism signed by these three dated 16 th April 2009 to which Mr.Shraddhalu Ranade issues rejoinder on 1 st May 2009.

In his rejoinder Mr.Shraddhalu Ranade states “More seriously these factual distortions are intended to lead readers to conclusions which seriously damage the reputation and integrity of Aurobindo and his message. Some of the damaging conclusions promoted by The Lives include:

●that Sri Aurobindo was a frequent liar, and among other things, that he lied about his supramental experiences.

●that he was sexually desperate and frustrated

● that his spiritual experiences are questionable and ultimately irrelevant

● that he had a streak of inherited madness

●that there was nothing new in his writings, and what little is new is a] unacceptable or b] outdated or c] incorrect

● that his poetry is expressive of sexual frustration and its style outdated

● that his relationship with Mother was of romantic nature

So goes on Mr.Shraddhalu Ranade in his charge sheet against the book written by Mr.Peters Heehs of Aurobindo Ashram Archives.

► Is the Trust divided on Peter Heehs issue?

Here also in nutshell Mr.Shraddhalu Ranade had placed the status report.

Manoj Das Gupta, Managing Trustee of SAAT by letter dated 5 th October 2008 writes:  “Heehs was so obsessed with the antihagiography idea that in order to prove his credentials to be an objective biographer, he has at several places crossed limits of simple decency

Dilip Dutta Trustee SAAT by letter dated 11 th November 2008 writes: “we had talked to the author and informed him about our displeasure regarding certain aspects of the book and had taken adequately the necessary disciplinary steps.

This seems to be the SAAT stand, whereas Auroville foreigners are up in arms against the devotees.

Both sides are washing dirty linen in public. If journalists and scholars of this land go through their exchanges they can dig many facts hitherto unheard in academic world.

                                                                                                            To continue…

N.Nandhivarman General Secretary Dravida Peravai