Sri Aurobindo Sakti Centre Trust

24th of November SIDDHI DIWAS, a significant day for all Sri Aurobindo devotees, the day of descent of the overmental consciousness into the physical, the day after which Sri Aurobindo withdrew to pursue his rigorous sadhana for the descent of the Supramental consciousness on earth and the Mother took charge of the running of the Ashram. The day was observed at Sri Aurobindo Sakti Centre with a talk in the evening by Dr. Saurabh Mukherjee, devotee of Sri Aurobindo, Lecturer of Philosophy, Sanskrit College, Kolkata, on the significance of Siddhi Day and its implications in our life when it comes to implementation of the ideas and ideals propagated by Sri Aurobindo and The Mother. The workers and devotees were present. On the day, every year, Sri Aurobindo Sakti Centre premises is decorated with lamps.

On the 9th November 2023, Sri Aurobindo Sakti Centre organised a programme at the first floor hall of its New Alipore premises, where eminent speaker on Sri Aurobindo and a senior teacher Shri Bhaskar Mukherjee delivered an enlightening talk on the topic – “Sri Aurobindo as a teacher in the present day perspective”. He mentioned about the very specific and successful role Sri Aurobindo played as a teacher though for a shorter period when compared with his roles as a freedom struggle leader and a spiritual thinker and sadhak. Shri Mukherjee in his detailed and attractive deliberation pointed out the uniqueness of Sri Aurobindo’s way of teaching from the accounts of the students and showed how the method he adopted during the end nineteenth century and early twentieth century years are still relevant even today. While discussing on the educational ideas of Sri Aurobindo, Shri Mukherjee revealed before the audience the parallels between those ideas and principles and the ones going to get adopted in the Policy of National Education by the Government of India. Shri Mukherjee concluded his talk with the mention of the uniqueness of Sri Aurobindo as Guru or the Spiritual teacher. The programme was attended by people most of whom belonged to the teaching community, attached to various schools and colleges.

Darshan Day commemorating The Mother’s permanent arrival in Pondicherry was observed with due reverence at Sri Aurobindo Sakti Centre on Monday, 24th April 2023, at the Centre Hall from 6 p.m. Shri Anurag Banerjee, Founder Chairman of Overman Foundation and a member of the Board of Trustees at Sri Aurobindo Sakti Centre, spoke on the occasion on the relevance of The Mother’s permanent coming to India and her subsequent work which may act as instances of guidance in our life.

On the occasion of Siddhi Day (24th November) in 2021, a two-day long exhibition of photographs on Sri Aurobindo’s stay in Pondicherry and the early years of Sri Aurobindo Ashram, was held at Sakti Centre. With about seventy graphic plates on display depicting the theme, the exhibition was inaugurated by Shri Biswajit Gangopadhyay, Trustee of Sri Aurobindo Bhavan Kolkata, also a Trustee at Sakti Centre New Alipore. Meditation was held at the Shrine. Like all years, the premises was decorated with lamps for the occasion.

On 5th November 2021 evening, Sri Aurobindo Sakti Centre hosted a gracious event by “Evening of Grace” titled “An evening with Scholars” , presentations and lectures by three internationally renowned erudite persons –

Dr. Probir Roy, eminent scientist, Tripose from Cambrige UK, Ph.D. from Stanford University USA, Post Doctoral Fellow from Cornell University USA, Senior Scientist at the CERN Project Geneva, former Professor of TIFR Mumbai and recipient of the S.S.Bhatnagar Award

Dr. R. P. Banerjee, Chairman and Director of EIILM, a renowned management institute of Kolkata, having vast experience in teaching B-school students over renowned institutions like IIM Kolkata, IISWB, University of Kolkata, IFIM Bangalore and others.

Dr. Soumitra Basu, eminent consultant psychiatrist working with the consciousness paradigm, having conducted workshops in Europe and the USA, editor of journal “Namah”.

The topic of discussion was “The concept of Infinity”.

Also, before the programme, a short commemoration session was held in memory of Shri Subhasis Kanjilal who passed away recently.

The programme was held keeping in mind and conforming to Covid-19 safety protocols.

Shri Manoj Das, a great sadhak, litterateur, story teller, teacher and above all, a perfect gentleman, passed away on 27^th April 2021 in Pondicherry. Memories of his affectionate association will be cherished by all associated with the Centre and the School. Born on 27 February 1934 in a remote coastal village of Odisha, Sri Manoj Das exhibited his literary qualities right from an young age. He was a revolutionary youth leader in his college days, General Secretary of the Students Federation.  After serving as a lecturer in English at Cuttack for four years, he, along with his wife, Pratijna Devi, joined the Sri Aurobindo Ashram at Pondicherry in 1963 which became their permanent abode. He was one of the most famous Indian writers writing in English and Odia received a number of awards among which are prestigious awards like the Sahitya Akademi Award, the Odisha Sahitya Akademi Award (twice), the Sarala Award, the Sahitya Bharati Award, Bharatiya Bhasha Parishad (Kolkata) Award, BAPASI (Booksellers and Publishers Association of South India) Award, the Atibadi Jagannath Das Samman, the Saraswati Samman, the Utkal Ratna and D.Litt. from Utkal and Ravenshaw Universites. He had led the Indian Writers’ delegation to China in 2000. The President of India decorated him with the Padma Shri Award in 2001 and then Padma Bhushan in 2019. He shall be recognized as a competent interpreter of India’s literary and spiritual heritage. (Picture of Sri Manoj Das and content courtesy : Overman Foundation, Kolkata)