SACAR OF TODAY AND TOMORROW:
INSIDER VIEWS AND VISION
Interviews conducted and compiled by Beloo Mehra
For the ‘second leap’ birthday of SACAR, we decided to speak with most of the people working at SACAR to get an insider’s view of what they understand to be the role and work of SACAR, their work at SACAR, their hopes, prayers and vision for the future of SACAR. We also spoke with a couple of learners at SACAR to get some of their perspectives and thoughts. We present here a summary of what we heard in their voices and what we felt in their words.
Larry Seidlitz
Founding member and Vice-president of Student Affairs for Sri Aurobindo Darshan: The University of TomorrowTUT, Dr. Seidlitz facilitates many online courses on Integral Yoga Psychology.
Larry happily recalls that it was by coincidence that he had attended the inauguration function of SACAR on February 29th, 2000, during his first visit to Pondicherry. He knew Dr. Ananda Reddy at that time and had met him before in the USA. Little did he know then that he would be back here in 2004 not only to live in Pondicherry but also to work at SACAR. On February 29th, 2008, the Golden Day, as SACAR celebrates its birthday, Larry wishes the very best for its future and is happy to be a part of this growing institution.
Larry moved to Pondicherry in March 2004 to work primarily on the development of SACAR’s online educational wing, TUT. For the first year he also lived at SACAR premises.
He says that overall his experience at SACAR has been very fulfilling both in terms of his work and also watching the institution grow over time. Larry is particularly happy to see TUT grow and attract enthusiastic and serious learners. Referring to the growth of SACAR community, he adds that it feels good to be part of a collective where a small number of sadhaks are working together in quite a productive way. He is also satisfied with the way the physical premises of SACAR have been developed and re-organised over the last few years, and looks forward to a new chapter in SACAR’s work with the completion of the new Scholars’ Home.
Larry has enjoyed working with Dr. Ananda Reddy, and adds that the collaboration has been smooth and productive. He values Ananda’s trusting attitude and the freedom given to people at SACAR in allowing them to pursue and develop their work in their own ways. Personally, he finds such freedom very helpful and conducive to his work at TUT.
Larry strongly feels the Presence of the Mother behind the whole operation at SACAR and TUT, and adds that it is She who is guiding and seeing to the continued growth and development of the work being pursued here. He remembers particular instances when it was very clear that Her Grace had indeed kept things going in the positive direction.
When asked about his vision and dream for the future of SACAR and TUT, in a philosophical mood Larry says that he is witnessing a process unfolding under Mother’s guidance and Ananda’s inspiration. And his role is to focus more on the present work as things take shape, to make sure the work and the institution go forward in a smooth manner. He certainly hopes that the future brings more learners and course facilitators at TUT. And with the opening of the Scholars’ Home at SACAR, Larry envisions SACAR organising a larger number of on-site educational programmes of varying duration. He hopes that with an on-campus residential facility, more learners at the Master’s and Doctoral levels will find it attractive to come to SACAR for extended periods of live-and-study in Pondicherry and become part of the collective work life at SACAR.
As a member of the curriculum committee at TUT, Larry doesn’t see any significant change in the course offerings in the near future, but adds that there will be some potential addition of new courses in some areas as a result of the expertise brought in by new facilitators who may join the university. Recently, some interest has been expressed in the areas of Integral Approaches to Management and Business, and Larry hopes that this might be an area in which TUT would add some courses and invite facilitators to guide learners in their study. He adds that as a result of SACAR’s ongoing efforts to collaborate with other Indian and foreign universities, particularly the impending affiliation with the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, some modified tracks within TUT Doctoral and Master’s programmes may also be available.
When asked about any challenges that the institution may face in the near future, Larry points to something very critical. He says that it will be increasingly important for SACAR and TUT to keep their research and teaching focused on the thought and vision of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother and not be tempted to cater to a wider audience that may be interested in a wide variety of topics. This is so because, as Larry adds, SACAR may feel some pressure put by the changing times to diversify its programme and course offerings in order to grow more, but it is important that SACAR stays true to its spirit and the work being pursued here stays centrally focused on the thought and vision of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. However, some broadening of the present course offerings by incorporating more comparative perspectives may be important to do in the future.
Larry adds that for improved future planning and better growth of the institution it might be good to have the management and administration of TUT be broadened and decentralized a little bit more. This will encourage more input and feedback on important matters concerning the future of TUT. Larry also hopes that in the near future more time and effort are put on further development and organisation of the SACAR library and the record-keeping system of learners and their academic progress.
Larry’s dream for the future of SACAR also includes more integration of SACAR’s programme offerings with both the Ashram and Auroville. He adds that TUT presently offers its courses free to members of the Ashram, and hopes that in the future more people from Ashram and Auroville participate in the programmes offered by SACAR and TUT, both as learners as well as course facilitators. Recently there have been some discussions and collaborations between TUT and a new initiative in Auroville to develop a university, and he hopes that new programmes useful to both institutions may emerge from these discussions.
Deepshikha Reddy
General Administration, Transcription, Value Education, & Cultural Programmes.
SACAR has been entirely a vision given to Ananda, Deepshikha says. As his wife, she adds, her role has been that of an active collaborator in the building and development of SACAR. But at the same time, her participation in SACAR also involves working actively in several areas — organising and managing a team of individuals who transcribe the large number of recordings of Ananda’s talks and lectures, managing and teaching in the Value Education programme for school teachers and students, organising cultural programmes at seminars and conferences, and various other responsibilities related to general administration and upkeep of the facilities.
As Deepshikha recalls the beginnings of SACAR, she admits that initially when Ananda shared with her his dream about starting an academic centre she was hesitant in pursuing this idea for various reasons, finances being the foremost among them. After sometime when she saw Ananda persistently pursuing the dream, she went to Pranab-da who convinced her of the truth in his vision and to join him in the work required for manifesting the dream. She says that throughout this long and ongoing journey of building and development of SACAR, she has witnessed so many miracles that she is now certain that all along this has been the Mother’s Will to see this institution come up and grow. “This project was directly given by the Mother, and now I believe it,” Deepshikha adds. She says that it has been only because of Mother’s Grace and Blessings that all the physical requirements for SACAR including the land and money have been arranged, and even now whenever there has been any need for the institution, things have organised themselves in a way so that the development may continue. This she feels is a big sign that the Mother Herself is looking after the institution and this whole project. “Ananda was lucky to be given this vision [of SACAR] through a direct contact with the Mother, and the Mother is now looking after the manifestation of that vision,” she adds.
Deepshikha says that through this entire journey of the development of SACAR, she has been taught a most important lesson about developing a greater faith in the Mother. She feels that perhaps she hardly knew the meaning of true surrender to the Mother but her experiences during the journey of SACAR’s development helped her to “see how it was She who built it” and “how surrender and faith can help” remove any doubts one may have. She continues to elaborate about her “own inner progress in sadhana through SACAR” in these words: “Mother showed me Her Grace so many times that I was able to see Her hands literally pulling me out of ignorance and mistrust. She took me through such vistas where I came to know myself much more honestly and made me see my ego and distrust … .I grew a lot through SACAR, through my work and projects here … Buildings, institutions are not important, growth through work is important. True involvement in work, sincerity — all of this I have learnt through SACAR. I feel my contact with the Mother has grown tenfold.”
SACAR, for Deepshikha is “literally Hers.” She feels that as a result of the inner growth she has experienced in this journey, and “now that those numerous tunnels of doubt are over” she has come to a point where she is now “ready to give all of myself, my possessions” to SACAR because she is convinced this is the place for the future. She adds, “Nirod-da very often used to say that there is a future need for a place like this, because there is almost no other similar place in the world for teaching and research on Sri Aurobindo’s philosophy and vision.” She clarifies that there are many scholars and teachers in the Ashram and elsewhere but they do not have the required time to guide students from outside Ashram over a sufficient period of time, whether it is to complete a thesis or individual studies in Sri Aurobindo either for a degree or for their own pursuit of knowledge.
Deepshikha feels that her work related to transcribing of Ananda’s talks is her contribution as his wife to help Ananda in sharing with others what he has been blessed with, namely, a deep and detailed understanding of and insight into the works of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. She says that Ananda has had many of his queries concerning Sri Aurobindo’s works and vision answered by the Mother through letters, and it is through those letters that she had come to know about his line of work given by the Mother. “It is like She had told me to take up teaching the children right when I graduated. I didn’t have to think of any other line of work at all … If that [teaching of Sri Aurobindo’s vision] is his swadharma, then as his wife I must help him to express it.” She has been doing the transcribing work right from the beginning of SACAR and has been keeping extensive records of all of Ananda’s talks, as much as possible. Now she also organises and manages a small team of individuals who share the transcription work. By doing this important work, Deepshikha says, SACAR is making a “valuable contribution by making the major works of Sri Aurobindo available and accessible for people, by making them easy to understand by future generations.” She says that her goal is to get as many of these transcriptions available in computer-ready text versions even if at present it may not be possible to convert them into well-edited books.
SACAR started the in-service teacher education programme on Value Education in 2002, sponsored by the Ministry of Human Resource Development in New Delhi. Deepshikha has been looking after this programme right from the start. Every year, about 300 teachers and about 300–600 students from local schools in Pondicherry and nearby areas are given orientation to the ideals and aims of true Integral Education. She organises lectures, discussions and symposium as part of this programme. So far hundreds of teachers and thousands of students have taken part in this programme, Deepshikha says. “I am a teacher, really, and this is what I really enjoy doing. So this programme is very important for me,” she adds.
Deepshikha feels that SACAR may never be a place “that is very popular, much advertised, no crowds may come here.” She explains that this view is because of her perception and observation over the years. “Very few people read Sri Aurobindo, even among Aurobindonians,” she says. She adds that this perhaps needs to change because in her own view “devotion can’t become integral if we don’t integrate it with knowledge.” She continues, “It is deeply connected. Working for the Divine and devotion for the Mother are imperative, but it is equally important to know what is truly this Karma-yoga even when you are working for the Divine. Knowledge helps cultivate the true spirit in Karma-yoga, because otherwise very often we end up listening to the dictates of our own ego and the lower vital.” But she knows that “Reading can’t be forced upon people” so there is always going to be a very small number of people who are really interested in a serious study of the works and vision of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. Deepshikha, however, sees hope in the fact that since SACAR is an academic centre pursuing the project of ‘TUT,’ given by the Mother, those “who are seriously interested in studying Sri Aurobindo will surely come.” SACAR is a “creation for the future, definitely there is a permanent place in the world for such an institution.” She hopes that the courses offered by SACAR and TUT will continue to reflect practical application of Integral Yoga which would facilitate learners’ sadhana. “I would like to see more seminars of such practical value, for example, on The Synthesis of Yoga, application of Yoga into life is the most important thing, I feel,” she adds.
As a singer and painter, and the person in-charge of organising cultural programmes at SACAR, Deepshikha would like to see more of cultural events at SACAR premises. “Dance, music, arts are all important ways for expression of Truth, so we must have more of these here. This will make us more integral in our approach, I feel,” she says. As the campus premises are being re-organised and the garden area will soon be renovated, she feels there will be more space and possibility for organising such cultural gatherings.
Deepshikha would also like to see SACAR getting involved in some new activities such as teaching of Yogasanas and spoken Sanskrit. “Our role in this movement of making Sanskrit a spoken language for future” will be another important contribution of SACAR, according to Deepshikha. She would also like to see SACAR organising seminars on topics related to health and healing.
Another dream of Deepshikha is that “some day SACAR would become a place where people work only for the Mother.” She dreams of the day when SACAR will have enough financial resources to fulfil the desires and ambitions of all who work there, but that this group of dedicated workers will not have to work for salary. “I don’t want anyone of us to work for money, but the Mother will give enough for all of us,” she adds. She is cognisant of the financial constraints of SACAR and those who work here, and therefore is mindful and honest in admitting that even though she is working for the Mother, she is not hesitant in asking Her for help with resources because “who else I can ask … .And whatever She gives, I accept for SACAR and for all of us who work here.”
Sivakumar
Coordinator, Distance Learning Centre, Sivakumar facilitates online courses on socio-political thought of Sri Aurobindo for TUT.
Sivakumar has been working at SACAR since April 2007. With academic background in the disciplines of Literature and Social Philosophy, and professional experience in the field of Information Technology, Sivakumar had been reading the works of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother for last five years or so before he learned about SACAR through the Internet. He was also practicing some of the teachings of Integral Yoga and was gradually coming to a realisation that he wanted to pursue full-time work that would keep him connected with Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. Upon learning more about the various activities being undertaken at SACAR, he met with Ananda Reddy, Larry Seidlitz and Deepshikha Reddy. “It felt like a family, so I decided to join here,” Sivakumar says. Currently he is the coordinator for the Distance Learning Centre of SACAR, which looks after the correspondence courses in Sri Aurobindo Studies. He also facilitates online courses for TUT in the area of socio-political thought of Sri Aurobindo.
“This has been very fulfilling work,” Sivakumar says about his experience at SACAR. He adds that he has worked at various other organisations and academic institutions but he couldn’t find such a deep personal connection at any of those places even though the experience was good. At SACAR, he feels he is “answering a call.”
Sivakumar hopes to see SACAR becoming a key part of a network of learning institutions in Pondicherry as well as outside — both in India and abroad. In such a learning community SACAR would provide the focus and expertise on the thought and vision of Sri Aurobindo, while other institutions could bring in their expertise in other areas and thoughts. He explains that such collaboration with different organisations and institutions would allow SACAR to widen its programme offerings by incorporating more courses and seminars that emphasise the application of Sri Aurobindo’s thought in areas such as business, politics, and sports. “Nowadays you hear more and more about Values in Business and things like that, what does Aurobindonian thought say about that? These types of questions can form the basis of such programmes,” he explains. Sivakumar further clarifies, it is important that while doing this the focus and approach of SACAR’s work should still remain academic and “not become prescriptive in any way.” But he emphasises that more application-based courses could bring additional strength to SACAR’s current offerings.
Sivakumar sees some of this networking happening already as SACAR collaborates and partners with institutions such as University of Human Unity in Auroville and Indian Psychology Institute in Pondicherry. Additionally, SACAR’s partnerships with a couple of universities in the US and its impending affiliation with a university in India are already some indications that the future may see more of such networking with SACAR, and SACAR becoming a key centre for the study and research in Sri Aurobindo’s works, according to him. He adds that focused short-term and long-term plannings are needed to pursue this work of creating and maintaining well-established networks and partnerships in the future. Sivakumar is very happy to be a part of SACAR family and would like to see the place grow and expand in future.
Satya
Administration & Information Technology.
When asked what brought Satya to SACAR, his reply is spiritually simple — “Her [Mother’s] love for me at SACAR.” Satya clarifies that he feels that there is something special about the vibration of this place called SACAR and he has felt a stronger love of the Mother for him here. He was earlier working at Auroville where he lived a more comfortable life. But he feels that it was some sort of ‘call’ that brought him to SACAR. This ‘call’ came first in the form of a seminar that was brought to his attention by someone who also now works at SACAR. Satya came to attend the seminar, and even though initially he wasn’t interested in leaving his job as a Tamil teacher at Auroville, the ‘call’ persisted and eventually joined SACAR in 2005.
Satya’s dream for SACAR is simple, yet grand. He envisions SACAR to become an internationally leading centre for research and scholarship on the thought and work of Sri Aurobindo. He feels that SACAR has been chosen by the Divine Mother for Her work, and the future will see a greater intellectual light being radiated from SACAR. Satya hopes that in the future SACAR may have some type of an extension in Auroville, and perhaps the opening of the University of Human Unity in Auroville and possibilities of collaborating with it will bring new opening in this direction.
The online technology being used by TUT at SACAR is very helpful in spreading the teachings of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, according to Satya. He foresees working at SACAR for a long time to come, but at the same time would himself like to do a deeper study of the thought and work of Sri Aurobindo. He feels this will also help him make greater inner progress and perhaps this is a reason why the Mother has sent him to work at an academic institution like SACAR and TUT.
Satya’s hope for the future of SACAR also involves a greater collective spirit among the individuals working at SACAR. He hopes that there will be more mutual understanding and a greater feeling of collegiality and harmony as everyone continues to work on individual growth and analysing personal ego-related issues. He suggests that perhaps sports and other team building activities can help in this direction. Satya very much values a greater feeling of freedom and trust in the work environment at SACAR and would like to see this continue in future. He would also like to see SACAR getting engaged in organising on a regular basis intellectual and other activities that specifically target younger seekers and invite them to SACAR where they can learn more about the thought of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother and join the intellectual work being pursued here.
Satya feels that the Mother is taking more and more direct control of the various activities going on at SACAR, and therefore he is assured that the future of SACAR is in excellent hands.
Miresh
Archiving, production and sales of audio recordings.
Miresh first visited SACAR in 2004 along with a group of people from Auroville where he was working at that time. During that first visit itself, he felt that there was some thing special at this place that was indicating to him about his future work here. He had a similar feeling when he visited SACAR next time. At first he didn’t believe that this feeling had any truth, he thought that this could be just a play of his mind. But the feeling persisted. He offered the feeling to the Mother, asked for clarification and waited for Her signal. He was constantly praying to Her, “if it is Your Will that I should work at SACAR, it will happen.” In April 2005 as a result of some fortunate happenings he received a very special gift of Sri Aurobindo’s relics on his birthday. On July 26th, 2005, he got a clear indication that he must work at SACAR. He met with Ananda and Deepshikha Reddy and after discussing his role at SACAR he was asked to start on August 1st, 2005, after the morning meditation.
Miresh feels that it was absolutely Mother’s Guidance which brought him to SACAR so that he can do Her work here. He is happily amazed to see how She has been “slowly choosing all Her devotees and giving them the right work” at SACAR. He says he could come to SACAR only because “She arranged things in the most perfect way.”
Before Miresh joined the SACAR family, the audio recordings of Ananda’s numerous talks on the works of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother were being archived and released in cassette form. Miresh has gradually and painstakingly organised and arranged the whole recording and duplication department at SACAR and now almost single-handedly looks after the production and release of digital recordings in CD & MP3 forms. He says, he has learned a lot in this process about the technical as well as the marketing side of the department.
Miresh recalls that when he first started working at SACAR, he was sincerely and ardently praying to the Mother so She would guide him on what he must do. As he became more convinced inwardly that he had come to the right place, he felt more and more happy at SACAR and the direction of his work at SACAR became clearer. Now he strongly feels that his work is not about production of CDs but about being an instrument in spreading the thought and vision of Sri Aurobindo to a larger audience. He says, “It is not Dr. Reddy’s voice that is on the CDs, it is the voice of his soul speaking to another soul, I feel. And there is always a possibility that after listening to the CD on Sri Aurobindo’s work, some listeners may experience some type of liberation or may deepen their aspiration. This is the reason why I do this work. This is the purpose of this work here. And I am an instrument in this work.”
Miresh admits that it is not easy to sell too many of these CDs because of their serious and deep content. But he hopes that the sales may increase in the future which will be a big monetary help for future development of SACAR.
Miresh is also a singer, but in the last few years he has discovered that his singing career has slowly been coming to a close “as if that is not the work I need to do.” He adds, “It is true that I was not getting any singing work, but even on the inside I felt that some type of rejection was going on. I was finding it difficult to remember the lyrics or the tune, especially of the film songs I used to sing earlier, as if the Mother had been indicating to me that I must prepare for some different work. I am not for that life of a singer.” Nowadays Miresh sometimes sings devotional songs in the praise of the Mother and Sri Aurobindo whenever he is invited to perform at some place in Auroville.
In a happily reflective mood, Miresh talks about how at many times while listening to the recordings of Dr. Reddy’s talks he has felt a strong presence of the Mother’s Force behind the voice. “Sometimes I have a strange physical reaction, the truth in the voice is very powerful,” he adds.
Miresh hopes and dreams that in the future there will be one more SACAR in Auroville. He explains, “Auroville is the future city, international city. SACAR should have a presence in Auroville because SACAR too is a place of the future, for the future of whole humanity.” He feels that his prayer has been answered in the form of the ongoing participation of SACAR in various seminars at the upcoming University of Human Unity in Auroville. “I pray that SACAR spreads Sri Aurobindo’s thought in the whole world,” he adds. He strongly feels the Mother’s Presence at SACAR and believes that She has a bright future planned for SACAR. “Personally also, I feel more peace here, I don’t feel worried and I can deal much more easily with my personal problems and pressures. SACAR is like a cave of sadhana, research, tapasya. The whole world is at SACAR,” he adds.
As SACAR grows, on his part Miresh continues to “try to be a good, sincere instrument for Her work, and each and everyday is learning something.” He is convinced that he is at SACAR because of Her Will, “… I am Her tennis ball. I am not even a sadhak, I am Her child. All the work I am doing, She is giving me.”
G. Shantha
Publications Division
G. Shantha has been working at SACAR for the past three years, mainly helping with its publishing activities. When she first started, she was involved with several other activities including archival and inventory of cassettes of Dr. Reddy’s talks, transcribing, archival of computerised files, and general small miscellaneous office jobs. But over time her work has become concentrated in the publishing division of SACAR, focusing on copy-editing, proof-reading, desktop publishing, etc.
At the outset of our conversation Shantha wished to record her sincere gratitude to SACAR, Dr. Ananda Reddy and Mrs. Deepshikha Reddy, for giving her work at SACAR and supporting her by providing various facilities such as accommodation in SACAR campus and other basic amenities.
How and why she is at SACAR? She says smilingly, “as can be expected, unexpectedly!”
When she came to SACAR for the first time to attend a Tamil programme, without knowing anybody or anything about SACAR, surprisingly enough, Dr. Reddy enquired her about her career and her educational qualifications. The discussion extended further and led her to join SACAR within a short time.
It was only on her first work-day at SACAR that Dr. Reddy mentioned to her the reason for his earlier conversation about the job during their first meeting. She recalls, “He told me that he had seen the Mother’s hand over my forehead as an indication to communicate with me. Of course, Dr. Reddy did not disclose his vision fully.”
Shantha continues, “That time I was new to Ashram environment and I had only read or heard about visions. This vision of Dr. Reddy happy-shocked me so much. I may not be able to forget it for a long, long time. It gives me some kind of a nice feeling whenever I remember that.”
About her living in SACAR campus she says, “It is a peaceful building. Mother’s Presence is here. When I joined, the garden was very nice. I used to sit near the garden for about half an hour daily, just after lunch. It is easier to get into the meditative mood there.” She hopes that after completion of the International Scholars’ Home, the garden which is now not properly maintained will be re-done and re-organised so that it will again be a peaceful place where one could spend some relaxing time.
When asked about her work experience at SACAR, Shantha says that it is only after coming to SACAR that she is beginning to understand or glimpse slightly what is meant by ‘working for the Mother’. She explains, “In the professional world, it was enough to have some skills, and practice for sincerity, honesty, dedication, etc., to get the job-satisfaction and peace, but for the Mother’s work — of course these are all helpful — it appears to me that more and more of consecration as the basis is needed. I also think, the experience of ‘working for the Mother’ is different for each individual.”
Shantha shares her dream about the future of SACAR: “It would be really nice when scholars from many different countries come and do research here. Because when I joined SACAR the words ‘Advanced Research’ (in Sri Aurobindo Centre for Advanced Research) attracted me so much. For me, mixing up different cultures, sharing knowledge and technology, etc., would help me expand my mind and heart, know the different values of life, learn about differences between ideas such as individualism and collectivism, etc. Even in the office environment, when the scholars and workers are engrossed in their own activities, the office would feel like a meditation/concentration centre.”
LEARNERS’ VOICES
Shruti Bidwaikar
Former student of the TUT-Orientation Programme (OP). Currently a scholar at SACAR, focusing on Sri Aurobindo’s literary criticism and aesthetics for her doctoral studies at Pondicherry University.
When asked about the nature of her experience as a learner at SACAR, Shruti begins by reflecting on the meaning of the word ‘SACAR’ which means ‘fulfilment’ and ‘realising practically’. TUT at SACAR helped Shruti to realise practically her dream, dream to study the works of Sri Aurobindo when she enrolled in OP. While initially finding it difficult to understand Sri Aurobindo's works, she continued along the journey hoping to grow in His light.
Shruti benefited from the teaching method used in OP. Instead of the conventional way of lecturing, thought-provoking questions were posed by the facilitators and the answers had to be dug out of the text. Shruti finds that she grew in her understanding as she reflected upon the questions and researched the texts for appropriate answers. In her words, “Essentially we were prepared to receive His light through intellect and reason. No answers were right or wrong. Subsequent insights were given for the subject matter concerned. The questions and the insight created an urge to read more. It was the format of OP and patient dealings of all the facilitators that ignited the quest. The teachers and guides of this institution are rightly called facilitators. They facilitated our aspirations to learn more.”
As a former student at two other Indian universities and a current Ph.D. student at a third, Shruti also has an insight into how her experience as a learner at SACAR and TUT was qualitatively different. She says, “There is a vast difference between the approach and attitude of facilitators towards the student and the subject matter than in other universities … The course is designed to suit the need of the student. There is no binding. We are given chance to progress freely. What matters is progress - inner and outer both. The facilitators are guides on all levels. Academically, personally, officially, socially, they guide us in all walks of life. They are patient to listen to our problems, difficulties, joys and sorrows and help us solve and unburden ourselves.”
Shruti feels very fortunate and blessed to be associated with SACAR, “to learn and grow in a place which embodies our Masters’ vision and consciousness.” She views SACAR’s primary role as an institution to facilitate and guide learners in their study and practice of the thought and vision of Sri Aurobindo, in helping them make Sri Aurobindo’s works as a part of their academic pursuit and yoga. The learners are asked to, not just accept Sri Aurobindo as an avatar but discover him as a man of intellect and then realise him as an avatar.
Shruti envisions SACAR as becoming a centre where all shall be able to fulfil their beings in the light of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. “We learn to become better human beings, to grow and become better instruments of the Divine.” She hopes that in the coming future SACAR would play the same role that Taxila did in the times of Chanakya.
Menaka Deorah
Currently enrolled in the Master’s programme at TUT, former student of OP, June 2007
For Menaka, in addition to receiving an excellent academic preparation the biggest value of being a learner at SACAR has been the personally experienced growth in her knowledge and ability to apply the teachings of Integral Yoga in real life, which is also her main thrust in studying Sri Aurobindo. She had been feeling a strong need to know Sri Aurobindo more deeply and she found in SACAR exactly what she needed. “SACAR has been able to find and encourage the aspiration in me, which is much more important than studying Sri Aurobindo,” she says. She has found the learning environment at SACAR very welcoming and comfortable. Menaka is an ex-student of Sri Aurobindo International Centre for Education (SAICE). Her knowledge of Sri Aurobindo’s works and vision prior to joining SACAR was more elementary and cursory rather than focused and in-depth. Although she had been exposed to various aspects of Sri Aurobindo’s works at SAICE, it was only much later that she felt the need to make her study more thorough, more serious and motivated. She feels that OP prepared her well for the advanced courses she is now taking at TUT.
Menaka values the receptive and encouraging attitude of all facilitators at TUT. She finds that the facilitators are very caring and highly considerate of individual learner’s needs. This, she feels, is very helpful for the learning process.
Having completed all her education in SAICE, Menaka is not familiar with the academic structure of mainstream educational institutions. But she is very happy and satisfied with the “University without Walls” structure of TUT. “Mother wanted this place to be a University without Walls, and it’s wonderful that this vision is being manifested here. I can see this place being led by the most dedicated people,” she adds. She feels that the online system of education at TUT can serve the needs of a much greater number of people, who want to study the works of Sri Aurobindo but live outside of Pondicherry.
Menaka says that SACAR has the potential of becoming a place which could help “in a very concrete and practical way” all those who are searching for something higher, by helping them build a bridge between “what life is and what they want life to be.” She feels this would be the greatest contribution SACAR will make in the future. “Many people study, but continue to live a life that is compartmentalised — there is spiritual life and there is everyday life. SACAR can help bridge this gap for them,” she continues. She further adds that her own persistence to do this bridging in her own life and the support from her home have also been much helpful, and by encouraging her aspiration SACAR has also been instrumental in the process.
Menaka strongly feels that the online mode of education is not a block or challenge of any kind from a learner’s point of view. She explains, “For me, it has been just as equally effective as being present here. Having found some sense of my own alignment within and with each of the facilitators, I was able to communicate on more than one level. There were the words but there was also the force of vibrations. Reading Sri Aurobindo is always much more than the words. There is a concrete force in action. And in some way online correspondence proved to be able to capitalise on that. It is often more intense, precise and pure than verbal communication. The facilitator and the student both need to have good tuning. I could in fact feel the difference in quality with different facilitators which had to do with different individuals.”
When asked if she has felt any difference between her experience at SAICE and TUT, Menaka says that in SAICE there was a greater sense of freedom and a “more natural exposure to ideas without formatting things too much into a structure … but the structure at TUT is very clear, the courses are thoughtfully designed, and yet there is flexibility.” She adds that the students in SAICE are living in a much protected environment and are not exposed to life outside the Ashram, so the more free academic structure works there. But once they go out and become part of the world and life outside, many of them become vulnerable to losing the real value of what they may have picked up of Sri Aurobindo’s vision of life and world, ideas to which they were “naturally exposed” in their Ashram educational experience. This gap is what, Menaka says, institutions like SACAR and TUT can help fill in.
Continuing to reflect on her SAICE experience, Menaka adds, “At SAICE we were much younger and the aim there was to introduce us appropriately to Sri Aurobindo’s vast vision.” After having been exposed to the outside life and having experienced some life challenges, learners who come to SACAR are more motivated to pursue a serious course of study and, therefore, will welcome the kind of structure here, she adds. These mature learners are different from the learners at SAICE who may take “things for granted, and even though [they] value the special-ness of the place where they are and the exceptional educational experience they are getting, this is still in a much more spontaneous, childish way. Now at this point of life, when we are looking for something deeper, the value of deeply understanding and applying in personal life Sri Aurobindo’s teachings is much greater,” according to Menaka. And institutions like SACAR and its course offerings are very helpful for these learners, she adds.
Menaka also recalls the wonderful and exceptional teachers she had throughout her SAICE educational experience. She feels much grateful for the way they worked with each and every student, how they gave all of themselves to the students with no expectation from the students. She adds that all of her teachers were very knowledgeable, and the education at SAICE is the “best education for any child.” Menaka says that for her the “seeds of future aspiration” were first planted in SAICE.
SACAR has the “appropriate framework to take that aspiration, deepen and widen that urge to actually live” the teachings of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, according to Menaka. This framework is a “beautiful catalyst for opening into the world of Integral Yoga,” she adds. Specifically mentioning the OP at TUT, she says that it has a very good structure, and very appropriate and well-thought-out content. She wonders why more Ashram students and ex-students aren’t “taking to SACAR.” She continues, “Is it just lack of information about TUT? I would certainly recommend the TUT programmes, especially the OP to students passing out from SAICE and others who are ‘searching’.”
Menaka recommends that perhaps in the future SACAR could design something along the lines of OP for the students at SAICE. She feels that a good grounding in the thought of Sri Aurobindo, even though on an introductory level such as the one provided by the OP, will be of much value to students who are ready to go out in the world after completing their higher course and see for themselves the real life outside the Ashram.
Menaka concludes by re-emphasising her personally experienced sense of “joy of coming to Sri Aurobindo, on an intellectual and emotional level,” through her studies at SACAR. She adds that “to be able to see that it [study and practice of Sri Aurobindo’s teachings] is actually empowering” has been a great source of personal joy for her.
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