Photographs of the Mother’s Last Journey

November 20, 2010 at 6:36 am (Uncategorized)

Dear Friends,

On 20 November 1973 at 8. 20 a.m., the Mother’s physical body, which was kept in state since the early hours of 18 November, was put to rest in the Samadhi. The description of the Mother’s last journey from the Meditation Hall to the Samadhi vault, which was published in the November-December (1973) issue of Mother India, the Ashram journal, is as follows:

“A casket was made of one-inch-thick rosewood and the inside was lined with a pure silver sheet and over this was a lining of felt and then white silk satin. On the lid of the casket was fixed a symbol of the Mother in pure gold.

At 8.00 a.m. on the 20th November, the Mother’s body was laid in the casket, which was then covered and sealed hermetically.

The casket was carried to the Samadhi and lowered into the chamber just above the vault in which Sri Aurobindo’s body had been laid in 1950. Nolini and André scattered some rose petals over the casket and concrete slabs were placed to cover the chamber. There was then a meditation for about ten minutes.

A running commentary on the event was given by All India Radio. After the meditation, wreaths and bouquets of flowers were laid on the Samadhi by the Government of Pondicherry, the French Consul and others…”

On this occasion we would like to share with all the children of the Mother some photographs of her last journey.

With warm regards,

Anurag Banerjee

Chairman,

Overman Foundation.

The Mother’s Coffin is being taken from the Meditation Hall to the Samadhi.

The Mother’s Coffin is lowered into the Samadhi.

Andre Morisset, the Mother’s son, and Nolini Kanta Gupta scattering rose-petals on the Samadhi.

Meditation around the Samadhi after the vault was closed.