Page 15 - NAMAH-Jul-2020

Namah The Mother and the importance of physical education...

The author (3rd from left) during a demonstration in front of the Mother and Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru
(Playground, 16.1.1955). Tara Jauhar; Lata Jauhar and Manoj Das Gupta are also among the participants.
time I performed before Her. Blessings in 1966), Hansa and I have both
remained focused on keeping our bodies
In those days there were no gymnasiums fit by exercising regularly, in addition to
or fitness centres of any kind in the U.S.A. I working professionally together for two
exercised in my small room in the attic of a decades and raising two sons, Niraj (name
house, where I used my chemistry textbooks given by the Mother) and Uday (named by
as dumb-bells! Later, I had access to tennis Champaklal-bhai).
courts but no place for gymnastics. The
luxury of the Ashram facilities were non- Every time we came back to Pondicherry I
existent in the richest country of the world! would practise my gymnastics. When we
Note that She started the gymnasium in the came to celebrate the 100th anniversary
1940s, but health clubs came into existence in of the Mother’s birthday, as usual I was
the US, and later in other parts of the world, practising my back flips in the Sportsground.
four decades later. Note also that both girls I was thirty-six years old then. Chitra-di
and boys participated in the same activities must have noticed because she went and
together, based on ability, not gender. It is asked Pranab-da if I could participate in the
still not the case in most parts of the world. darshan day performance in the Playground.
Neither was one’s age an issue. I recall Nolini- He consented, and for the first time I did
da participating in the long jump competition multiple back flips, finishing off with a back
with children much younger than him! somersault. Being permitted to participate
after being away for fourteen years was, for
From the time of our marriage (with the Mother’s me, an affirmation from Her.

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