More Facts on the Domestic Bills of Ashram Aristocrats — by An Irrational Ashramite

Fact 1: The Trust provided a measly allowance for engaging domestic workers only to Ashramites permitted by the Mother or by any Managing Trustee. Not to each inmate as Bireshwar unwittingly put it (see this post); e.g. among those deserving it but who were denied, is a 60+ year old whose arthritic hands don’t let him to wash his clothes.

The term ‘inmate’ craftily legitimised by the present Trust Board is another can of worms – it covers the full, half, quarter, and occasional ‘inmate’!

Fact 2: First, the Trust blamed its sudden “dire need of funds” on the Government for forcing it to decriminalize its allowance partly built on the pretext: “Most domestics are fat and irregular, hence well-off”. Sly as ever, it sweet-talked the unworldly inmates to “voluntarily reduce” their allowances, then capriciously hacked it – “often despite the inmate’s old age infirmities” as Bireshwar says.

Fact 3: There is, actually, an entire brigade of “aristocrats” sanctified by the Trust hence “ineligible” for reduced allowances because in the forties their “parents offered all their wealth at the feet of the Mother when the Ashram was in dire need of funds”.

Bireshwar restricts himself to just two of them because they are ersatz psychicised disciples showcased by the Trust and provided chauffeured vehicles often to go just two blocks away.
 

On the other hand, whenever Their Ashram was “in dire need of funds” Sri Aurobindo and the Mother lived as thriftily as any sadhak, e.g. their clothes too were patched up to last as long as possible.

Fact 4: One “aristocrat” had offered a substantial amount in the forties and was sanctioned every provision for the daily cooking in his family kitchen. Some years back he made some unjustifiable demands to the previous Trust Board. Was told that the Ashram “was in dire need of funds” and could not oblige, but he forcibly extracted back his offering. 

Another donated her jewellery and when she found one of the pieces on another Ashramite, questioned the Mother how she could do this. “But haven’t you donated to me, and doesn’t it become mine thereafter?” asked a surprised Mother.

Yet another donated a fridge to the Mother. After six months he demanded it back and the Mother returned it lock, stock and barrel. 

Thousands have donated to their utmost capacity and never dreamt of any material return. There was a disciple who offered one rupee every month. When that offering didn’t arrive for a few months, the Mother asked Amrita to wire five rupees to the disciple: “He must be in dire need,” she said.
 

Once, among the money received as donation, the Mother found a soiled note. She concentrated on it because, “This has been offered in spite of dire needs”.

Finally: Ultimately at whose expense this irrational austerity? Isn’t it a soulless pilfering from the pockets of domestics already wilting under the heavy cost of living whom the Govt intended to help? Does the cost of living affect any inmate, least of all the Trust Board? And to think of ageing veteran domestics with no other means of sustenance, who have been faithful for decades to the Ashram!

Are these aristocrats Your intimate seers, O Supreme Lord?

Are these Trustees Your rightful heirs, O Divine Mother?