This brief biography of Major Somnath Sharma, independent India’s first recipient of Param Vir Chakra, is written by a member of Sri Aurobindo Ashram.
Major Somnath Sharma, PVC – The ‘Saviour of Kashmir’ (Part 1) Read More »
Sawani Shetye shares with us some insights on how travel can be used effectively to learn and appreciate the diverse histories of India and her rich heritage.
Exploring Indian Culture and History through Curated Heritage Trails (Video) Read More »
This essay by Sri Aurobindo presents perhaps the finest analysis ever made about one of the most significant ways in which European colonial rule destroyed the spirit of India which strove for high ideals and noble values.
The Bourgeois and the Samurai – Part 1 Read More »
A conversation with Saiswaroopa Iyer who has won great acclaim for her novels inspired by leading women characters from the Mahābhārata and the Purānas.
Featured here is the last chapter of the book ‘The Tale of My Exile’ by Barin Ghose, a great revolutionary who was captured by the British along with Sri Aurobindo and several others for Alipore Bomb case. This book is his record of his imprisonment at the Cellular Jail at Andamans.
The Tale of My Exile: Twelve Years in the Andamans – Part 1 Read More »
Barin Ghose ends the book with this: “Man remains frail and weak and ill developed if he has an easy and even life. The hammer of God that builds up a soul in divine strength and might is one of the supreme realities.”
The Tale of My Exile: Twelve Years in the Andamans – Part 2 Read More »
Selected excerpts from Maithilisharan Gupt’s most famous work, Bharat Bharati, which stirred deep nationalist emotions among Indians when it was first published in 1912.
Bhārat-Bhārati – Excerpts from Rashtrakavi’s Famous Kāvya Read More »
This special issue opens a year-long celebration of Sri Aurobindo’s 150th birthday and 75th anniversary of India’s political independence. Starting with this issue, the next 12 issues will explore the 12 attributes that the Mother has identified as soul-powers necessary for full manifestation of Her Work. The present issue explores Sincerity in a multi-dimensional approach. Special features on Sri Aurobindo’s work as a revolutionary nationalist are also included.
“All That is True and Sincere Will Always be Kept” Read More »
We feature a special essay by Sri Aurobindo from Bande Mataram in which he writes about the birth and growth of Indian nationalism invoking the advent and avatāric work of Sri Krishna. The selection of this piece is most appropriate since this month we also celebrate Krishna Janmashtami.
The Life of Nationalism: When Sri Aurobindo Invoked Sri Krishna Read More »
This three-part essay was first published on August 15, 1950 in Mother India. It presents a remarkable overview of various world-forces that were at play around the time of India’s independence, and highlights the significance of the date August 15, heralding a new direction for the world and humanity.
August 15: Its World-Significance (Part 1) Read More »
In this part, we learn the inner meaning of why August 15, a date of momentous implications for the values of civilisation has been chosen by India to celebrate her independence. Amal Kiran reminds us that behind the conscious thought of individuals there is the working of that invisible yet potent being which is the national soul or genius.
August 15: Its World-Significance (Part 2) Read More »
Amal Kiran helps us contemplate on how befitting it is that the Independence Day of a country whose chief glory has been God-realisation should coincide with the occasion of Sri Aurobindo’s birth. It would be purblind on our part to miss a signal so pregnant with meaning and fail to see our future bound up with Sri Aurobindo’s presence—our future of true self-growth political as well as cultural and of leadership among the nations on the path of human evolution towards Godhead.
August 15: Its World-Significance (Part 3) Read More »
Our conversation with two educators takes us beyond the ordinary ideological and political debates that have plagued the discipline of Indian History and Historiography, and invites us to explore a more integral approach to learning and teaching of History.
Indian History in Indian Education: Beyond Ideologies and Politics (Video) Read More »
Exploring the theme of sincerity in history, we feature excerpts from a couple of introductory chapters from a book authored by Prof. Kittu Reddy, a long-time resident of Sri Aurobindo Ashram and teacher of Indian History and Culture at Sri Aurobindo International Center of Education. The author suggests that when examining Indian history from a subjective point of view, external events gain greater importance in the light of the inner psychological vision and deeper forces behind them.
Book Excerpts – ‘History and Culture of India: A New Approach’ Read More »
This article tries to dispel some common misconceptions about Sanskrit. The author is a passionate learner of this language and has also recently started teaching beginners in Canada.
समृद्धसंवृद्धसंस्कृतम् (Rich and Thriving Samskrita) Read More »
In this part, A V Sastri briefly outlines how the unique Indian spirit of nationalist struggle for independence led by Sri Aurobindo, Lokmanya Tilak and others was gradually replaced by the moral-ethical nature of Gandhian call for political freedom. He also writes of the limits of such moralistic attempts.
The Psychology of Indian Nationalism – 9 Read More »
In this part, the author argues that the time of moral phase of nationalism is over. The need of the hour is a spiritual nationalism, but before we get there we must recognise the ethical-moral development as a necessary stage in human evolution.
The Psychology of Indian Nationalism – 10 Read More »
In this part, A. V. Sastri speaks of the imitative nature of the early nationalist movement in 19th century India. Indian leaders at that time were so mesmerised by the British versions of Indian political history that they never explored India’s unique line of political development in the past.
The Psychology of Indian Nationalism – 6 Read More »
With a religious reawakening in Bengal, the early imitative nationalism became more aligned with the Indian historical and temperamental truth. The religious consciousness extended to the political field and the movement in Bengal prefigured the coming struggle on the wider stage of India.
The Psychology of Indian Nationalism – 7 Read More »
Sri Aurobindo envisages a future for the Indian nation for which there is no example or exact parallel in history, a new type of people lifting nationalism to a new pinnacle justifying the separate existence, separate effort of a whole people in fundamental unity with entire humanity.
The Psychology of Indian Nationalism – 8 Read More »