Bula-da

Bula-da, who expired in the early hours of April 28, was one of the oldest sadhaks. He joined the Ashram in 1934, soon after his stepmother and stepbrother had settled there. He never went out of Pondicherry. He came from a respectable family. His father was a barrister practising in Burma and his stepmother was a niece of the famous Nationalist leader C.R. Das. His early education was at Shantiniketan under Tagore’s influence.

As soon as he arrived here, the Mother gave him the work of the Electricity and Water-supply Department under Pavitra’s supervision. It was his tireless effort, organising power and efficient service that turned it into one of the most thorough and sound units of the Ashram. The Mother had entire trust in him.

Pondicherry electricity was very unstable in the early days. The current would go off at any time, due to which the Mother and Sri Aurobindo had to undergo a good deal of inconvenience, especially in their almost night-long labour of answering the letters of the sadhaks. Bula-da took the initiative to install generators in the Ashram and we know today what a relief they are.

Service was Bula-da’s motto. He gave up all kinds of diversions, would not even leave the Ashram compound during his off-time lest electricity should fail and the Mother be in trouble. He was also always ready to see to the comforts of the Ashram inmates. He had a simple childlike nature and always tried to help others turn towards the Divine. His devotion to his stepmother who was as if his very own mother was exemplary. He passed away shortly after she had done so. Did his soul feel that this life’s mission was over? At any rate he won our hearts and earned our regard by his sweetness and selfless love.

(Mother India, June 1986)