Sri Aurobindo Timeline

1872
Family Background & Childhood, Bengal (1872-1879)
Family Background & Childhood, Bengal (1872-1879)

Born on August 15th 1872, he is named Aravinda Ackroyd Ghosh. His mother is Swarnalata Devi and father, Dr. Krishna Dhan Ghosh, a medical doctor. He is the youngest of…
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1879
Education & Early Interest in Politics, England 1879-1893 (age 7-21)
Education & Early Interest in Politics, England 1879-1893 (age 7-21)

1879: At the age of 7, Sri Aurobindo, along with his 2 elder brothers are taken to England for education Dr. Krishna Dhan Ghosh takes Sri Aurobindo and his two…
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1893
Sri Aurobindo sails to Bombay, India (age 21)
Sri Aurobindo sails to Bombay, India (age 21)

Early 1893, Sri Aurobindo sails to Bombay, India. He is just 21. The moment he sets foot on the land of India in Bombay, a vast Calm descends upon him and…
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Joins service in the State Government in Baroda (age 21)
Joins service in the State Government in Baroda (age 21)

While in London, Sri Aurobindo was appointed by Sayajirao Gaekwar, the Maharaja of Baroda State, to Baroda State Service. Arriving in India, he immediately travels to Baroda to take up…
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1901
Marries Mrinalini Devi (age 29)
Marries Mrinalini Devi (age 29)

Amidst the intense political activities somehow the thought of marriage enters Sri Aurobindo’s mind and he marries Mrinalini Devi in April 1901. She is beautiful, educated and belongs to an…
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1902
Sri Aurobindo on Bharat-Mata (age 30)
Sri Aurobindo on Bharat-Mata (age 30)

Dr. K. M. Munshi, Ex-Governor of Uttara Pradesh, who was a student of Sri Aurobindo at Baroda College, asks Sri Aurobindo how Nationalism could be developed. Sri Aurobindo points to…
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1903
Sri Aurobindo turns to Yoga (age 32)
Sri Aurobindo turns to Yoga (age 32)

While in Kashmir with the Maharaja of Baroda, Sri Aurobindo experiences the ‘vacant Infinite’ when walking the hills of Takht-i-Sulaiman near the temple of Shankaracharya. A few years later, he…
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1905
Partition of Bengal announced (age 33)

England’s proposal to partition Bengal as a way of separating Hindus and Muslims created an uproar not only in Bengal, but all over India. The people of India began to…
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Political arena and early life as a Freedom Fighter, Calcutta 1905-1910
Political arena and early life as a Freedom Fighter, Calcutta 1905-1910

Bande Mataram, ‘Mother, I bow to thee’, becomes India’s National Song For millions, the partition of Bengal was an unexpected blow to India and its ideal of unity. Suddenly, the…
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1907
Surat Congress and the aftermath (age 36)
Surat Congress and the aftermath (age 36)

All knew that the Surat meeting of the Congress would be a decisive one in measuring the strength of the Moderates and the Nationalists. When the meeting convenes, the Nationalists…
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1908
Sri Aurobindo meets Yogi Lele & has the Silent Brahman Experience (Nirvana) (age 36)
Sri Aurobindo meets Yogi Lele & has the Silent Brahman Experience (Nirvana) (age 36)

Sri Aurobindo meets Yogi Lele for the first time in January 1908 and later recollects his instructions: “Sit in meditation, Lele said, but do not think, look only at your…
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Alipore Bomb Case 1908
Alipore Bomb Case 1908

Meanwhile, Sri Aurobindo’s younger brother Barin continues his revolutionary activities and makes plans to assassin Douglass Kingsford, a sadistic magistrate of Calcutta known for his extreme cruelty. Two revolutionaries from…
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1909
Sri Aurobindo receives a divine message on Santan Dharma
Sri Aurobindo receives a divine message on Santan Dharma

In the seclusion of the jail in the solitary cell, I asked God: “Give me Thy Adesh. I do not know what work to do or how to do it.…
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New weekly publication begins: Karmayogin
New weekly publication begins: Karmayogin

The Karmayogin is a new weekly publication covering topics such as Religion, Literature, Science and Philosophy. In the first issue, Sri Aurobindo writes: “When spirituality is lost all is lost.…
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Sri Aurobindo Acquitted 1909

On October 19, 1908, Sri Aurobindo’s case began in court sessions with C.B. Beachcroft as the Magistrate, who had been a schoolmate and a colleague of Sri Aurobindo’s in Cambridge.…
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1910
Leaves for Chandernagore (age 38)
Leaves for Chandernagore (age 38)

Repression of the Freedom Movement is in full swing and the Government is determined to imprison or deport Sri Aurobindo. Edward Baker approves the proposal to deport him. A few…
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Leaves for Pondicherry
Leaves for Pondicherry

Several weeks after arriving in Chandernagore, this same voice commands: Go to Pondicherry. Before leaving, Sri Aurobindo writes his last article in the Karmayogin: “In all the events of the…
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The Revolutionary Yoga, Pondicherry 1910 on (age 39)
The Revolutionary Yoga, Pondicherry 1910 on (age 39)

In November, 1910 Nolini Kanta Gupta joins Sri Aurobindo in Pondicherry Sri Aurobindo is joined in November 1910 by Nolini Kanta Gupta who was associated with him at Calcutta in…
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1914
First Meeting with Mirra Alfassa 1914
First Meeting with Mirra Alfassa 1914

Mirra Alfassa, who Sri Aurobindo will later install as The Mother of the Ashram, recollects her first meeting with him: “I came here….. I had an appointment for the afternoon.…
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First issue of the Arya is published (age 43)

With the outbreak of the First World War, Paul soon returns to France with Mirra to join the military service. Prior to their departure, Paul and Mirra proposes to Sri…
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1918
Wife Mrinalini Devi passes away, Sri Aurobindo is 47 years old
Wife Mrinalini Devi passes away, Sri Aurobindo is 47 years old

Mrinalini passes away in Calcutta at the age of 32, having fallen victim to influenza which sweeps over India that year. She was at long last on her way from…
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Sri Aurobindo gives assurance to A.B. Purani that India will be free 1918

A.B. Purani was the younger brother of Chotalal B. Purani who had received instructions from Sr Aurobindo during his Baroda days for revolutionary work. He had been an enthusiastic member…
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1920
Mirra returns to Pondicherry
Mirra returns to Pondicherry

On April 24, 1920, the Mother arrives at Pondicherry for the second time, never to depart again. Paul Richard comes with her. The significance of the day of her arrival,…
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1922
The beginning of the Ashram (age 50)

Sri Aurobindo changes his lodgings in September 1922 and moves to 9 Rue De La Marine. In due course, more adjacent buildings are acquired and a complex of constructions develop…
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1925
Important statements made by Sri Aurobindo on his birthday (age 54)

When asked by a disciple: How are the universal conditions more ready now for the coming down of the Supermind than they were before?, Sri Aurobindo responds: “Firstly, the knowledge…
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1926
Day of Siddhi realization of the Krishna consciousness, Sri Aurobindo goes into seclusion (age 56)

November 24, 1926, is an important milestone in Sri Aurobindo’s life. In his inner life, it marks the culmination of long movement of successive ascents of consciousness in its assumption…
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1927
Sri Aurobindo writes on Money Power and The Four Powers of the Mother (age 57-58)

“Money is a sign of universal force, and this force in its manifestation on earth works on the vital and physical planes and is indispensable to the fullness of outer…
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1934
Sri Aurobindo explains the Yoga of the Ashram (age 63)

In third-party person, Sri Aurobindo explains the Yoga to be practiced at the Ashram: “The teaching of Sri Aurobindo starts from that of the ancient sages of India that behind…
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1938
Sri Aurobindo falls & fractures his right leg (age 67)

On November 24th, 1938, Sri Aurobindo falls and fractures his right leg. Hereafter, a few attendants would always be present in his chamber and informal conversations took place often. A.B.…
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1939
Accepts Mahatma Gandhi’s request to visit him in Pondicherry

All the while, Sri Aurobindo is following the political and other developments in the country with special attention. He has certain differences with Mahatma Gandhi on several major planks of…
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1942
In the pursuant years, many journals are published (age 71 onwards)

On August 15, 1942 is issued the first number of Sri Aurobindo Mandir Annual in Calcutta. The Bartika quarterly in Bengali was also started in Calcutta this same year. The…
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1943
The Mother opens the Ashram doors to refugees
The Mother opens the Ashram doors to refugees

Until 1939, the ashram remains a well-knit community, sadhana-oriented. Children are not admitted and there are no families as such. After the outbreak of the War, however, a gradual change…
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1945
Germany & Japan surrender

The unconditional surrender of the German Third Reich was signed in the early morning hours of Monday, May 7, 1945, at Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF) at Reims in…
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1947
India’s Independence Day (age 76)
India’s Independence Day (age 76)

Sometime in 1920 when the Mother and Sri Aurobindo were in meditation, the Mother reaches a state of consciousness from which she tells Sri Aurobindo “India is free”. Sri Aurobindo…
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1948
Message to the Andhra University

On December 11, 1948, the Andhra University presents Sri Aurobindo with the Sir Cattamanchi Ramalinga Reddy national Prize during the University’s convocation. “You have asked me for a message and…
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1950
Savitri, the supreme revelation of Sri Aurobindo’s Vision (age 78)
Savitri, the supreme revelation of Sri Aurobindo’s Vision (age 78)

For over four decades and more, Sri Aurobindo had been silently working on an epic poem, Savitri. Choosing the Savitri-Satyavan legend in the Mahabharat, he had started developing it on…
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Warnings of the World Situation late 1950’s

Ominous clouds are forming on the Asian horizon. Sri Aurobindo assesses the various possibilities that are pressing to actualize themselves, including the threat of yet another war, and the prospect…
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A student of Sri Aurobindo’s at Baroda visits

K.M. Munshi, an old student of Sri Aurobindo at Baroda visits Sri Aurobindo and the ashram in July of 1950. He writes: “Sri Aurobindo was my professor in the Baroda…
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Sri Aurobindo enters into Mahasamadhi (age 79)
Sri Aurobindo enters into Mahasamadhi (age 79)

Sri Aurobindo withdraws from his body at 1:25am on December 5, 1950. But that was not the finale. When in the course of the day, preparations are being made to…
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1972
Worldwide celebration of Birth Centenary 1972
Worldwide celebration of Birth Centenary 1972

Publication of Complete Works of Sri Aurobindo in 32 volumes. PDF of all Sri Aurobindo’s Books:   01 Early Cultural Writings 02 Collected Poems 03-04 Collected Plays And Stories 05…
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