After his acquittal in the Alipore Bomb Case and subsequent release from Alipore Jail on 6th May, 1909, Sri Aurobindo lived at 6, College Square with his maternal aunt (Na-masi) Lilabati Devi and her family, until his departure to Chandernagore in February 1910. The house was situated just across the famous College Square, a venue for many nationalist meetings.
Karmayogin and Dharma
During this nine-month period, he single-handedly edited two weekly journals - Karmayogin in English and Dharma in Bengali... Karmayogin, a weekly English journal was conceived as 'A Weekly Review of National Religion, Literature, Science, Philosophy, &c.,'. The first issue of Karmayogin came out on 19.June.1909.
"How I wish you could get the Karmayogin every week! In my opinion, it is a triumph of style and thought. Aravindo is magnificent.", wrote Sister Nivedita on January 20, 1910 to S. K. Ratcliffe, the editor of The Statesman.
Public Speeches
During this time, Sri Aurobindi gave Public Speeches at various places:
In September, 1909, Sri Aurobindo attended the Hooghly Conference of the Congress as the leader of the Nationalist Party.
Sri Aurobindo's uncle (meso), Krishna Kumar Mitra
Krishna Kumar Mitra - Editor of Sanjibani
6, College Square was the residence of Krishna Kumar Mitra. Krishna Kumar was one of the nine nationalists who were deported from Bengal without the benefit of a trial in December 1908. Krishna Kumar Mitra was held as a prisoner in the Agra fort from December 1908 to February 1910. Other members of his family included his wife, Lilabati Devi (maternal aunt of Sri Aurobindo), their children Sukumar Mitra and Basanti Devi. 6, College Square was also the office of Sanjibani, a bengali journal edited by Krishna Kumar Mitra.
Sukumar Mitra was visiting Agra during the time when Sri Aurobindo came to stay there.
Babu Aurobindo Ghose’s Letter
To the Editor of the Bengalee
Sir, — Will you kindly allow me to express through your columns my deep sense of gratitude to all who have helped me in my hour of trial? Of the innumerable friends known and unknown, who have contributed each his mite to swell my defence fund, it is impossible for me now even to learn the names, and I must ask them to accept this public expression of my feeling in place of a private gratitude. Since my acquittal many telegrams and letters have reached me and they are too numerous to reply to individually. The love which my countrymen have heaped upon me in return for the little I have been able to do for them, amply repays any apparent trouble or misfortune my public activity may have brought upon me. I attribute my escape to no human agency, but first of all to the protection of the Mother of us all who has never been absent from me but always held me in Her arms and shielded me from grief and disaster, and secondarily to the prayers of thousands which have been going up to Her on my behalf ever since I was arrested. If it is the love of my country which led me into danger, it is also the love of my countrymen which has brought me safe through it.
Aurobindo Ghose.
6, College Square, May 14 (Published on 18 May 1909)
On 15th August, 1909 Sri Aurobindo's birthday was celebrated here and this is how the ever suspicious and watchful Bengal CID reported the event:
"... a band of young men attended at No. 6, College Square, to offer their felicitations to Arabindo Ghose on his attaining his 39th year.
They presented him cloth, sweets and fruit. The ceremony was often interrupted with cries of 'Bande Mataram' and 'Long live Arabindo Ghose'.
He was also presented with an address which set forth the services he had rendered to the country in developing the national consciousness
and setting out clearly the national ideal. Arabindo Ghose was visibily moved and made a suitable reply. In it he exhorted them always to be patient
and never to give up the work in despair.
"Instability", he said," is a great reproach to my nation. But when there is a great purpose, a resolute will, there may be any amount of
difficulties, but they cannot stand in the way."
Working in the hubbub
Sri Aurobindo's cousin, Sukumar Mitra observed: "He wrote or typed articles for the Weekly journals in the first-floor sitting room even as someone played the gramophone in the same room, and others engaged in loud conversation. He paid no heed to the hubbub and remained deeply absorbed in his work..."
Auro-dada's calmness
"I have never seen Auro-dada lose his temper," marvelled Basanti. "He would be sitting in the hall absorbed in writing work. His sandals would be lying thereabouts. My mother would come, put on his sandals and go up to the terrace to take her walk. Meanwhile Auro-dada would get visitors. He would get up and start looking for his sandals. Then he would see Ma and ask her sweetly, 'Na-masi, have you put on my sandals? I have visitors.' Ma would give him his sandals. Such inconveniences - the disappearance and reappearance of his sandals, the wastage of time in looking for them - for a busy man like him. But not a tinge of annoyance. I never saw him lose his temper for anything."
The day he never returned
That day, I went looking for him. It was my responsibility to serve him his food. I saw that he had visitors. He saw me and waved his hand. I thought he would come in for his meal. I waited for a long time but in vain; finally I peeked into the room. The visitors had left. But Auro-dada was not there either! How could he leave without having his meal?
He did not return that night - nor the next day. Some more days passed. Finally one day I received a letter - he had written to me that he was in Pondicherry - he ended with his blessings.
From: 'Amader Aurodada' by Basanti Chakraborti, 'Golpobharati', December-January 1955
Commemorative Plaque
Commemorative Plaque at 6, College Square
Inscription
After his release from prison in 1909, Sri Aurobindo stayed with Shri Krishna Kumar Mitra at 6, College Square, until his departure to Chandernagore in Feb 1910.
Sri Aurobindo was born on August 15, 1872 at No. 4 Theatre Road. This property is now known as 'Sri Aurobindo Bhavan', which came into being through a Government Act in 1972...
Sri Aurobindo usually resided in this house as a guest of Raja Subodh Chandra Mullick on his visits to Calcutta. 12, Wellington Square thus became a hub of the Nationalist movement and its silent witness...
2/1, Creek Row served as the permanent office and press of 'Bande Mataram' - the English newspaper edited by Sri Aurobindo, which prepared the mind of the people for the Nationalist revolution...
Bengal National College, with Sri Aurobindo as its first Principal, operated from 191/1 Bowbazar Street and was later shifted to 164 & 166 Bowbazar street in 1907...
23, Scott Lane served as residence of Sri Aurobindo for a brief period in 1908. Bal Gangadhar Tilak had visited him at least once during his stay here...
'Uttarpara Speech', in which Sri Aurobindo for the first time spoke publicly of his Yoga and his spiritual experiences, was made here on 30.May.1909...
4, Shyampukur Lane served as the office of 'Karmayogin' and 'Dharma' newspaper. It was here that Sri Aurobindo received a sudden 'command from above' to go to Chandernagore (in Feb 1910)...
Sri Aurobindo remained in secret residence at Chandernagore, entirely engaged in Sadhana, from mid-February to end-March in 1910 before proceeding to Pondicherry...
