Togo Mukherji
passed away on 14 December, 2012 at Puducherry. An excellent article covering
the notable aspects of his life has been written by Anurag Bannerji on his
site, which I would recommend for reading to all those who are interested to
know the details of his life.
I will limit
myself here to the most prominent aspect of Togo, his bravery and audacity to
challenge the powers that rule, which he obviously inherited from his
grandfather, the legendary Bagha Jatin (Jatin Mukherji, one of the two Jatins who were
contemporaries of Sri Aurobindo and fought in the first freedom struggle of
India). His grandfather challenged the British, the grandson challenged the
present Trustees of Sri Aurobindo Ashram. Togo flouted the authorities by
openly discussing with pusillanimous Ashramites the issue of Peter Heehs in the
Ashram Dining Room and circulated articles exposing the distortions and misrepresentations
in the Lives of Sri Aurobindo. Manoj
Das Gupta, Managing Trustee of Sri Aurobindo Ashram and the present counterpart
of the British Viceroy during his grandfather’s times, deprived him of his food
as a punishment. Togo could have apologised and got back his Dining Room
facility, but he did not give in. Not only he participated in the two dharnas
that were held in protest against the support of the Trustees for Peter Heehs,
but he even deposed in the Puducherry Collector’s enquiry on the Ashram
Trustees. This enquiry has been temporarily stayed by the High Court of Chennai,
but once the stay is lifted, Togo’s signed statement along with thirty other
depositions will be of great use to dethrone the present Trustees and bring a
new era of peace and justice in Sri Aurobindo Ashram. Thus Togo Mukherji would continue
to fight injustice even after his demise.
We salute to this
noble soul for setting an example of indomitable courage and unshakeable faith
in Sri Aurobindo and the Mother despite his advanced age and failing health. I
remind the readers that the Mother herself spoke in high terms regarding Togo’s
role in defending the Ashram property in the 1965 anti-Hindi riots in
Pondicherry. She said that Togo had the “makings of a hero”! (Mother’s
Agenda 1965, Vol. 6, pp. 30-32)
Baikunth
Baikunth
Other references to Togo Mukherji:
http://www.thelivesofsriaurobindo.com/2012/05/manoj-das-guptas-strange-attitude.html
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Togo Mukherji during the Dharna |
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