Evolution of love

JAI MAA

A letter came from Calcutta that a long lost brother of Bholanath, whose whereabouts were not known for 22 years, had been traced in Calcutta. MA, Bholanath and Ashu went to Calcutta to find the brother as a Christian priest, with a new name, Rev. K.K.Chakraborty. Actually, coming to know of MA’s glory, he himself revealed his identity to the Kusharis in Calcutta and felt honored that MA herself had come all the way to Calcutta to bless him.
At Dacca, the work of constructing a bigger temple at Ramna was progressing fast. While digging for the plinth, workers discovered a number of graves, some even with bones. They also discovered ash filled pitchers and earthen lamps. There were three graves within the area marked for the bigger temple. MA said there would be many graves underneath the Ashram premises, even underneath her hut, as the place had been the abode of many holy men.
She stayed for some time at the ashram at Ramna, wandering around in her own mood or spending time with the devotees.
Several men with high spiritual attainments came to see her at Ramna in those days. One day came Ram Thakur. He lay down on the ground to offer his tributes, as MA paid her respects with folded hands. Ram Thakur used to tell others: “Go and have a glimpse of MA at Ramna - she is Bhagavati in person”. Another day, Atul Thakur from Sadhan Samar Ashram came to see her, and immediately became a disciple. He used to make flower offering to MA every day in the morning. Another visit was from Madhabima and MA paid a return visit to her ashram at Tejgaon.
A group of learned men of philosophy who had come to Dacca at that time visited Ramna to pay their respects to MA. The party included Mahendra Sarkar from Calcutta and some renowned Professors of Dacca. They sought answers to various questions and were immensely happy with the replies given by MA. She made certain revealing statements about her identity. The scholars and philosophers were charmed by her personality radiating divinity and the profoundness of her uttering.
1931
The work of the new temple picked up-tempo to make it ready for the installation of the deity before MA’s birth anniversary. The design had been under MA’s direction. The new temple was to envelop the existing Kali temple, the lower half of which would go underground. There would be a door adjacent to the upper half. The deity was to be installed on the roof of the Kali temple where a throne was to be built. Inside the new temple would be a cave, the stairs to which would be from behind the throne. There would be five small rooms, one on either side of the portico, and three others in the outer area, where devotees would pray and meditate.
The birth anniversary celebrations began on 19th of Baisakh 1338. The deity of Annapurna was installed in the temple to coincide with the celebrations. On one side of Annapurna was Shiva with his begging bowl, on the other a flying Kali image - the way MA had earlier visualised it. An image of Vishnu was placed above Annapurna. The ornaments for the deities came from MA’s own stock. This time, the worship for MA was done on the Annapurna image.
MA directed that Jogesh Brahmachari would perform the worship at the temple; the food offering would be prepared by him, Atul Brahmachari, Kamala Kanta Brahmachari and Kulada. They would live in purity not accepting food from others. After worshipping Kali on the birth anniversary day, the door to the Kali temple was closed with instructions to be opened only on subsequent anniversary days, for worship once a year. After the worship, everybody, irrespective of caste, class or creed would be allowed entry into the temple. Special arrangements were made to preserve the Yagna fire. A large number of people assembled from far and near. Jatish and his brothers Nabataru and Jnan, both bachelors by choice, also attended.
One night during the celebrations, MA and 30 other ladies chanted God’s name without a break. The next day, some 100 to 150 ladies assembled chanting the whole night and MA gladly joined them. Later, she once remarked, “What is the significance, why does one do the chanting? When you call by name, the called one responds. Don’t you see that if you call your mother, she at once comes near you?”
Asking the male devotees to continue the chant­ing uninterrupted, MA then took the entire flock of ladies for a bath at the pond at Siddheshwari. She became a child, frolicking in the water with friends and companions, shouting and regaling, splashing water on each other for a long time. She asked for refresh­ments for the group as one would entertain the child-gods and came back to Ramna after praying and sing­ing at the Siddheshwari Ashram.
She repeated the performance again after some time; whole-night singing followed by bathing and re­freshments and thus a tradition was set for Kirtan singing exclusively by female devotees.