“The lives of Sri Aurobindo” faced ban

The most debating book “The lives of Sri Aurobindo” got a red signal from Orissa Hight Court when someone submitted a petition against mentioning unauthenticated information about Sri Aurobindo and his life.

The book is said to contain objectionable remarks against The Mother and Sri Aurobindo. The lives of Sri Aurobindo – is written by Peter Heehs, an American who is one of the founders of Sri Aurobindo Ashram Archives in Puduchery. The book was published in the US in May this year by Colombia Press and was to be re-printed by Penguin India in November.

Some of the writings as mentioned in the petition are “Aurobindo’s character, life, writings and thoughts did not hold integrity”, “He possesses a morally loose character”, “his claims to spiritual expression and realization is questionable and irrelevant” and that his spirituality emerges from a streak of inherited madness.”

The most shocking claims by the writer is that Aurobindo’s relationship with the Mother was romantic in nature”, the petitioner has said. She also has quoted the preface of the book: “A statement on the politician or poet that rubs the people wrong way will turn into a political or legal issue or possibility causes a riot”.

The petitioner has claimed that the book is aimed at tarnishing the images of Shreema and Aurobindo and it was like an “invasion on the religious sentiment of Indians”.

The publisher has also been ordered not to publish the book until it gets no-objectionable certificate from the court as well as Union Home Ministry.