 Golconda Fort |
 View from the top of Golconda Fort |
 Golconda Fort |
Golconde Construction
In Golconde Mother has worked out her own idea through Raymond (the architect chosen to design Golconde) and others, to make a beautiful dormitory for the disciples.
In one of the most remote parts of India, one of the most advanced buildings in the world was constructed under the most demanding of circumstances concerning material and craftsmen. This reinforced concrete structure was completed primarily by unskilled volunteers with the most uncertain of supplies, and with virtually every fitting custom-fabricated. Yet this handsome building has a world stature, both architecturally and in its bio-climatic response to a tropical climate 13 degrees North of the equator. It has the reputation of being the most comfortable building in Pondicherry, although it has no mechanical cooling system.
‘Solar World’ Congress, Perth
In Pondicherry, on the south-east coast of India, behind the agitation, the colours and the odours, a secret garden is hidden, a minuscule universe called Golconde, where Peace reigns. Surrounded by high walls and rarely accessible (we have had the exceptional permission to photograph it), it is the dormitory of the Ashram of Sri Aurobindo, which accommodates some 30 persons of the 500 disciples living in or around Pondicherry. An Ashram is the residence of a spiritual Master: there he receives and houses those who come to him to follow and practise his teachings.
Mallory Lane (translated from the French)
The realisation of Golconde was not merely the construction of a beautiful modern house in reinforced concrete for sadhaks, but a vehicle for the spiritual awakening and development of innumerable people who otherwise may not have been touched by the Light for a long time to come. It was the first practical means of contact and communication of any important size between East and West that the Ashram had. (continued)
From many points of view Golconde is a milestone (may we even say “touchstone”?) in the spiritual growth of the sadhaks and the Ashram. In its way, it too is a temple, joining men and women of all the world irrevocably to the Divine, like a jewel from the original mine that gave it its name. Agni (Agnes Sammer) wife and collaborator of Frank Sammer, c. October 1974.
Golconde needs no introduction. People who understand architecture have acclaimed this construction in concrete widely. The work commenced in October 1938 and it took almost a decade to get completed. The final finishing of some parts of the floor was done sometime in the early 1960s. (continued)
The history of the construction of this building has no analogy with others where a big number of labour force work under the supervision of engineers and contractors to build a large structure in the shortest possible time. This building however, had on the contrary, a slow growth and almost an organic one, where the individuals working there poured in their love and dedication to develop a concrete structure. They were few in number — a handful of labourers working in harmony with a small number of engineers, supervisors from divergent walks of life. They were all sadhaks. This was their way to serve the Mother. All through these years of construction the Mother gave her guidance and help for the outer problems of constructing the building. Simultaneously she sorted out as well, the human problems of the disciples working there. The people and the building developed together.
Chitra
I decided to accept a very interesting invitation from India. Our French friend, the engineer-mathematician Philip St. Hilaire, with whom we had taken refuge immediately after the earthquake in Tokyo, had gone through many varied experiences since that time. St. Hilaire, who was profoundly interested in Eastern mysticism, had gone to Mongolia and China to further his studies of Northern Buddhism, had naturally gravitated to India and had finally become a disciple of the famous Indian philosopher Sri Aurobindo Ghose at his Ashram in Pondicherry.
Antonin Raymond
It was in their first years in Tokyo, that Raymond and his French wife Noémi came to know one M. Philippe Barbier Saint-Hilaire, a highly qualified civil engineer who had graduated from the prestigious Ecole Polytechnique of Paris―who later became Pavitra, of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry.
Mrityunjoy
Sri Aurobindo Ghose intended to build in his very active and growing Ashram a truly up-to-date modern dormitory for his disciples. St. Hilaire had been writing to me about the project for some time. He sent me photographs of the Pondicherry architecture, eighteenth-century French colonial, with high-ceilinged dark rooms behind colonnades and roofed terraces. These I had criticised as unsuitable in this day and age of advanced techniques and an absence of formal elegance.
Antonin Raymond
An unexplainable confidence in me from Sri Aurobindo brought about his request for my photograph, upon the receipt of which he apparently formed a judgment of my character and sent me a considerable amount of money for expenses to cover the transportation of my wife, son and myself to India.
Antonin Raymond
Antonin Raymond, A-I-A
Architect
Seisho-Kwan (The Bible House) 4-Chome Ginza
Kyobashi-Ku Tokyo
le 9 octobre 1935
Veuillez étudier ces plans avec soin. Si ils devaient vous intéresser du tout, veuillez nous indiquer vos idées à ce sujet. Il nous faudrait ensuite étudier les détails de la construction. Si vous désirez construire, nous voudrions faire des "full size" des détails, etc. Nous pourrions même vous envoyer un de nos architectes capable avec l’aide de votre ingénieur de construire le bâtiment.
Bien à vous,
Antonin
ANTONIN RAYMOND, A-I-A, ARCHITECT
SEISHO-KWAN (The Bible House) 4-CHOME GINZA
KYOBASHI-KU TOKYO
October 9, 1935
Dear Philippe,
The sketches which I am sending for your perusal are preliminary studies. Meanwhile I like to think that you will feel the beauty in them, because under the fire of the first inspiration, I think that we have found something very beautiful, a solution of great simplicity which, at the same time, opens to us great possibilities of comfort and economy.
I would hope that you are not shocked by the appearances, because I do not have the least doubt that this building will be very different from anything that is there in Pondicherry. But in modern architecture we try to rediscover the prime values, to respond directly to the physical and spiritual needs of man without going through the prejudices which have impeded us during all the last centuries and from which the forms of the buildings of Pondicherry have resulted. We are setting down the base of a new architecture founded on the principles and not on the established mental customs. It is similar to what you are doing in your philosophy first of all the free spirit, open, as much as possible free from preconceived ideas.
Nothing will prevent us from profiting from the practical experience acquired in the ancient buildings, on the contrary, we have pondered deeply on the lessons that they teach us. But we have tried to translate them into the materials that the modern world has to offer us.
Layout: Our plan is of the simplest. We have turned the building to align our rooms so that all of them open on the south and southeast, to keep out the sun from the west. We have centralized the staircases which are in direct communication with the entrance. The toilets, bathrooms etc. are also well situated.
Due to the angle given to the house, the gardens have interesting forms. Enclosed on all sides, they become peaceful cloisters where one can walk or relax happily.
Construction: Note the great simplicity which gives style and elegance to the building while keeping the cost down.
Please study these plans carefully. If they at all interest you, please let us know your ideas on this subject. After that we must study the details of the construction. If you agree to build, we would like to make these details in “full size” etc. We could even send you one of our architects who will be able to construct the building with the help of your engineer.
Yours, Antonin
Why the name “Golconde”? To set up such a large building required quite a lot of money and, in those days, much money was not available. So the Mother spoke to Sir Akbar Hydari about it, and as he was the Dewan to the Nizam of Hyderabad he was able to get from the Nizam a donation of one lakh of rupees for this building through the Finance Department which was under Raja Shamraj. Today, one lakh does not seem much, but in those days it was indeed quite a large sum, as its buying-power was over twenty times what it is now. Especially at Pondicherry where things were remarkably cheap. A ton of cement, good Japanese cement, cost only around Rs. 25/- and steel about Rs. 200/- per ton. Pondicherry was then a free port and there were absolutely no Customs or Import charges or restrictions. And as we had then a good off-loading pier, shipments from Japan could come directly to Pondicherry. Hence with this large sum of money the building work was taken up. Now because the first money came from Hyderabad, the Mother wanted to give a name to the building which had some connection with Hyderabad and so she chose the name Golconde, the French rendering of Golconda, the famous diamond mine in Hyderabad.
Udar
Golconda
Before the city of Hyderabad was founded the Deccan was ruled from Golconda fort. Founded originally by the Kakatiyas in the 13th century the existing structure was expanded by the Qutub Shahi kings into a massive fort with granite walls and ramparts extending some 5 km in circumference.
The fortress city within the walls was famous for the diamond trade and the Ko-hi-noor diamond is said to have come from here. The historic Golconda fort lies 11 kms west of the city. The name originates from the telugu words “Golla” and “Konda”, “shepherd’s hill”. Later the fort was taken over by the Bahamani kings, subsequently passing to the Qutub Shahi kings who rebuilt Golconda over a span of 62 years.
From the internet
Shepherd’s Hill or ‘Golla Konda’, as it was popularly known in Telugu, has an interesting story behind it. One fine day, on the rocky hill called ‘Mangalavaram’, a shepherd boy came across an idol. This was conveyed to the Kakatiya king, who was ruling at that time. The king got a mud fort constructed around the holy spot. Over a period of time this lowly construction was expanded by the Qutub Shahi kings into a massive fort of granite, which has been a silent witness to many historic events.
Vilas (as told by Gautam)
Sir Akbar Hydari was born in 1869 to Seth Nazar Ali Hydari, a Suleimani Bohra businessman of Bombay. His mother was the sister of Badruddin Tayabji, a judge of the Bombay High Court, who later became the president of the Indian National Congress.
Of the 40 Prime Ministers who served the Nizams of Hyderabad, only three were from outside the State. Out of them only one – Akbar Hydari – was a civil servant in British India.
Narendra Luther
Sir Akbar Hydari offered his farmland in Shamsabad for housing the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, which was later established at Pondicherry. Golconde guest house at Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry, is so named in gratitude for the funding by Sir Akbar to build it. Designed by Antonin Raymond, it is possibly the first work of architecture in the so-called International Style to be built in India.
Narendra Luther
There was an old house on the plot where now Golconde stands. The few artists of the Ashram had put up an exhibition of their paintings here. The Mother had come here to see the exhibition. This building was demolished for the construction of Golconde. The area available was quite small for a building of any large size to be built in. Nevertheless, Raymond took up the challenge. As the length of the land lay from east to west, this suited him very well, and he designed the building oriented very strictly east to west, with all the openings only on the north and south, and he designed that both faces should be openable fully, so that it could get the fullest current of air which is south to north in summer and north to south in winter. He also arranged that the sunlight should not enter any room directly and bring its heat directly with it. So the rooms are always cool and do not need any fans, etc.
Udar
Mother arranged for a small exhibition of the works of Ashram [artists] and I had a place there. It was in 1937. A small house was there on the north-east corner of Golconde. (Golconde was yet to be built; this small building and other huts were later demolished to become the site for Golconde.) Here the paintings of Krishnalal, Anil Kumar, Sanjiban, Nishikanto and mine were exhibited.
Romen Palit
The conditions under which Golconde was constructed emerge from the personal accounts of some of the people involved in the work. The most extensive to hand is that of Mrityunjoy Mukherjee, an elderly sadhak of the Ashram.
Shraddhavan
Golconde is often referred to as "a guest house of the Ashram"; but we have seen that it was originally intended to house permanent members of the Ashram. Thus the architects designed it as a "dormitory" or "hostel".
Mrityunjoy
“The work, as it started physically from the plans on paper to the digging of the earth, revealed itself as an opportunity for the disciples of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother who volunteered for the work, to make an attempt towards an all-out offering to serve the divine through a new contact with people of the most materially developed countries with their technical knowledge and corresponding formation of mind and nature. So the story of Golconde’s birth and growth is revealing!” -Mrityunjoy
The plan of the building is strikingly simple. Its two long staggered wings are set at an angle on the narrow plot, thereby making the most of rather limited space. Each wing consists of a series of single rooms that are strung out along a north-facing gallery, which runs the length of the building. On both the north and south sides, the entire building surface is equipped with operable horizontal louvers to afford protection from the sun and from violent winds and rain, while allowing for ventilation.
The body of the building is of reinforced concrete, left natural except for the native white plaster on the end blank walls. The building achieves the architectural distinction by thorough integration of plan, structure and final design. The fundamental principles of architecture — simplicity, economy, directness and closeness to nature — were consciously and consistently observed.
Antonin Raymond
The building I had in mind was to be reinforced concrete throughout – something without precedent in India. Since I had to depend entirely on the local labour, who had neither any modern tools nor any know-how in their use, I decided to build a working model first. I started at once to establish a laboratory for testing the materials and the strength of our concrete mixture. The enthusiasm and seriousness of everybody concerned, as well as of the disciples quite unconnected with the work, was remarkable. The final result was more than satisfactory.
Antonin Raymond
To get the practical details he needed to know for his work, Raymond proposed to send one of his assistants, a young Japanese-American architect named George Nakashima, to the Ashram for some time to study on the spot. The Mother agreed.
Mrityunjoy
A few months before leaving I sent George Nakashima, then working for me as an architect, ahead to survey the situation and report to us so we could finish our drawings in Tokyo.
Antonin Raymond
Nakashima sailed for Pondicherry in June 1937, no doubt to do an on-the-spot survey of the site for Golconde and the climatic conditions in Pondicherry. He returned to Japan sometime after the August darshan that year. Then came back to Pondicherry almost immediately, in November 1937. Sammer and Raymond arrived in Pondicherry in January 1938.
Antonin Raymond
Accordingly Mr. Nakashima came, remained for some months, and, returning to Japan, gave a detailed report to his chief. The plot was a long and narrow one, surrounded by streets on three sides, in the vicinity of local inhabitants and only three blocks from the sea to the east—the Bay of Bengal on the Coromandel Coast—from where the salt wind was directly blowing; also there were typhoons and periods of rainy weather, although mostly there was a blazing sun; the climate was hot and damp.
Mrityunjoy
The first principle which all great architecture teaches us is to regard local conditions as the one known basic factor from which to start, and to allow the structure to take the most logical shape dictated by these local conditions...
Antonin Raymond
The building was designed to have three floors with a semi-basement, that is to say, a basement only half below the ground level. Hence the building was to have four floors in all. As the land was narrow, there was only one line of rooms on each floor – two wings and one centre section. Seen from the air, it looks like a bird in flight.
Udar
The wings of the building have eight rooms on the west side and nine on the east, making seventeen rooms on each floor, so fifty-one rooms in all. But the rooms on the top floor west are double rooms. This is done by just omitting the dividing wall between the two rooms – so making the eight single rooms into four double rooms.
Between the two wings is the centre section in which are the stairways, bathrooms and toilets.
Udar
Very soon this handsome, short-statured young man became intimate with some of us, through his childlike, lovable nature. But as he came on a special mission, a study of the building-site of Golconde, he devoted himself immediately to his job.
Mrityunjoy
His job was that of assistant architect; he had to follow his master's bidding and do the day-to-day planning of details, the calculations and drawings. He also supervised on site the erection of the formworks for the concretings, and being himself a first-class carpenter, worked alongside the local Tamil carpenters. He had to deal with coolies also.
Mrityunjoy
Antonin Raymond, the head architect of Golconde, wrote to Pavitra about his own increasing curiosity to discover the mystery behind the Ashram! Pavitra, the promising and brilliant French engineer, had befriended Raymond in Japan, and then got stuck here in Pondicherry. Now Nakashima, this young Japanese lad, a miserably pessimistic type, always a misfit and dissatisfied with everyone and everything, returns from the Ashram and tells Raymond that he wants to go back there; in fact he suggests that Raymond should send him as his assistant to continue the work, saying that otherwise he would resign from his Tokyo service and return on his own to the Ashram!
Mrityunjoy
Sri Aurobindo Ashram
Pondicherry
27th August 1937
Ref No 134/37
Mr. Nakashima
C/o Mr. Antonin Raymond, Architect
Seisho-Kwan. Ginza. 4-Chome Kyobashiku
Tokyo, Japan
Dear Mr. Nakashima, We have received today quotations for M S round bars for reinforcement, from France.
The average cost of round bars tested to French specifications, accompanied by a test certificate, works upto about Rs 170/- per ton, delivered at home.
These quotations are much more favourable than similar quotation from British India.
The Mother has, therefore, decided to order our requirements from France.
Bricks
We had decided the size of bricks to be 210 m/m x 100 m/m x 70 m/m. The brick supplier points out that 70 m/m is too great a thickness to dry in this season; and that if the bricks are not quite dry before burning they will crack. I have therefore reduced the thickness to 55 m/m. The size of brick will finally be 210 x 100 x 55.
Kindly pay my respects to Mr. Raymond
Hoping you had a good voyage, and expecting to meet you again very soon.
Best regards from Pavitra.
Yours sincerely,
(Chandulal)
Engineer, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry
Sri Aurobindo Ashram
Pondicherry
19th November 1937
Ref No 164/37
Dear Mr. Raymond,
Test digging Re: Mr. Nakashima’s letter dated the 13thOctober.
It is possible to drive a tube well of 6 inches diameter to a depth of 12.50 M as suggested by you, or to any greater depth, if necessary. There are a few contractors, equipped with tools and implements to do the boring. As the bearing power of the substrata is to be judged by an examination of the materials coming out from the boring, we believe it will be better to do the boring in your presence. We have made an agreement with a contractor who can do the boring to a depth of 12.50 M in two or three days, if no rock is met with. However, if you desire the boring to be done in advance, kindly let us know, and we shall do it, as soon as Mr. Nakashima reaches here.
Cement Re: Mr. Nakashima’s letter dated the 29th October.
We are placing an order for 300 tons of Japanese Onoda cement in casks of 170 kg net, which we expect to receive by the end of December 1937.
Yours sincerely,
(Chandulal)
Engineer, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry
In December 1937 or January 1938, the chief architect himself came to the Ashram accompanied by his wife, Mme. Noémi, and their only child, Claude, a charming little boy of eleven, full of life-energy.
Mrityunjoy
This young man Sammer was quite tall, in contrast with Nakashima who was rather short, but equally handsome, energetic and simple. He was Czechoslovakian by birth and nationality, and spoke French better than English in communicating with non-Czech people. I still remember his first meeting with some of us, as we were working on the site that was to become Golconde. Without waiting for any introduction by Raymond or Pavitra, this simple-natured person came directly to us and said, "Mon nom est Sammer." This was enough for us to accept him quickly into our fold and into our hearts.
Mrityunjoy
Upon my arrival, I tried to impress the client by the efficiency of our work, by the exactitude of our estimates and the rigid working schedule that I intended to follow. I found out eventually that it did not matter how long the job took, nor did it matter very much what it cost. What was important was that the process of building should be a means of learning and experience in the life of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, where not only the spiritual but all other aspects of man’s nature must be developed and perfected.
Antonin Raymond
All my dealings were with the Mother. My interview with Sri Aurobindo was of a few minutes’ duration. I stood before him as he sat facing me. Neither of us said a word. Nevertheless I was profoundly impressed by the peace and beauty of his countenance and an extraordinary light which emanated from him.
Antonin Raymond
It is difficult in a few words to convey the idea of the significance of the Mother. To the disciples of the Ashram, she was both their spiritual guide and the manager of things secular. She was always intently watching over the welfare of each individual, seeing to particular needs of each one, for each disciple lived according to his own particular rule. The Mother is a truly remarkable person, organizing everything concerning this large organization, giving out instructions to every individual of the community as to his duties, and even as to his daily work and diet. Among many other things, she took care of the accounts for the design and construction operations. Her attention even to the smallest details of the administration of this complicated community filled me with wonder and seemed often quite miraculous.
Antonin Raymond
The purpose, a matter of fact, of the dormitory was not primarily the housing of the disciples; it was the creating of an activity, the materialization of an idea, by which the disciples might learn, might experience, might develop, through contact with the erection of a fine building.
Antonin Raymond
Time and money were of secondary value. This situation was quite other than the usual one of being pinched between a client and a contractor. Here everything was done to free the architect completely so that he might give himself entirely to his art and science.
Now the real work began in full force. Raymond's original idea was that the entire construction the building should take about six months. The total estimated cost was one lakh of rupees, of which Rs. 75,000 was for the actual construction; Rs. 25,000 to cover salaries and other items.
Mrityunjoy
The first shock to the chief architect, a formidable one, came when the Mother announced that Sri Aurobindo did not approve of his proposal to employ four to five hundred workmen daily for the work. Sri Aurobindo had said, she explained, that employing outside workmen would bring in some "labour movement" which would spoil the Ashram atmosphere, and this could not be allowed.
Mrityunjoy
Except for Nakashima and Sammer, the Czech architect, I had only the disciples of the Ashram to work with. Many offered their services, including scientists, engineers, bankers as well as those who had no specific education or tra ining. I found them to be most industrious and very capable.
Antonin Raymond
Apart from the professionals—the architects who came from abroad to design and guide the construction of Golconde, and the local craftsmen and labourers who were employed on it—many sadhaks of the Ashram were involved in the realisation of the Mother's project.
Shraddhavan
My particular task was to design and help construct Golconde, a multi-story dormitory for the disciples. This was to be the major structure in the Ashram. It was to be one of the first high-strength, reinforced concrete buildings in India. Since the design was to be completely open, the task was to build a straightforward structure that would solve the problems peculiar to this type of architecture in a tropical country. Since ventilation was important, large horizontal louvers were installed. These could be closed during the rains, which at times would come in horizontally. All of our architectural problems had to be solved within the spirit of Sri Aurobindo’s teachings.
Sundarananda Nakashima
“It required a supreme boldness on the part of the Mother to push through her idea, knowing very well the limited and obscure conditions in which it had to be worked out – through an inexperienced engineer, a handful of assistants with little or no technical training, and a few unskilled labourers who had never even seen a reinforced concrete building, let alone worked on constructing one.”
Mrityunjoy
It is almost impossible to imagine the magnitude of the task that the Mother undertook, in addition to her detailed management of the rest of the Ashram with its thousand and one odd problems, and her personal contact with the hundreds of Ashramites in various forms both psychological and physical.
Mrityunjoy
Not only was the life in this Indian monastery the revelation of another way of life but the conditions under which the work of the building was done were so remarkable when compared to those we had known in this materially bewildered world, that we lived as in a dream. No time, no money, were stipulated in the contract. There was no contract. Here indeed was an ideal state of existence in which the purpose of all activity was clearly a spiritual one.
Antonin Raymond
Chandulal, who was then the chief engineer, was the most devoted worker of all; his life was dedicated to the service of the Mother. He ate only the Ashram food, slept on a mat and pillow on a cot, dressed always in half-pants and Ashram sandals, and had no other hobbies than the Building Service. The Mother had great confidence in him. Yet he had never had any experience with reinforced concrete, or with such a big building as Golconde. His junior engineer, Jatindranath Baul, who came a little later, knew much more in this respect.
Mrityunjoy
Mother:
4.9.37
My dear child, your observations are correct; this sincerity is the sure way to make progress.
I bless you very affectionately.
Chandulal
O, Sweet Mother,
Mr. Raymond needs a paper tray on his table to keep all the letters that Vishnu has to classify or type. Will You give me something, O Sweet Mother?
Salutations to You, marvellous Mother.
Translated from the French (from Chandulal’s notebook)
Mother:
The Japanese baskets like the one Nakashima has, are the best. I’ll see if I have one, otherwise you will have to give him yours.
Blessings.
The necessary materials and equipment, such as combustion engines running on oil, winch parts, wood-sawing and planing machines, were shipped from Japan, unloaded at the Pondicherry pier and brought to the Ashram.
Mrityunjoy
Steel bars of various lengths and diameters were ordered from France; zinc sheets to be used for the window-louvers were ordered from Italy; electrical sanitary appliances most of the other fittings were to come from Japan.
Chandulal
15.6.38
O Sweet Mother,
The contractor in charge of drilling the bore-well has brought about forty pipes this afternoon!!!
Mother
Magnificent!
Translated from the French (from Chandulal’s notebook)
Chandulal
(...) After the meditation, Mr. Raymond spoke to me about the visit [of the Governor] and I told him what I wrote to the Mother. He said it was not necessary to show the governor the circular saw and that he will probably to the "experiment room ".
Salutations to You, O Sweet Mother.
Mother
I think it is better to let Raymond guide the governor and show him everything; if some explanations are needed, you will provide them. That will make things simpler and easier for you. I am not sure if it is necessary to take him to Harpagon. This place is a little disorganized (untidy) and does not give a good impression after the visit to the main site. But here too let Raymond decide.
It is better if each one remains in his place and does his work.
Blessings.
Shanti Doshi, at that time a young boy, was given work by the Mother in the Golconde. We reproduce here the Mother’s letter to him:
I wanted to ask you something. You know that we want to put up a new building, using the most modern methods. A great many workers are needed to supervise the work. I thought the time had come for you to take an active part in the overall work. Of course this will imply regularity, steadiness and a great sincerity. You would have to work eight hours a day regularly Sundays. The architects, who will arrive from Japan in a few days, will give you all the instructions required for the work. Tell me what you think of it, and whether I can put your name on the list of workers.
The Mother
1 February 1938
I am happy with the work You have so graciously granted me. O Mother, let me feel Your presence constantly.
Shanti
10.2.1938
I am glad that the work pleases you. I am sure that it will do you a lot of good to work; it increases receptivity considerably.
The Mother
June 16, 1938
Dear George:
Please convey my appreciation to Mr. Chandulal for the report and data of the loading tests. Mr. Raymond’s commentary on the 3rdload test and his proposals and opinions have been noted and I am on the whole in favourable agreement with his ideas.
I am told that Mr. Raymond intends to continue on his journey soon. Please convey our regards to the Raymond family. With best wishes to you and Sammer, I remain,
Cordially,
John Minami
Soil test and bearing power of soil
Test excavations were made at 4 places on the building site, and experiments were made with “Compressimètre Desinfary” to evaluate the resistance of the soil. The results obtained were plotted on sketch No.P5 and on a graph and sent to Japan through Nakashima
The building was designed with bearing capacity of the soil at 2 tons/ i.e. 22 tons/m2.
Apart from an architectural model, a full scale prototype room was made before starting the actual construction. The execution of the building left nothing to chance. A laboratory was set up for testing cement, aggregates, sand grading and test blocks of concrete etc. (in 'pre-standardisation’ days). A workshop was set up to custom build all fittings required in copper, bronze and brass. A machine was designed to cut large size cuddapuh stone tiles for the floor.
from the Brochure GOLCONDE
As it was the first building of this kind, a mini-Golconde – a one-room model was built first. Nakashima's job was that of assistant architect; he had to follow his chief’s bidding and do the day-to-day planning of details, the calculations and drawings. He also supervised on-site the erection of the form-works for the concreting.
Chitra Sen
Jotindranath Baul was an engineer trained in England, who worked for the Tatas on dams. His superior was a Mr. Kohl, a 60-year old specialist engineer from America.
Anurag
Chandulal and Nakashima built the first trial model room of Golconde. Nakashima gave a beautiful picture of the engineers working here: "When it came to the construction, there were three of us working on it: Jotin Baul, a Bengali engineer, Chandulal, the Ashram engineer and myself. We had to work together on it. It was a team work. We got going on the building. The three of us supervised. Everyone pitched in and it was a wonderful kind of feeling. "
Sundarananda
We talked everything over with Mother. She was interested in all the details. She had an amazing knowledge of what we were doing and what was going on with the construction principles. She took my design and recommendations and gave me her opinion.
Sundarananda
As project architect, Nakashima developed many of the building’s careful construction methods and details on site. During his stay, he maintained a meticulous diary of the construction progress (a practice followed by several members of the Ashram, as a way to regularly communicate with the Mother) and dutifully submitted it to the Mother for her commentary.
from “The Introduction of Modernism in India”
Dear Mother,
Pavitra has told me about keeping a notebook of things which pertain to Golconde. It makes me happy to think of being able to do such a thing. May I be more and more an instrument by which Thy work may be done. May my ego be overcome.
[Sundarananda]
 |
Mother:
Our blessings are with you in your endeavour
30 April 1938
The organisation is more and more complicated and I am more and more anxious. I don’t know where all these obstacles are coming from; up to now everything was going well.
Shanti
Mr. Raymond wants a particular organisation; he himself has explained to me what he wants and I fully agree with him. It is the resistance of egoism in certain people which is complicating the situation-otherwise everything would be very simple.
The Mother
2 May 1938
Mother, do You know that I am thinking all the time about the work-which perhaps is not very good.
Shanti
On the contrary, it is very good; it teaches you to concentrate.
The Mother
Girdharlal has asked Sundaranand [Nakashima] to teach him how to read the plans, everyday from 2 pm to 2.30 pm. Sundaranand is asking for your approval.
Mother:
I have no objection if it does not interfere with the work.
Mother:
The list of the 33 missing parcels has obviously been added later on, and it is also obvious that one has forgotten to correct the figure on the first page: it should be 33 and not 18. Maybe you could bring it to the notice of the accountant and request him to add: except for 18 parcels + 15 parcels fallen into the sea = 33 parcels.
Translated from the French (from Chandulal’s notebook)
Nakashima:
I have asked Jyotin if he would teach me a little Bengali and he said he would be glad to do so. May I go to him in the morning say twice a week?
For some time the idea has come to me to start again to paint. Tiny voice has been giving me some encouragement. Anilkumar has asked me a number of times to go with him and next Sunday we have planned to make a little sketching trip.
It will be after about 10 years when I gave up painting because of the feeling that it was too personal and egoistic.
My Father writes from Portland, Oregon (USA) of about 80 people who are interested in Sri Aurobindo there, meeting once a month to discuss His teachings.
My mother also from there says my new name is “so nice” especially since Sri Aurobindo gave it to me.
Devotedly, Sundarananda Sep 2, 1938
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The Mother:
I have no objection provided it is not too much work for you and him.
Love and blessings.
Mother,
The shaded portion of the west wing is now erected. We plan to do the remaining corridor cantilever (W7) and take final adjustments along with the necessary steel this coming week with a proposed concreting of the first room (W5) about Tuesday the 24th Feb. as soon as the concrete has set the same wall formwork used for this room would be reutilized at the ends shown dark.
In the meanwhile we would go ahead with rooms W2 and W3 and W8 when its end wall is ready.
Sundarananda
 |
One more carpenter can be given for removing the formwork – but it would be better, I think, that the carpenter who has erected the formwork should remove it as he will know better how it was done.
Blessings,
The Mother
The removal of the formwork is a fairly big task. Last week Jyotindra and I have spent a good deal of our time in that work and have succeeded in removing only a part of the first room.
As a permanent arrangement I wonder if another supervisor could not be had to attend to this.
Sundarananda
 |
Aside from the removal there is a good deal of work incurred such as scraping, oiling, transportation of forms to new site, and chipping out the tying wires and bad concrete. Devotedly,
Sundarananda
I shall see if it is possible to find somebody for that.
The Mother
In the case of Golconde, the details were innumerable and became more and more complicated—externally because of the war, internally because of the upsurge of the lower vital elements in us: egoistic feelings, love of power, a display of tactics among co-workers.
Mrityunjoy
March 26
With proper cooperation a way should be found to make this work go smoothly. Although we must do with the present number of men this week it appears that one more coolie and one more boy will be necessary on a permanent basis. Especially since one boy has been absent for about a week. Devotedly,
Sundarananda
Blessings, the Mother
He (Nakashima) was very friendly with the workmen. though my work was more with the concreting machines (the crude-oil engines, winch, hopper and vibrator) and with the steel-framework (bending, laying, and tying the iron rods of different diameters), I was in fairly close contact with him, and so I had a good opportunity to observe and appreciate the neat, meticulous, concentrated, hardworking and cheerful spirit of the typical Japanese character. Gradually I noticed that not only was his work going on outwardly for the construction of the building, but work was going on inwardly in him too, for the construction of himself. The fact that he would not miss the pranam and Meditation, that he stopped taking pocket-money for his work, that he took his food in the dining room like all the rest of us, even that Sri Aurobindo gave him a new name, "Sundarananda", by which he came to be known to us thereafter, all speak for his sincere inner work.
Mrityunjoy
"Golconde was something of a ‘do-it-yourself’ project. I found myself not only the designer, but something of a general contractor." He worked in close collaboration with Chandulal, the Ashram engineer. “It was the first high-strength reinforced concrete building in India.”
George Nakashima
Since Pondicherry didn’t have a wharf, the steel was brought in from a freighter anchored in the Bay of Bengal on boats made of palm trunks lashed together. By the time they were unloaded on the beach, the steel rods had been bent so much that they looked like a mass of spaghetti. From the shore they were dragged by bullock carts to the building site, where long lines of labourers hammered them straight.
Sundarananda
When the steel for the Golconde construction was brought in the carts to the site, "The Mother had stipulated that there should be no noise when unloading steel (so as not to disturb Sri Aurobindo) So it was done. Tons of steel bars, not just a dozen or so, brought down from the carts without noise! How they did it I cannot envisage. I can only lose myself in admiration."
from Mother India, Jan 1998, p 99, Poornananda
We had to be extremely careful to get concrete that held together instead of breaking off the aggregate. Mother was very insistent that it be of the highest quality. We got a very good quality with proper strength.
Sundarananda
The fact is that from the first stage of the real concreting work, the unskilled labour and lack of modern equipment proved to be a big obstacle to the planners.
Mrityunjoy
Kalyan, a hydrological engineer by profession, was part of the concreting team. After each day’s work he would go to the Mother who listened very attentively to his report of all the work that their team had done that day.
Mrityunjoy
Romen, a young man, was in concreting work. Soon after, Romen left the Ashram for some time. Sanjivan, with the Mother's approval became also a part of the concreting team under Chandulal. He worked right from the basement up till the roof on the curved tiles. It was a precision work of rolling etc. After curing with water overnight if there was any mistake it would break apart. The work of the curved tiles was exciting and demanding. Sanjivan worked with the vibrator in concreting work. He came in close contact with Antonin Raymond, Sammer and Nakashima. Both Raymond and Sammer were also painters in water-colour and the Ashram artists learnt a lot from them due to this interaction.
Mrityunjoy
"I never knew that I would be one of the main workers at Golconde for five, six years, dealing with the labourers and the technical group of workmen with sand, cement, crude oil and machines. But it became one of my main jobs; some days I even worked 14 hours there, especially when a big concreting work was on ...
I was a layman from the standpoint of construction work: but Sammer and other engineers and architects instructed and guided us so well that after one or two years we could understand as well as any supervisor or technical advisor, and we conducted the work with the workmen very confidently."
Mrityunjoy
“Poornananda needed no assistant and kept no stock-book. He had it all in his head. Any item moved or removed at once caught his eye ... He often claimed, referring to the construction of Golconde, that no other work had been done with the same spirit since then in the Ashram."
from Mother India, Jan 1998, p 99
Poornananda and Khirod both from the Ashram Building Service were in-charge of the store. The store was situated on Harpagon Land. "They were given the job of keeping stock and taking care of all the steel rods used for the building. It seems the rods were always neatly stacked according to size and there was not a spot of rust on them!" In the store all the cement bags were rearranged every day from top to the bottom of the pile. This was done to prevent the possible hardening of cement which could have happened if stacked in one place for too long a time."
Mrityunjoy
September 1938
Chandulal:
I had asked Sammer to check if the casing was all right. Today again I asked him to go and check. He said it is not bad. I ask for the vibrator, I give instructions for mixing the concrete. It works fine.
Sammer said:
"Chandulal, look: this plank is not straight. Better straighten it (rectify that).
Finished I ask them to stop the work.
We have to call for the carpenter Maniappa for he works with Mritunjoy. I cannot straighten the plank immediately. The work is postponed till this afternoon.
Mother:
What a waste of labour and materials! If indeed the plank wasn't straight, one should have noticed it before starting. But once you start, how can you stop the work?
Mother: September 1938
Each one thinks only of himself and wants to prove at any cost that he is right, and as a result the work is badly done, money is wasted in the most horrible manner, and time passes in vain. If things continue in this way, I prefer to close the site and stop the work until Raymond returns. Blessings.
Translated from the French (from Chandulal’s notebook)
September 14, 1938
Even during my fever there was a fine feeling of strength entering my body but these last few days there has been a deep feeling of melancholy overcoming me. It usually makes me want to withdraw into myself – as a young boy at such a time I would like to go into the forest, or mountains, or lake alone to try to find the answer.
Humbly,
Sundarananda
Try to find out the peace, strength and light that are behind the superficial melancholy and you will make a big spiritual progress.
Blessings,
The Mother
Dear Mother,
Pertaining to the roof drying area – it is divided into three parts, one part under roof for wet weather and two parts open.
Under the proposed scheme the 3rd the smallest and higher than the others with a lower wall would be lost. I had thought this would be permissible as clothes would dry faster in the open rather the covered area,
Devotedly,
Sundarananda
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The Mother:
The idea seems to me good. But is it necessary to take a decision just now? It is difficult to make a final decision before Mr. Raymond is back.
Blessings
Dear Mother,
Before having been taken ill the question came up as to whether there were enough toilets. A few days ago upon asking Chandulal what had been decided he explained to me the various proposals and what had been sketched but there was another one which was suggested to Sammer which might bear consideration.
It is to make the laundry a toilet, moving the laundry to the roof and [the] tank up another flight… There would be a stairway and access to the laundry and drying area without going outside as is now necessary.
Sundarananda
If the drying area is taken away from here, where would it go? It is a rather indispensable item.
The Mother
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19.10.38
I don't know why I have lost my peace and self-control. I pray to You: give me the right attitude and peace in all circumstances.
My salutation to You. O Sweet Mother
Chandulal
Mother:
What a pity! You may be a little tired. I hope you sleep well. I would like you to go to bed earlier. Is all this work after the meditation (meetings, accounts, etc.) really indispensable? To remain master of oneself, one must have enough time to turn oneself inwards and regain one’s calm and tranquility.
Translated from the French (from Chandulal’s notebook)
November 5, 1938
Mother,
Recently we had several interesting visits to the work being done for the Travaux Publics. The foreman there is a man of much experience and gave us much good advice on local and Indian practice.
Sammer is against asking him to our site because he might see “comme nous sommes fous”. Of course our work is amateurish which is all the more reason why it would be beneficial to have such an experienced man come. He showed much interest when we mentioned it and perhaps there are some of our special things which would interest him. I wonder if we might return his courtesy?
Only last night I heard from Jatindra about what wood is used for f.w. in Calcutta. He said he was surprised when he saw that we were using mango – that in Calcutta the contractors would not think of using it. Unquestionably it is a beastly wood for this purpose as it is unruly, warps badly, shrinks and contracts.
When we first saw it after coming to Pondicherry we almost despaired of doing f.w at all but as Chandulal said it was the only wood available we have made the best of it. It is in such points where a man of experience can help us. Devotedly,
Sundarananda
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The Mother:
Pavitra will give you my answers.
Blessings,
1.11.38 Chandulal:
O Sweet Mother,
I ask for your forgiveness for all the mistakes I have made and I kiss Your Feet with love and joy.
Salutations to You. O Sweet Mother
Mother:
My dear child, you are quite forgiven and I give you my blessings.
Translated from the French
November 1938. Chandulal:
O Sweet and Divine Mother,
Today was an exceptional day for me.
The feeling of gratitude fills my heart and makes me weep. The joy that I feel surpasses the joy that You give me when You kiss me on the forehead.
I regret all the lost opportunities You gave me, lost because I was not open to You, when You "scolded" me — really scolded! – in the past.
I rejoice today because I was conscious that my attitude was not correct, and as soon as Mother showed me my mistakes I admitted them immediately. (...)
How patient You are! Each time You made the same effort to convince Yourself that I had made some progress in the meantime and that this time Your effort will not be in vain. But alas! how disappointed You have been!
If to be open just for a moment gives so much joy and solves so many problems, what will it be for those who can remain open all the time! I marvel at the very thought of it, and I pray to You from the very depths of my being to help me remain open in this way always and for ever!
Scold me always, Sweet Mother. Mentally, I open myself, retrospectively remembering all the occasions when You scolded me, so that my joy may increase.
Mother:
It is good.
Chandulal:
I kiss Your Feet, I sing Your praise and I salute You, O Mother Divine.
Mother:
With my blessings.
Mother:
Now that your eyes have opened, you must never again commit the same mistake. My force is always with you to help you overcome your weaknesses. With my blessings.
Sundarananda:
The water would come from the well into two cisterns — the push carts backed to the edge and the material dumped in, then washed by hand and lifted up by hand to the washed storage area. There could be two or more cisterns, one to be discharged and one or more where the material is being washed. If the bullock carts came faster than what can be handled the material is stored in the space allotted to it. There would be a certain initial cost because of the supply line and a discharge clay pipe line. Besides that there would be little additional cost.
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The Mother:
The idea seems good. You can see with Chandulal how it can be worked out.
Sundarananda:
Upon examination I have found the level of water in our artesian well sufficiently high to run a pipe line to a sunken cistern, from there directly into the canal all by gravity. There would be no lifting of water and lifting of the washed material only once as it could be so arranged so that the sand or gravel could be dumped directly into the cisterns to be washed. Khirod says the carts could be asked to come at certain regulated intervals so that just enough time lapses for the washing and discharging of the cistern.
The Punjabi ordered through Kanai came back as a short sleeved shirt, the kind I use on work. As I am told a Punjabi can mean only one thing. Do some of these people run into fog during their higher ascent? -Devotedly,
Sundarananda
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Mother:
There must be some misunderstanding. Keep the short sleeved shirt and ask once more for a Punjabi — Herewith a chit for it. Blessings
November 28, 1938
Mother
… The last concreting day we all felt was the most successful to date. With good results the mixing time for one room was 2 ½ hours with no particular strain on anyone. Chandulal had organised the workmen in a fine fashion with his “dress rehearsal” the night before.
Jatindra who has good experience surveying in the Assam jungle says there should be no error in the instrument at all for these short distances and at the most 2 or 3 mm for the human element.
Sundarananda
Dec 4, 1938
For the window ledges we are preparing three small sets of formwork. I wonder if it would possible to make one set of teak boards just to see how the two woods react? These three sets can be reutilized 17 times if the wood is good.
Devotedly.
Sundarananda.
Mother:
Yes, Blessings
 |
Chandulal:
O Sweet and Divine Mother,
Since a few days I was not getting peace. I was not happy, I knew vaguely that in my work I did not have the right attitude. I was struggling and from time to time I managed to see things clearly, then I fell back into the darkness.
Yesterday evening and during the night I prayed ardently to You to give me the light and guide me. And my prayer has been fulfilled....
Now I have regained my peace; it is the obvious proof that I have become conscious and I pay homage to You for that. I rejoice that this transformation is taking place in me, and I ardently pray to You to hasten it. My attitude towards those who serve You has changed. Make it even more Correct. How to erase completely the past?
Mother:
Reject completely the feeling that one person is superior to others because no one is superior or inferior to anybody in front of the Divine.
Translated from the French- From Chandulal’s notebook
8.12.38. Chandulal:
O Sweet Mother,
The "Entrance”: to manage to keep the steel rods in position so that they don't move after they have been placed, and the columns remain perfectly centered is a difficult job. Many trials and errors are needed before one can find the best method.
A prayer: Give me the light to solve most efficiently the problems that come up, and establish the harmony between all those who work for it.
I bow before You and kiss Your Feet.
Mother:
Blessings.
Translated from the French (from Chandulal’s notebook)
... Jatindra who has good experience surveying in the Assam jungle says there should be no error in the instrument at all for these short distances and at the most 2 or 3 mm for the human element. He says usually one allows only about 12m/m in a mile or about 30 readings – less than a millimeter per reading.
His opinion is that whoever does the leveling it should be checked by someone else.
We are stopping the erection work for the time being.
Devotedly,
Sundarananda
 |
This is far too serious a matter to be decided hastily — I first thought that none but Mr. Raymond should make a final decision – but he is so far away…
As things stand the first step to be taken is the verification of the leveling. This verification will be made by Pavitra with the help of Jyotindra who might hold the staff or check its holding and of Chandulal who will give the necessary explanations.
Pavitra, Chandulal and Jyotindra are informed.
Blessings
The Mother
 |
Mrityunjoy, a sadhak who joined the Ashram in 1929 also worked in the construction work of Golconde. He has left a written account of his experiences of that time.
Chitra Sen
22 Jan 1939
... As Tulsi has had experience delivering concrete for the main portion basement slab and also with concrete work in general, I wonder if he could not be released from his other duties for this time and in the future once or twice a month to help us in concreting?
Devotedly, Sundarananda
The work given to Shanti Doshi was to supervise the preparation of the wooden frames for concreting of pillars and floor.
Chitra Sen
8 Jan 1939
Mother ... Shanti now with the pressure of the entrance portion, has almost more work than he can handle.
Devotedly,
Sundarananda
Blessings, The Mother
Noren Singh, a young man of nineteen became an Ashramite in 1939. His work was to choose the correct diameter of the rods, get them cut and bent as per the plan. He assisted also in the concreting work when needed.
Mrityunjoy
Uday Singh Nahar, on his long visits would work in the concreting section. Later on he stayed here permanently and continued to do the same work.
Chitra Sen
Abhay Singh worked with Pavitra in his Ashram workshop, he worked with the vibrator during the concreting work.
Mrityunjoy
Girdharlal, a mathematician, also worked here. The steel rods were stored according to their dimension and length. Girdharlal helped Noren Singh to choose the right length of rods required for his work from the main stock so that there would be minimum wastage of steel rods.
Mrityunjoy
9 April 1939
... Dikshit said it is necessary to have permission for such a piece. It is about 2 metres x 20 cm x 2 cm — I believe about rupees 4.5. it could be used for practically the whole duration of the work.
Devotedly,
Sundarananda
You can say to Dikshit that the permission is given.
The Mother
Later, to some of his art students and to a few friends, Sanjivan recounted something interesting. He had told them that the Mother had instructed them to choose only the “living pebbles” for the concreting work – and that is what they did.
Sanjivan
“All nails used for the frames for concreting would be straightened, counted and used again. Hundreds of nails were required every day. The store was maintained with scrupulous care, where ‘every nail counted’ ”
Antonin Raymond
P.S. May I have an allowance this month? I have a birthday on the 24th of May and would like to give a little refreshment to the workmen at that time if I may.
Devotedly,
Sundarananda
Will you let Amrita know how much you require?
Blessings,
The Mother
May 21st
Mother,
Since the men have worked well and hard, with the finish of this floor, may we give them a little refreshment one day this week? I have a birthday on the 24th but since the last room will be finished about Friday perhaps the later day would be better.
We had in mind something about like this:
a) Stop work about 5 pm and all go to Harpagon, then have:
b) Refreshments
1. Sirop de Coco
2. Bread with jam
3. Chocolate
Sundarananda
Mother:
You can ask ice from Pavitra and bread from Dyuman. If necessary Dyuman can buy two or three bottles of syrup from Standard.
Blessings,
The Mother
Our tea party to which I thought only about 30 would come grew and grew until it almost overflowed Harpagon. In a simple way we managed however.
Sundarananda
3rd May, 1939
Mr. T Endoh, Secretary
Antonin Raymond, Architect
Seisho 7th Floor
Ginza 4 Chome
Tokyo, Japan
Dear Endoh San,
The plumbing material sent under 2nd and final lot, Jan, 25thfrom Yokohama per SS Akagisan Maru has been checked according to list 1/39 and some parts have been found missing. A detailed account is herewith attached. If you could have Mr. Nishihara recheck this and if the parts are to be supplied will you kindly ask him do so?
The work is progressing somewhat better and we hope to have the concrete of the ground floor finished about the end of May. We are doing approximately two rooms every two weeks, although the hot season has started both Sammer and myself are in good health.
With all kind regards to Sugiyama, Yoshimura and yourself,
Sincerely yours,
Nakashima
May 14
It is time to start the struts for the upper floors. The question presents itself of whether we should not use eng-wood instead of scaffolding wood. The latter are ... irregular with twists, knots, bark, making it difficult to properly place bracing ...
Devotedly,
Sundarananda
Mother’s handwriting:
Perhaps you do not know the difference of price between the scaffolding wood and the eng wood. The scaffolding wood is paid Rs. 6 a ton while the eng wood is paid Rs. 100 per ton.
The Mother
June 4, 1939
I wonder if it would be possible to have an interview sometime this month? It is about my departure which should be during the month of September. Although my parents make no demands they are anxious to see me as it has been some years since I have been home.
Devotedly,
Sundarananda
Mother’s reply:
I shall see you at Pavitra’s place Sunday the 25th at 6.15 pm
Blessings
June 11th
Mother, the heat is causing us a good deal of trouble because of shrinkage. In 50 cm we have sometimes 5 mm less which makes a shrinkage of 1%. It is considerable and makes it difficult to do accurate work. Also it seems to me the mango issued at present is inferior in quality to what we were formerly getting. The carpenters tell me some of it is not mango but the “silk cotton” tree which is common here. Khirod says it is mango. May we have a piece of teak about 8’ long (2.5) for a straight edge?
Devotedly,
Sundarananda
Yes, you may ask for it.
Blessings,
The Mother
July 2, 1939
I have been thinking that we should start soon a ramp with an easy slope for the raising of material and men from floor to floor. Now it is still possible by means of ladders but for the upper floors a better system must be devised.
Devotedly,
Sundarananda
July 23, 1939
Mother, seeing the concrete in the first room, I have been making a little investigation on the wood used for the framework ... this means that the present set will have to be entirely replaced whereas if they had been made of teak they would have lasted till the end...
Devotedly,
Sundarananda
Blessings,
The Mother
28.3.39. Chandulal:
O Sweet Mother
… “When a single man will have absolute and unshakable faith in the Mother, a constant communion between the Divine and the earth will be established.”
The adverse forces are not in me. They attack from outside. It is equally true that they are not in others. They are always hovering about in the atmosphere, impotent to do any mischief. They need a nucleus, a place, somewhere in the human consciousness in order to spread their hold.
Sweet Mother, this morning I had peace, and in this state I received what I mentioned above in my letter.
Mother:
My blessings are always with you, and also my will that you may become more and more conscious.
1939. Mother:
One thing is certain: you attach too much importance to other people's behaviour towards you. It is this hypersensitivity which is the cause of most misunderstandings.
Blessings,
Translated from the French (from Chandulal’s notebook)
September 3, 1939
Mother,
Preparations are now practically ready so that we can concrete rooms E7 and E8 on Tuesday. For September it seems we can keep about the following programme if approved:
Sept 5 – E7 and E8 Sept 23 – E3 and E4
Sept 14 – E5 and E6 Sept 30 or
Sept 19 – WI and Wall Oct 3rd – E1 and E2
Devotedly,
Sundarananda
It is all right.
The Mother
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September 3, 1939
The expenses for the trip to America will be approximately the following:
a) Trip to Calcutta (Intermediate) and about 2 weeks there Rs.100
b) Calcutta – Kobe 2nd class Rs.360
c) Yokohama – Seattle 3rd class Rs.200
total = Rs.660
As my clothes are badly eaten by moths and I must buy new ones and also as I would like to buy a few gifts, I wonder if I may ask for Rs. 750? My funds have been reduced to Rs. 1/4 with which I must pay for a British transit visa for going through British India.
Devotedly,
Sundarananda
Surely, I am quite willing to give you eight hundred rupees. (Rs. 800) and hope it will help you to meet with no difficulty during the journey. But in the present circumstances is it still possible to travel?
Blessings,
The Mother
October 1, 1939
Mother,
There seem to be boats available from Calcutta.
It will be difficult for me to leave. I hope Thy blessings will go with me.
Devotedly,
Sundarananda
I shall see you on the 4th (Wednesday) at 6 pm to give you our blessings.
The Mother
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December 4th
Mother,
Since there is not much more work for Krishnalal to do in the office and since someone is needed for frame work supervision, could he be shifted to the latter? He seems interested.
Devotedly,
Sundarananda
December 25th
... The canned cherries were fine. The Sammers, Kantilal, Krishnalal, Shanti, Jotindra, Poornananda, Yogananda came to my room for tea and a few simple things and we had a pleasant Christmas party
Devotedly,
Sundarananda
Blessings,
The Mother
Gradually our building rose. With the devotion and concentration of the Ashram spirit we were able to achieve a workmanship of extraordinary quality... There were many innovations, such as the large, thin, bowed concrete roof tiles... Special moulds were made to cast curved roof tiles of 5' x 3.5’ and 1" thick so that reinforcement did not get corroded because of insufficient cover.... (When completed the work was so well done that) the concrete had almost a metallic ring when struck, rather than the usual thud."
Sundarananda
The work was far superior both in quantity and quality. But that was because the Mother was directly guiding everything about Golconde.
Mrityunjoy
As many sadhaks as possible were pressed into service there; to anyone young or old asking for work, part time, whole time, her one cry: “Go to Golconde, go to Golconde.” It was one of Mother’s daily topics with Sri Aurobindo who was kept informed of the difficulties, troubles innumerable, and at the same time, of the need of his force to surmount them. Particularly when rain threatened to impede or spoil some important part of the work, she would invoke his special help; when for instance, the roof was to be built. How often we heard her praying to Sri Aurobindo, "Lord, there should be no rain now." Menacing clouds had mustered; strong; stormy west winds blowing ominously; rain imminent; and torrential Pondicherry rain! We would look at the sky and speculate on the result of the fight between the Divine Force and the natural force. The Divine Force would of course win: slowly the Fury would leash her forces and withdraw into the cave. But as soon as the intended object was achieved, a deluge swept down as if in revenge ... During the roofconstruction, work had to go on all night long and the Mother would mobilize and marshal all the available Ashram hands and put them there. With what cheer and ardour our youth jumped into the fray at the call of the Mother, using often Sri Aurobindo's name to put more love and zeal into the strenuous enterprise...."
And that is how this beautiful structure could be realized on the physical plane.
Nirodbaran (Twelve Years with Sri Aurobindo)
Agnes recalls that one afternoon Franςois came home to B House deeply moved. ‘I have just witnessed a miracle!’ he said, and recounted that on the building site they were discussing a certain technical problem that none of them could think of a solution for. They were two engineers: Pavitra and Chandulal and two architects: Franςois and Sundarananda.
After long and fruitless arguments, Pavitra suggested they present the problem to the Mother and see what she could offer. Franςois said, ‘But we can’t disturb her with a matter of this kind. It is for us to solve. She has no training in engineering.’ Pavitra said, ‘You’ll see, come, let’s go’.
Mother received them at once and listened attentively to the explanations of the difficulty. After a few moments of silence she said, ‘Can it be done so…?’ and described the solution that they all agreed was the only reasonable and usable one.
But anybody who has the knowledge and experience of such a huge construction will not be able to believe that it was actually done with so few labourers.
Mrityunjoy
And yet, simultaneously on the job perfect order was maintained, every nail was counted. Among various disciples chosen to work on this building, this one engrossed in the business of testing the soil might have been a retired dentist, the one responsible for opening and closing the gate (he actually was a banker) did his job with a conscientiousness impossible to obtain in a world where a man listens for the sound of the 5 o’clock whistle. There were engineers amongst the disciples. Everyone lent a hand.
Antonin Raymond
Udar was closely connected with the Golconde work from the very beginning. The main concreting work of Golconde was over somewhere towards the end of 1945. Still a lot of work for completing the building such as fixing of the louver blades, the doors, the other fittings, completing the floor etc. were remaining. This work was taken up by Udar and his team of workers.
Chitra Sen
Golconde is built in three parts: East, West and middle portion. Little gaps are left in between these parts which are covered with copper plates. This is to avoid cracks due to heat. Golconde is also earthquake proof and is provided with a lightning conductor.
Udar
HARPAGON
The origin of the name is in itself interesting. This property, so near to the Ashram, had very little building on it and what was there was old and dilapidated, but Mother wanted it because of its position. The owner of the property, a very rich person, knew our need and so demanded a very high price and would not budge from his demand. Finally Mother said to pay him his price but that She would name the property after the owner’s nature and so She called it Harpagon. In French literature Harpagon is the name of the chief character in Molière’s play L’avare (The Miser).
Udar (Mother India, Aug 1978: 518)
“I had been given some workmen, very good ones indeed, with a traditional competence, who turned their hands well to modern machine parts. The Mother gave me a large heap of old brass vessels which had to be broken down and melted and cast in the foundry and machined.
I asked Her for some machines and She turned to Pavitra who was present and he said he could spare a hand drill. That is all the machine I started with. But Pavitra was indeed most helpful as he did all the machining work very, very well indeed in his Atelier in the Ashram main Building.”
Udar
So that is how I came to be set up at Harpagon and put up a foundry there. This foundry has now been shifted to the Coco Garden. We made all the Golconde fittings at Harpagon, cast them in the foundry and hand-finished them in the adjacent shed.
Udar
I told the Mother that I would need some money to buy certain tools etc. She went into her room and brought out one rupee which She gave me saying with a smile: “Here is money”. Though I was fairly new at the Ashram, I did not protest and understood at once what a great gift She was giving me and such a wonderful compliment.
It was a challenge and given by the Divine Mother to me who, She felt, could rise to it. Most foreign-trained engineers are desk workers and give orders. I had no desk and no one to give orders to and so had to do most of the work with my own hands – and with one glorious rupee from the Mother as a channel of Her Force into me.
Udar
Chandulal:
20.6.40
O Sweet Mother
Udar told me this evening that instead of ordering a quarter ton of samples, he ordered half a ton. It means that instead of ordering only the profiles that are not available in Madras, he thought it better to get all the profiles as it will cost a little less, and the quality should be the same. (Price: 120 rupees for half a ton.)
Mother:
Would it not be inconvenient to leave so much time between the concreting already done for the main building and the concreting for the last rooms. Jotindra might not agree. Anyway, I think it would be better to explain to him the new arrangement and have his opinion on the matter.
With my blessings.
Translated from the French (from Chandulal’s notebook)
Millie, Udar’s younger sister helped him in Harpagon workshop with his work of nuts and bolts for Golconde.
Chitra Sen
Now we come to the bolts and nuts. Mother had given me a strict order that I should not alter a single line or specification fixed by the architects. Now in drawing the bolts I do not think they were conscious of being very accurate in showing the threads and just made a nice drawing. When I counted these threads I found that there were 5 ½ to the centimeter which is not standard at all. One can have 5 or 6 but 5 ½ is out so what to do? Where could I get the taps and dies for this odd thread? And yet I was not to alter the architects’ specifications. So I finally decided to make our own taps and dies and this I did – very largely by hand and helped a great deal by Pavitra who had a lathe in his Atelier. I worked around 18 hours a day and did so much work with small files (without handles) that there grew a small hole in the palm of my right hand which is still there. It is my “glorious scar” of the Divine’s work.
Udar
The furniture which I designed tested our technical skills. The chairs, benches and tables were fashioned from great teak timber squares, sometimes two feet by two feet. These were sawn by hand with a pit saw, which required two men – one on the timber and one in the pit. It would often take half a day to a whole day to cut one board. Our method of sharpening tools was as elementary as one could imagine. We simply spread hard, coarse sand on a board and began our rough sharpening. As we worked, the sand grew finer and finer, and our tools sharper and sharper. Furniture making at Pondicherry was an elemental baptism in the craft of woodworking.
Sundarananda
Frantichek (or François, as he was known here) Sammer, a Czech architect and student of le Corbusier was Antonin Raymond's assistant. He was chosen by Raymond to go to Pondicherry to build Golconde. He was quite a tall young man who became friendly with the sadhaks and stayed here for four years. His work was more in the office, making drawings and calculations. He was on site when actual concrete laying was done. He designed the furniture of Golconde.
Mrityunjoy
The lines of the building were so beautifully designed, with the roof made of large curved cement-concrete tiles, that the whole is truly a masterpiece of architecture. Mr. Raymond brought with him his team of architects, consisting of George Nakashima, a Japanese, and Frantichek (François) Sammer, a Czechoslovakian. George Nakashima made the first drawings of Golconde and even made a model of a room. Work was started on 10thOctober 1937. I had the very happy opportunity of working with him and learning so much from him. François was a perfectionist and, very much in the manner of the Mother, believed in “perfection in detail”. The perfection of the work done at Golconde added to the fame of this building.
Udar
Here are two outstanding examples of this approach. Normally, in reinforced concrete work where large areas are cast in form work, when the form work is removed, the faces of the cast areas are plastered over and made level and smooth. But for this work at Golconde, François insisted that the surfaces be left as they were, after the form work was removed and only smoothed over with a carborundam stone. In this way, the quality of the work could be seen and so the work had to be done very carefully, there should be no holes no blank spaces and this was done by having the concrete vibrated at the time of casting. This was quite a new technique to us. The details of the form work could be seen, the joints of the planks, the screw heads and even the grain of the wooden planks. All this was part of the aesthetic detail in the architecture and those who visit Golconde are impressed by it. The other example was in the use of the wooden planks for the staircase hand-rails. François insisted that the planks should be left with all the defects in them, defects which all planks have and which are normally covered over. These small defects add to the beauty of the wood and show its intrinsic value.
Udar
Translated from the French
These balustrades, eight in number, are made of 5.50 cm. thick planks (which during the choosing of the material for the furniture had been put aside because of their defects: holes, knots, cracks, etc.) without trying to plug the gaps or otherwise correct these faults, but if possible making them more appealing. (For example, a hole which generally shows itself with a blackening crust will be carefully cleaned and wax polished; a crack too will be treated in the same way.) These planks will be attached with the bolts already embedded in the parapets and the walls.
Franςois Sammer
The handrails of the stairways are of single slabs of teak wood, left with all the defects in the wood planks showing and not covered as is usually done now. These defects are natural and add to the beauty of the wood.
This is a special quality of Golconde – to bring out the natural beauty of things used wherever possible.
Udar
DOORS
Rooms are separated from corridor by sliding doors that allow air to circulate freely when open. They have staggered slats which allow ventilation even when doors are closed. Topmost part of all doors is a skylight with sliding glass panes which also allow for wind movement.
Udar
This technique is in the steel reinforcement. Normally, in all buildings, even high rise ones, there is no steel reinforcement in the foundations. The foundations are designed only to carry the full weight of the building with adequate factors of safety. The soil is first tested to study its load bearing capacity, but I am not sure if present day builders take this precaution. For Golconde, this was done very carefully and further, the bottom of the foundations was splayed to give a larger bearing surface. This practice is not generally followed at present. But the most interesting feature is in the steel reinforcement given in the foundations. This is the earthquake proofing practice. Hence, the building is designed to rest on a foundation which is not only vertically stable, but also laterally.
Udar
Waterproofing
Five layers of rubberoid waterproofing felt and sealants were used. They were imported by Parry and Co. of Chennai. First layer of felt was kept loose over the deck and anchored only at the perimeter to provide for thermal expansion.
Udar
Structure
Independent columns and footings in high strength R.C.C. with all concrete surfaces left form finished without plaster. Verticals are correct within 3mm of the plumb giving perfect butt joints.
Roof and slabs are laid on R.C.C. frame and cantilevered for corridors. R.C.C. roof with pre-cast curved tiles on the top with a ventilated air space over the deck.
Udar
Then I felt that I needed some machines to do this work. Mother agreed but she could not spare any money for this. All she could give was an allowance of Rs200 per month. How to start a workshop on this small allowance? Nevertheless I did not press for more but accepted what she gave with joyful gratitude. Pavitra kindly gave me one small hand-drill one a stand. All the others that were needed I made myself. Later I understood the wonderful gift Mother had given me – the challenge! It is not difficult to set up a nice workshop when one has enough money for it but Rs. 200/ a month is really a glorious challenge and I am so happy now that I took it up, even not understanding it at the moment, and succeeded. It is now a source of perpetual joy of fulfillment.
Udar
The floor: it is a layered limestone found in several places in India. Here in the South it is known as Cuddapuh stone, as it comes from that district. It has been used for ages – but not as we have done in Golconde: highly polished, and with the sides cut by machine to a very straight edge. As the machines to do this were not available here at that time, I had to design and make our own machines at as low a cost as possible.
The architects had specified that the floor slabs should be laid “butt-jointed” – as is done with glazed tiles in bathrooms and so on. But for such large slabs, this meant very high-precision edge-cutting, which my machine could not manage. So Sammer, who was the architect in charge, and truly an artist, said that they should be laid with wide joints. This was done, and the result is much more beautiful than a butt-joint would have been.
This is how Mother works. She has often created difficulties so that in overcoming them we arrive at a much truer and more beautiful result.
Udar
Madan said, “The required number of stones for any particular work would be brought to a workshop facing the Golconde building, cut to size, and sent to Harpagon for polishing. Then they were taken to Golconde in consignments for laying the floor. Madan Poddar fitted the cuddapuh tiles on the passages and the staircase.”
Chitra Sen
The way of making both faces fully openable was to have both sides with openable louvers, which could be fully opened, half opened or closed by a series of simple commanding bars. In the south side, these louvered openings were directly onto the room, and on the North side, there was first the entrance sliding doors into the room and then a corridor, the full length of the wing and then the louvered openings. This is how the rooms are kept cool, the year around, even in the hot weather.
Udar
The fundamental principles of architecture — simplicity, economy, directness and closeness to nature — were consciously and consistently observed....
compiled from Progressive Architecture, March 1949 and Indian Concrete Journal, June 1949
The work [on Golconde] went on steadily, and as most of it was done by hand, it was done to great perfection. Some of the operations were delicate and very difficult, as for example pre-casting the large roof tiles 4 x 6 feet, setting the reinforcement, exactitude of form work, grading and cleaning the aggregate. It was done with an excellence such as I would not have achieved even in Japan. As a result, I was told that the dormitory building now, after 30 years, is in perfect shape and an object of admiration for all who visit it.
Antonin Raymond
Translated from the French (from Chandulal’s notebook)
9.9.40. Chandulal:
The bronze lotus for the main gates of Golconde: Udar told me that there are in town craftsmen who make bronze statues and that Purani knows them. Do You allow me to ask him, O Sweet Mother?
The work for the casing is progressing very slowly for the following reasons:
1) 2 carpenters and a helper are working at Harpagon for the construction of the shelter.
2) Several helpers are absent.
3) 3 carpenters have been dismissed.
There is a heap of mango tree planks lying at Golconde. Umirchand proposes to collect them and put them in order with the help of Kalikumar. The two stores for the masons and the carpenters will be put together under the care of Dhiranand and Kalikumar will be free to take care of the wood.
Salutations to You, O Sweet Mother.
Translated from the French (from Chandulal’s notebook)
18.9.40 (evening)
Chandulal:
I have just written to Jyotindra to tell him to do the work. But he asks for the plans and calculations, which is reasonable.
Mother:
Yes, I think it is always better to keep me informed. But you are quite wrong to be upset by things that have so little importance.
With my blessings.
Translated from the French (from Chandulal’s notebook)
3.10.40
Mother:
I think we have to give up the idea of doing the concreting tomorrow because the whole affair is a bit messy; each one is telling a different story. I have received numerous letters from Jyotindra and I would like you to read them so that you learn to see things from another perspective.
With my blessings.
At the entrance of the building a concrete wall with a teak wood door, rather rustic in appearance, protected by a marquee will attract attention. Great care is to be taken while finishing the concrete surface, which must be polished so that the marks of the cement mortar (with which we were obliged to mend the “honeycombs” in the concrete) clearly show the conglomeration and not the surface, which by its colour of fish rose grey, will look dirty.
I think that the marquee as well as the wall must be scrubbed thoroughly with rough carborandum stone then polished with a finer stone. A flush-fitting electric ceiling lamp, already bought, should be fixed on the marquee.
As for the door with its bronze lotus grille, it must be swabbed discretely with linseed oil so that it does not shine.
Franςois Sammer
Translated from the French (from Chandulal’s notebook)
14.10.40
Mother:
It is very good, my child; I was sure that it would end like this, for I know you have a good heart.
My blessings are with you.
The walls of the rooms, from east to west walls were of brick work, not load-bearing. The load was taken by the columns and cross beams. These brick walls are covered with the famous Chettinad plaster. This is a very special plaster made from the lime of sea shells and mixed with milk and curds and jaggery. The final finish is pure white and smooth that is known as an egg-shell finish. There are no joints in the plaster of the walls as the final coat is given by six masons working together and rubbing the surface with polished stones. It is a truly superb plaster and if not physically damaged, can last for a very long time.
Udar
Chettinad Plaster
Hundreds of palatial houses in Chettinad in the far south of India, built four or six decades ago and looking almost new today have never seen whitewash since they were built, but the walls have lost little of their gloss and the lustre on massive masonry pillars would easily deceive any visitor.
These buildings stand indebted to what is known as Chettinad plastering – a labour-intensive method now being lost to the country, the tribe of artisans versed in this craft is fast dwindling out.
The walls in these houses reflect more light and the rooms are better illuminated with natural light. Unlike cement, there is less heat in these buildings – an asset in tropical and humid regions.
A type of white rock found in some of the hills in Trichy is powdered and mixed with lime prepared out of baked seashells.
L. Narayanan Chettiar
The calcium found in the shells of marine insects in the sea bed near Tuticorin and Thondi is the main ingredient of this plaster. In Tamilnad these shells are known as sangu and kilinjal.
Kilinjals and sangu fished from the sea are buried under sand to kill the insects inside them. Later they are soaked in water for 10 to 15 days to clean them of any biological residue and then they are baked like ordinary lime. These yield a pure white lime that could hardly be matched by any other material. The lime and the powdered stone are mixed in definite quantities and ground on big stones of the type ordinarily used to prepare curry mixture.
The ratio of lime and stone powder varies according to the number of coats of plaster to be applied. The plaster for the first coat would contain equal quantities of lime and stone powder but the quantum of lime increases with every coating and is five to one in the last coating. Once the work of the final coating is begun it cannot be stopped till the work is complete.
After the final coating, the mason uses a special type of stone, picked from certain hills in the South, to smoothen the surface. As he rubs the stone with equal pressure over the entire plastered surface, the wall actually perspires, surrendering the water content of the plaster, which is taken off by thin muslin-type of white cloth. The use of this levelling stone is the best part of the art and on it depends the finish and the lustre. A newly completed wall could actually reflect sunlight like a piece of glass.
L. Narayanan Chettiar
Jagadishbhai of the Ashram Sanitary Service, when the building construction was over, did all the drainage and sewage connections.
Chitra Sen
Bula and his team of the Electric and Water Service workers laid down the electric lines and fixtures for Golconde. Plumbing and water connection was also his responsibility. Kalyan, already mentioned in concreting work did this whole work with him. Chandubhai was also part of the team.
The electrical pipings were concealed in the concrete ending in boxes made with extraordinary perfection, specially for check nuts, wooden bushings and earthing. The boxes were lined inside with mica foils for insulation. One light and two plugs were provided in each room. Special imported switches were used so that there would be no noise at night.
Chitra Sen
The dormitory consists of two staggered blocks of rooms facing south-east and joined by a stair tower and bathrooms. Rooms are arranged on one side of a corridor to ensure perfect cross ventilation. There are no windows on the exterior corridor wall but wooden louvers operate to close out rainy weather.
Sliding doors between room and corridor are in an open basket weave to allow air circulation across the building. The construction consists of concrete flat slab floors, brick interior partitions jogged to hold built-in furniture, wood louvered windows, a pre-cast tile roof lifted above a flat slab below to allow ventilation and cooling. The whole building is raised off the ground for dryness in wet weather and to allow the breezes to penetrate into the courtyard.
Antonin Raymond
"The plan of the building is strikingly simple. Its two long staggered wings are set at an angle on the narrow plot, thereby making the most of rather limited space. Each wing consists of a series of single rooms that are strung out along a north-facing gallery, which runs the length of the building. On both the north and south sides, the entire building surface is equipped with operable horizontal louvers to afford protection from the sun and from violent winds and rain, while allowing for ventilation; ...”
Antonin Raymond
A re-inforced concrete building to be cool in Pondicherry, with the sun shining on it almost the whole year round, is truly a difficult task without air-conditioning, which in those days did not exist. Nevertheless, Raymond did succeed in designing such a building which is relatively cool the whole year round.
Udar
The angle: Golconde is not built parallel to the street on which it stands, but has been turned slightly to face south-south-east. This has several effects. One is aesthetic: an interesting tension between the lines of the building and the outline of the plot it stands on. Others are functional: an effective use of limited space and, above all, every room thus gets the full benefit of the south-eastern breeze from the sea, ...
"The body of the building is of reinforced concrete, left natural except for the native white plaster on the east and west end-walls. The simple landscaping of the surrounding garden, with its trees and grass and shallow pools, carries out the effect of coolness that is realized structurally in the building itself.”
compiled from Progressive Architecture, March 1949 and Indian Concrete Journal, June 1949
There were many innovations such as the large, thin, bowed concrete roof tiles.
These were made at the building site with a double thickness, the lower being a concrete slab. The double thickness was important because of the almost continual intense heat of the tropics. The concrete work had almost a metallic ring when struck, rather than the usual thud.
.Sundarananda
On the top floor, the roof is a reinforced concrete slab. But over this are curved pre-cast concrete tiles which create an air space, the ends are sealed with perforated concrete tiles, so here also there is the convection air current acting, keeping it cool and also keeping the top floor rooms as cool as the ones below.
Udar
During the concreting days we had to be on the site more than twelve hours a day. Instead of six months, it took about six years to finish the concreting; it ended somewhere towards the end of 1945. (Meanwhile, by the end of 1942 all the three architects had left, due to the deterioration in the international situation.)
Mrityunjoy
The shape of the louvers are similar, in profile, to the building itself. There are two wings and a small centre section, like a Z, but with the centre line very short. The two wings are curved at the ends to lock into one another and one wing is wider than the other just as it is in the building profile.
Udar
These louvers act as walls when closed and windows when open. The corridors run along the north-west side—the side from which driving rain and strong winds can come in winter; so this gallery is not only a corridor linking the rooms, but an insulating, protecting zone. Thus the building is protected against rain and sun, yet permits the maximum air flow.
compiled from Progressive Architecture, March 1949 and Indian Concrete Journal, June 1949
The orientation was very carefully planned so that the sun could not enter any room; and the north and south sides were planned to be fully openable so that the breeze could flow through very freely.
Udar
Inside, not only the doors, but the furniture—teak with cane-bottom for chairs and beds—has been specially designed for comfort and coolness under tropical conditions...
The continuous wide window-ledge, which runs throughout all the rooms, can be used for sitting, sleeping or as a table or shelf...
compiled from Progressive Architecture, March 1949 and Indian Concrete Journal, June 1949
The Staircase
Translated from the French
Each step is paved with three selected stones, cut in a way that, exceeding the sides by about 1 cm, they cover parallelly the small surface of the inclined slab. Here the joint will be devoid of concrete (and not hollow as in other similar cases), so as to finish as the sketch indicates. This is the only place where the trimming of the stones should be elaborate. The execution must be as immaculate as possible.
Franςois Sammer
Translated from the French
As for the walls on the raised part (the “pianoform”), one, that on the east, will be formed with cubby holes to serve as a shoe rack. The south wall which rises to the level of 1.60 must also be polished carefully. The platform floor will be paved as per the division indicated in the design. This division must be rigorously adhered to so as to avoid the small triangular pieces near the curved edge. The edge too must be made of stones with the edges strictly at right angle. See design to avoid the defect indicated below –
The stones will not exceed the concrete cornice by more than a few millimetres and the joint will be slightly shallow and executed with great care.
Franςois Sammer
Translated from the French
... painters at the time suitable to them. (The Fresco). The concrete wall, opposite to the door, will be carefully repaired and very carefully polished.
Franςois Sammer
Translated from the French
Flooring in stones for the laying of which a height of 20 cm. has been reserved. The best solution will be to bring the granite stones, from a river if possible, with the edges rounded and to lay them in the sand, the hollow joint filled with cement mortar. Very free laying – the big stones equally distributed, the space in between filled with smaller stones. The garden level being higher, a stone on each side will serve as a step, as indicated in the last design of the “lotus basin”. Similar arrangement for climbing on the “pianoform” platform.
Franςois Sammer
The utility rooms are in a semi-basement; here their outer walls, only a few feet above the surrounding garden, are protected from sun and rain by the projecting floors above them; yet these walls, made of perforated slabs of concrete, allow a free passage of air and light....
compiled from Progressive Architecture, March 1949 and Indian Concrete Journal, June 1949
In the semi-basement are the service rooms. On the west is the kitchen for making tea, etc., the laundry rooms and pump room. On the eastern side are the rooms for the servants to work in and one room for ironing which is to be done by the residents. In the centre section is the large water storage tank and the boiler room.
Udar
Ventilation of the soil ducts is affected by prolongation of the soil pipe above the level of the dividing slab in the special compartment of the ventilation duct. In fact this arrangement will be similar to termination of the boiler chimney—the two extreme compartments being reserved, the west for soil ducts ventilation, the east for boiler chimney.
Ventilation of waste ducts, will be done by prolongation of the waste pipe at about the level of the soil pipe but in the central compartment of the ventilation duct.
Electricity – Connection with the city system will be done by armoured cable laid through the southern part of the garden deep enough to ensure safeguarding and covered by a layer of bricks. A hole will be chiselled in the southern concrete wall of the pump room and the cable will be connected in a box with our cable for interior use which will be concealed in a pipe and a channel to be chiselled in the floor slab. From the box the cable will proceed concealed under tiles to the meter placed aside of the distribution board on the east wall of the room. The meter will be connected with the distribution box. For all cables issuing from the distribution box, channels in the wall are provided.
Nos. 1,2,3 are concealed in the same channel in the floor slab. The suction pipe of No. 1 is in a channel already made.
The pumps will be fixed on a block of concrete which will repose directly on the concrete of the floor slab. For insulation against vibration and sound, between the block and the floor, 2 layers of rubberoid felt will be introduced. The top of the block will be tiled to form a tray. Apart of 4 bolts for the pump and motor, a trap will be installed connected by a ¾ inch pipe with the pit in the centre of the room.
Franςois Sammer
The Mother asked us to drill an artesian tube-well, and She indicated where it had to be done. When we were drilling this well, generally clay and sand were extracted; but once some black material came up, which was quite intriguing. As I then had free access to Sri Aurobindo, I took a handful of this stuff to show it to him and he asked me what it was. I said that it looked to me like half-formed coal. On hearing this, Sri Aurobindo smiled sweetly and said, “Ah then! You want to pull down Golconde and have a coal mine there?”
It was truly wonderful to hear him joke and smile. One would, perhaps, expect such a Mahayogi to be serious and ponderous, but he was always ready with a joke and a smile. He once said that one could be serious about a few small things, but about the rest, one should always laugh at them.
Years later we learnt that this black stuff was lignite and that it stretches over a wide area and forms the reason for the Neyveli lignite mining.
Udar
The high protecting wall around the entire plot not only provides seclusion but holds in the air that is cooled by the plants, green lawns and shallow pools of the attractively landscaped garden, keeps out the heat of the surrounding "ecological desert" of unshaded streets.
compiled from Progressive Architecture, March 1949 and Indian Concrete Journal, June 1949
Not only was the design of Golconde unique, but the materials and construction itself are beautiful, “like an Egyptian temple”, according to the Mother. The floors are black granite, the walls hand-rubbed seashell plaster and the woodwork polished teak, the concrete itself is of extremely high caliber,...
Sundarananda
To further the cooling current of air in summer, as often there is no movement of air at all, Raymond very ingeniously arranged that on the south side of the building, in the garden space available there should be many trees and shrubs and lots of greenery and shade; whereas on the northern side, the garden area was left rather bare.
So with the sun shining fully on the northern area, the air over it became much hotter than that on the southern side and so, the hot air rising up drew in the air from the cooler and shaded south and thus set up a convection current of air. By these means, the rooms at Golconde are always cool and did not need any fans etc as other rooms do.
Udar
Another fine approach was how beauty and utility were to be combined, (one such example is) around the Golconde building there are water tanks and water canals connecting those tanks from one side of the building to the other.
This makes a very beautiful boundary to the building as if it was tied with a silver ribbon. In the tanks and also in some of the canals there were water plants, water flowers, gold fish and such things. All this is so very beautiful. Also, these canals serve well in watering the garden. One does not have to carry the water from a distance. A pail is just dipped into the canal and the garden area nearby watered. Thus is utility combined with beauty.
Udar
Foundations
Design Bearing Capacity of soil: 15 Tons/m2 (factor of safety used=4). East wing: sand at 1.2m to l .8m below zero level
West wing: mixed clay and sand.
From water level till — 1.7m, rammed sand in layers of 10 to 15 cm topped with 10 cm size granite rubble (rammed gently with a wooden hammer into sand till it could not be displaced) and a layer of mortar upon which footing were laid for columns at a uniform depth of 1.7m.
Floor is highly polished cuddapuh stone tiles 25"x 25" with 5 mm butt joints.
SPECIFICATIONS
Spaces
3 floors with a semi-basement
Number of rooms: 51
Room area: 22m2
Total built up area: 600m2 on each floor
Plot area: 2324 m2
FAR: 0.774
Orientation: longer side facing 20°E of south
Provision of filtered water and hot water
Layout: Longer side facing ESE at an angle to the street. Western sun is shut off.
THE NORTH WEST PART OF THE GARDEN
As a rule, a creeping kind of plant will be preferred. The vegetation in the tanks should be confined to 2 or 3 spots (preferably lilies) so that the area covered by leaves is smaller than the open water. Paved footpath will have very hardy grass planted in its joints, also some tiny and hardy creeping flowers may be introduced, but with discretion.
François Sammer
The Low Paved Portion adjacent to the entrance will be left with clay joints, so that any grass or plant which grows in the shade will have a chance. As a rule, a creeping kind of plant will be preferred. In places indicated in the drawing, clipped tea-like bushes may be planted.
As indicated in the drawing, level of the water in the tank and canals has been raised from -0.18 to -0.10, consequently a single step will connect the -0.20 paved portion with the 0.00 level of the garden. Overflow will be at –0.10, the execution of the channel remaining the same.
NOTE: Wherever possible, creepers should be planted to climb on the compound wall.
Franςois Sammer
The coconut palm may have its base covered with ‘pothus’ creeper which may even be allowed to climb up. In connection with the palm tree and the creeper, a stone rather picturesque in form may be used so that the whole will make a small rocky garden in the surrounding bareness. The seat designed in the drawing will be omitted.
Franςois Sammer
THE GOLCONDE ELEPHANTS
Some of us C Group fellows, Mona, Manoj, Gama, Kittu and others went for an outing in Millie’s jeep with Udar, to Thiruvartrai. Just on the outskirts, we saw these stone elephants, half-buried in the ground, with people squatting on the poor elephants. We decided that we would take away these elephants where they would be better cared for. There was a good deal of moonlight.
We had to dig the elephants out of the ground. We loaded them onto our jeep and started back. Suddenly it started raining heavily and our car battery failed. I sat on the bonnet with two torches to light the way, telling Udar whether the road was clear or not. I told The Mother that we had stolen the elephants. She said: Don’t use that word – you have ‘saved’ the elephants.
Vilas (as told by Gautam)
The Golconde Flag
Several years back a naval survey ship had come to Pondicherry to make a survey of Pondicherry and its environs. The purpose was to map the sea bed near the coast as the Government intended erecting a new pier to replace the old pier that had stood for over 160 years and which had been blown down by a strong cyclone.
The naval ships wanted a good point of reference for their survey work and as Golconde offered the best place for this because of its location and height, they asked permission from The Mother and raised a flag on the top of Golconde, the blue and white flag of the Indian Navy. Mother liked this flag very much and asked us to put up Her flag at Golconde when the navy flag was removed. Mother asked for the flag to be with a white background and Her symbol in blue, stamped on it. And Mother said that this flag should be flown night and day and never taken down or flown at half-mast. So this flag is there with all its beauty and power.
Udar
“Times were different. Attitudes were different. Means were less but meanings were more. The sadhaks therefore achieved much with very little. Their assets were faith, devotion and persistence or perseverance ... They, whether engineer or plain worker, poured not only their sweat but also their heart-felt love into the job. They took great pride and derived greater joy working.
They could, after long years, say with the same pride and joy: "I was there."
Batti
I really don’t know how many years it took, but it went on and I had very fine workers. I can’t say I had any kind of genius but everything came from the Mother, I couldn’t do it myself, I know that. I look back and I see that I was not a very great engineer but I tell you, if somebody is asked to solve any big problem and he comes to Mother, you can’t imagine how She can solve problems.
Udar
The Mother came to Golconde for the Japanese exhibition on 15 August 1955. The exhibition consisted of things that She had brought with Her from Japan and there were also things that were later given to Her. Mother expected me to put it up alone. However, there was a group of Japanese visitors, some of whom helped me.
Paul Ernest and Toshiko in particular, who later helped me to make tabis for The Mother. The Mother liked the tabis so much She said that they were more comfortable than the original ones.
Vilas (as told by Gautam)
The conceptual force of Golconde’s design solution remains radical even by the standards of today. In articulating an unambiguous stance toward minimal resource consumption, the building nonetheless champions a unique aesthetic.
The story of Golconde – in both design and construction – remains quintessentially international. Having outlived its designers, it celebrates their ideals of a progressive vernacular modernism, simultaneously resonant in the local and universal context.
From “The Introduction to Modernism in India”
Golconde is a miniature creation (kalpana) within the greater creation (maha sankalpana) possible only in the divine ideation carried out by the Mother.
T. Raghavaendra Rao
Even in Golconde we are divested of all superfluous possessions, which are kept in the Luggage Room in the basement as we should carry into our rooms and keep with us only the bare necessities of life and ministrations for the soul.
T. Raghavendra Rao
The Pondicherry Golconde is an upright structure several storeys high and is a specimen of superb architectural simplicity, sublime in grandeur and elegant in finish. A high wall surrounding it gives no sense of the interior grandeur to the passer-by viewing it from the outside. But once inside, one loses all sense of the outside and finds himself in surroundings of beatific silence, offering solace to the questing soul.
The fittings and furnishings make one lose all sense of want. Neither is there a paucity nor a plethora of arrangements and no one could ever feel that he has less of any service nor would he be better satisfied if there could be more of this thing or that.
T. Raghavendra Rao
The Mother said: “Golconde is not a guest house. It is a dormitory (dortoir) in which those who reside there can meditate and do their sadhana in beautiful surroundings, in very fine rooms and with many of the little daily jobs done for them, to keep them more free for their sadhana ... In the old days, the Rishis used to live in the mountains and their disciples lived in caves in these mountains. Golconde is the modern equivalent of the caves for the integral yoga of Sri Aurobindo."
Shraddhavan
In the course of a talk, a regular visitor from the Tagore family, staying in Golconde remarked:
“The peace I enjoy in Golconde makes me feel as if I were sitting in a cave.”
Narayan Prasad
The realisation of Golconde was not merely the construction of a beautiful modern home in reinforced concrete for sadhaks but a vehicle for the spiritual awakening and development of innumerable people who otherwise might not have been touched by the Light for a long time to come.
It was the first practical means of contact and communication of any important size between East and West that the Ashram has had at its disposal.
From many points of view, Golconde is a milestone (may we even say “touchstone”?) in the spiritual growth of the sadhaks and the Ashram. In its way it, too, is a temple joining men and women of all the world irrevocably to the Divine, like a “jewel” from the original mine that gave it its name.
Agni (Agnes Sammer) October 1974
In the catalogue, “Festival of India”, Golconde is singled out as “the finest example of modern functional architecture built in India in the pre-Independence period.”
Charles Correa
(an outstanding Indian architect)
“My visit this time for the Darshan of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother has been unforgettably revealing, about things I was quite unaware of. I am a practical man, dealing with sand, stone, steel and cement all the time; that has almost hardened my life. But here during these few days I discovered a new thing in life. It is not the Divine aloof in the temple, not just Sri Aurobindo in his room, but the Divine in action, making the material plastic and submissive for a new creation. You people are lucky to be tools in the hands of the Mother. I shall come again on a pilgrimage to see the building when it is ready.”
professional engineer
Many architects feel a conviction that if only they could create perfectly beautiful surroundings for people to spend their lives in, amid harmonious proportions and fine materials finely used, the entire consciousness of the inhabitants would be uplifted and refined.
Shraddhavan.
In Golconde, severity has melted into dream delicacy, sensitive lines, varied yet harmonious surfaces and a simple distribution of simple masses have magically combined to create a visual poem in space. Every aspect of Golconde is photogenic – Golconde is indeed a photographer’s dream.
Robi Ganguly
To have lived in Golconde is an enchantment to the soul and one prays for the continuous blessings of the Mother to preserve its memorable methods of life and that the discipline and enlightenment acquired there may not be easily lost, wherever destiny carries one for the rest of life.
T. Raghavendra Rao
Under the invisible guidance of the leaders of the Ashram whose presence was always felt, to whom daily all was reported, whose concern was the spiritual growth of each member of the community, I achieved the best architecture of my career. Golconde, the dormitory was called….
Antonin Raymond
All this reminds us that Golconde was conceived as a dormitory for sadhaks – and for sadhaks of an Integral Yoga: forty individuals who would be willing to put reverence for the divine consciousness in matter into the smallest details of their daily life. Clearly, to live amid these surroundings is at once a privilege and an education. Most of us are not yet ready for that; but to all who value beauty and order in daily living, and who sense the consciousness in material things, Golconde remains a lasting inspiration.
Shraddhavan
(Translated from the French)
Abandoning the canopy of the colonial style, the architect Antonin Raymond, emulator of Frank Lloyd Wright, raises in Pondicherry a prodigious soaring of lines, echo of the modernistic West and modernistic technique. We are in 1936. Since then the brilliance of Golconde, of the Ashram of Sri Aurobindo, has not weakened, nor has the spiritual breath of this Great master of the orient.
Mallory Lane
