In 1988 a small child asked this question of Sri Chinmoy
Are you a famous painter?
Sri Chinmoy: Good boy, I am not famous, but I paint. I have painted my inner life and now I will paint my outer life.
It took me hundreds and thousands of years, thousands and thousands of years to paint the inner life. And now I have started painting the outer life. God alone knows when I will complete painting my outer life.
With my inner painting I cried and cried for God the Creator. With my outer painting I am smiling and smiling at God the creation. We are all God’s creation, you and I and all of us.
Sri Chinmoy, Sri Chinmoy answers, part 34, Agni Press, 2004
Click to Play Jharna Kala Parade New York city 1976:
The date, November 19th, for those who love and admire the accomplishments of Sri Chinmoy has been associated with his Jharna Kala art now for more than 40 years. Beginning in 1974 it would be something that he never stopped expanding upon. Yet on that date, while visiting in Canada, it all began with the drawing of a rose. From this would come a flood of divine creativity. In later years he almost exclusively drew soul-birds which would eventually number nearly 16 million.
Question: How do you find the time to draw, to write, to do everything you do?
Sri Chinmoy: As you know, where there is a will, there is a way. I pray to God and meditate on God. Out of His infinite Compassion, He has given me the capacity to accomplish quite a few things. These creations of mine are not my personal belongings or my personal possessions. These are my dedicated offerings to my Inner Pilot. Out of His infinite Bounty He has given me the capacity, and it is He who receives the fruits.
Starting on January 9th of that year Sri Chinmoy began his 50 state university lecture tour which would culminate in the final talk given in Alaska on October 9th.
On February 9th Sri Chinmoy wrote 208 poems in 22 hours. Part of series of poems called The Golden Boat.
In March Sri Chinmoy gave 16 lectures in Canada, from March 16th to 29th.
In April he celebrated his 10th anniversary of coming to America.
On April 29th Sri Chinmoy wrote 360 poems in 24 hours. They were published in a book called, The Goal is Won
From June 24th to July 21st he gave 21 lectures at universities in Europe.
On November 10th Sri Chinmoy completed his 200th book.
By December 10th he had completed 1,000 paintings.
By December 28th the first exhibit of painting was held in Hollis, Queens NY
Sri Chinmoy was in Canada for 6 days that November to give a series of 4 Public Meditations that took place in Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto. On the 18th Sri Chinmoy planted an oak tree on federal parkland in Ottawa.
In dedicating the tree, he said: “O Aspiration-dawn of Canada, you will succeed. The universal earth-cry you will embody. You will proceed. The transcendental Heaven-Smile you will reveal. You will become. Infinity’s all-illumining vision you will become. You are. Immortality’s oneness-reality you eternally are.”
The public meditations for the most part were given at Universities. In Ottawa on the 19th Sri Chinmoy gave a meditation at the University of Ottawa. The next night a mediation was held at Carleton University.
At one of the meditation held in a classroom, Sri Chinmoy went to the chalk board and gave us a hint of just how spontaneous and prolific he would become.
Fortunately Sarama recorded a divine gift that would so soon be brushed away.
Eventually great galleries would be full to bursting with Sri Chinmoy’s Jharna Kala art.
Thank you very much! Please write more articles like this one. 🙂
Dear Utpal,
distriputer of our Beloved Guru´s Inspiration,
I enjoyed the articel very much. Thank you!
Dear Utpal,
Thanks for the wonderful article and photos!
What a wonderful piece of history of the Sri Chinmoy Centre you have just presented here.
Many thanks!
Satyavaha
Wow, it is great that you have access to these classic photos, and that you can share the touching stories from the past. Please keep up the good work. It is nice to see the original tree planting, as I have visited that location multiple times.
Thank you for the inspiration. Keep up the great work as a historian of all that Sri Chinmoy is.
Filled with memories and inspiration. Thank you for continuing to offer your time, talent and inspiration to create these very inspiring historical offerings!
Very grateful, Savyasachi
A million thanks, Utpal. These golden events are alive in Guru’s universal heart, and the joy and light they offer are still manifesting in the world, and will surely increase their presence as time goes on. We are grateful to remember the sweet beginnings of Jharna kala. Gratitude. Keep it up! Any of these special offerings are spiritual life-blood to us all!
Kaushalya
How precious–it brings back so many memories. Thanks for this. Sugandha
Dear Utpal, Thank you so much. The photos are precious! Bhadra
Without your heroic endeavors, the miraculous life of Sri Chinmoy would not have come into such brilliant Manifestation -Existence, Gratitude
What a wonderful memory of Guru from the 1974 parade in Canada. I recognize some of the faces from the Ottawa centre, Byron, Ben, Wendy, Mukti and her youngest daughter, plus several I know but can’t remember their names…. so long ago. Thank you for this remarkable account of Guru’s amazing achievements!