- Date
- 21 February every year
- Venue
- Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Puducherry
- Nearest railway station
- Puducherry
- Nearest major airport
- Chennai
When it happens
The Mother's birthday falls on 21 February and is one of the ashram's darshan days, when visitors come in especially large numbers. The ashram marks several other dates through the year as well.
- 21 February: the Mother's birthday
- 15 August: Sri Aurobindo's birthday
- 17 November: the Mother's Mahasamadhi day
- 24 November: Siddhi Day
- 5 December: Sri Aurobindo's Mahasamadhi day
How it is celebrated
The heart of the day is the samadhi in the ashram courtyard, where the Mother and Sri Aurobindo rest. People queue quietly to lay flowers and bouquets, and many stay to meditate. Students from the ashram school sing devotional songs, and the day often includes music concerts, dance performances and short plays.
The mood is calm rather than festive. Dress modestly, keep your voice low and switch your phone to silent inside the ashram. Photography is generally not permitted in the samadhi area.
Where to see it
Everything centres on the main ashram building in the White Town area near the seafront. Expect a long but well-organised queue on the day, so arrive early in the morning if you can. Book your stay well ahead, as guest houses fill quickly around darshan dates.
How to reach
Frequent buses run to Puducherry from Chennai, Villupuram and Vellore, and the drive from Chennai along the East Coast Road takes about three to four hours. Puducherry railway station is only a short auto or taxi ride from the ashram. The small Puducherry airport has limited flights, so most travellers fly into Chennai. We can arrange a car from Virudhachalam, Chennai or anywhere in Tamil Nadu.
Where to experience it
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