A visit to the room where Sri Aurobindo studied

Following the ceremony, Dr. John Barber escorted Sri Chinmoy into King’s College, where he had made arrangements for Sri Chinmoy to visit the room in which Sri Aurobindo actually studied during his Cambridge years.

The small study room is now the living quarters of Mr. Peter Avery, OBE, formerly a lecturer in Persian Studies at the Faculty of Oriental Studies and now retired.

Sri Chinmoy later commented that this was for him the happiest day. He stayed in the room for ten minutes. Out of reverence for Sri Aurobindo, he would not take a seat during his visit, in spite of Mr. Avery’s most kind and repeated requests. He remained standing and meditated. He later said, “How could I dare to sit in the room where my Master had studied? I was trembling with delight inside that room. My eyes were flooded with tears and my heart was swimming in the sea of delight; my heart was throbbing.”

Mr. Avery expressed his gratitude to Sri Chinmoy for paying a visit to his room. Sri Chinmoy replied, “It is I who should be grateful to you. I am a humble disciple of Sri Aurobindo.”

This visit to Sri Aurobindo’s room held a deep personal significance for Sri Chinmoy. He later said that he would cherish this precious memory until the very end of his days.