Back to Chittagong

When I went back to Chittagong after forty-five years,³¹ the hotel manager would not allow me to go out shopping or to move around alone because I was a Hindu. He was a Muslim and he accompanied me wherever I went. Their cook liked me very, very much. He was very nice. He now lives in Connecticut! One of our disciples saw him where he was working and somehow they started talking. Then the disciple told him about me. He said, "I know him!” It was unimaginable! He came to see me at P.S. 86.

I went to see where we had our bank and so many other places. The hotel manager went with me. He would not allow me to go alone. Only when I went to see my village, he said it was safe. In the village there were two Ghose families. I went to the first one, but it was the wrong place. When I came to the second one, I was absolutely sure. I asked someone, but that person did not know my family. Believe me, my father was quite well known!

The inhabitants were wearing the Muslim lungi, so I was hesitating. I said to myself, “How can it be? These are my cousins. How can they be wearing the Muslim lungi?” I thought I had come to the wrong place, so I started going away. Then I mentioned my father’s name. Immediately, the lady of the house came up to me and fell at my feet. Still I felt that they had to prove it. I said to myself, “How do I know that this is our house?” They took me into a room. There they had kept so many pictures.

It was my desire to have some kind of monument in honour of my parents. My cousins were so happy and excited. They showed me a particular place where I could put a monument.

I went back to Pondicherry. Alas, my sister Lily was against the idea of a monument and my brother Chitta was also against it. Only Mantu did not mind; he was wide open. I said to myself, “What shall I do? I made a promise to my cousins.” Fortunately, I have good contact with the other world. I approached my mother and father in Heaven. They also were against it. Lily, Chitta, my mother and my father were all against having a monument. Why? It started with Lily. She said, “We shall not claim you any more. We shall not claim you — the world will claim you.” They all said that now I am a world-property, so they did not want a monument in our village.

I said, "I have so many disciples. They will come to see the monument and they will get such joy.”

They said, “No, America is now your home, not Chittagong.” They did not allow me to have a monument. My relatives in Chittagong felt very sad.

Then again, at the entrance of our little house in Pondicherry, my name is there. I have given that house to my dearest brother-friend Baburam. He gave me the money to come to America. I said to him, “Now, you take the house.”

One of our Indian disciples recently went to Pondicherry and Baburam’s family welcomed him. The disciple was so happy to see the marble plaque with the name “Chinmoy.”

The day before yesterday, Baburam called me just to chat. We talked and talked and talked. I said to him, “Are you going to keep my name on the house?”

He said, “Do I not know who you are?”

They will keep my name there. Baburam’s daughter Rama said that they will welcome people who come to visit Pondicherry. My name will be there, but in Chittagong there will be no monument to my parents.

East Shakpura! In size, it is smaller than Briarwood. Still, there is East Shakpura, West Shakpura and Middle Shakpura.