The Mother

Mirra Alfassa was born on 21st February 1878 in Paris. Her father, Maurice Alfassa, was a Turkish banker. Her mother, Mathilde, was from Cairo.

She grew up in the Paris of the great painters of impressionism. She was interested in music and arts and graduated from the Ecole des Beaux Arts.

Her interest in occultism brought her into contact with Max Theon and his wife Alma. She stayed with them in Tlemcen in Algeria in 1905 and 1906.

In 1906 she founded a small group called "Idea" in Paris, that discussed spiritual questions and occult phenomena.

In 1914 she travelled to Pondicherry to meet Sri Aurobindo. On 29th March 1914 The Mother met Sri Aurobindo for the first time. She immediately recognized him as the one who had guided her spiritual development for many years.

After a stay of eleven months The Mother had to leave India in February 1915 because of the outbreak of the first world war.

She stayed in Paris one year and then went to Japan for four years.

In April 1920 The Mother returned to Pondicherry for good. In 1926 Sri Aurobindo Ashram was founded and Sri Aurobindo handed over the responsibilty for its management to her. Under her guidance – which lasted another fifty years – the Ashram flourished and grew continually.

The Mother left her body on 17th November 1973.

The Mutter on Herself:
"I belong to no nation, no civilisation, no society, no race, but to the Divine.

I obey no master, no ruler, no law, no social convention, but the Divine.

To Him I have surrendered all, will, life and self; for Him I am ready to give all my blood, drop by drop, if such is His Will, with complete joy; and nothing in His service can be sacrifice, for all is perfect delight."

from Words of Long Ago, p.166
(February, 1920, Japan)

back to top