2022 - Sri Aurobindo 150th Birth Anniversary | Commemorative Coin

The 8th commemorative coin for the year 2022 was released on occasion of 150th Birth Anniversary of Sri Aurobindo.

Sri Aurobindo, one of India’s most profound spiritual thinkers, philosophers, and nationalist leaders, left an enduring legacy that continued to shape the country’s intellectual and spiritual consciousness. As the nation commemorated his 150th Birth Anniversary, it became a fitting moment to reflect on the extraordinary life of a man who bridged the realms of political awakening and spiritual evolution with remarkable depth.

Born on August 15, 1872, in Kolkata, Aurobindo Ghose spent much of his early life in England, where he received a rigorous Western education and mastered several European languages. When he returned to India in 1893, he felt an immediate inner calling toward the cause of national freedom. With clear conviction and courage, Sri Aurobindo emerged as one of the earliest proponents of complete independence, long before it became a national movement. Through his writings in Bande Mataram and Karmayogin, he stirred revolutionary sentiment and inspired a generation to challenge colonial rule.

His life took a transformative turn during his solitary confinement in the Alipore Bomb Case of 1908. In the silence of his prison cell, Sri Aurobindo experienced a profound spiritual awakening that reshaped his purpose. Guided by an inner divine voice, he realized that his mission extended beyond political liberation and toward the spiritual evolution of humanity.

In 1910, he stepped away from active politics and relocated to Pondicherry (now Puducherry), then under French governance, to pursue an inner spiritual quest. There he developed Integral Yoga, a unique path that sought not withdrawal from the world but the transformation of life itself through the ascent of consciousness. He believed humanity was progressing toward a more enlightened future where the spiritual and material could coexist harmoniously.

Sri Aurobindo’s writings during this period—The Life Divine, The Synthesis of Yoga, Essays on the Gita, and his epic poem Savitri—expressed his grand philosophical vision. Savitri, spanning nearly 24,000 lines, became one of the longest and most spiritually profound poems ever written, capturing themes of divine intervention, human endurance, and the triumph of the spirit.

The arrival of Mirra Alfassa, later known as The Mother, in 1914 further enriched his spiritual work. Together, they nurtured the Sri Aurobindo Ashram and guided countless seekers from India and abroad. Their collaboration also laid the foundation for Auroville, the international township created in 1968 to promote human unity and collective spiritual progress.

As India marked the 150th Birth Anniversary of Sri Aurobindo, his relevance remained striking. His teachings inspired the nation’s cultural and spiritual renaissance, encouraging India to reconnect with its ancient wisdom while engaging meaningfully with the modern world. Scholars, seekers, and leaders continued to draw insight from his writings, finding in them a roadmap to peace, progress, and a more conscious future.

Sri Aurobindo passed away on December 5, 1950, but his message endured—inviting humanity to seek higher ideals, deeper awareness, and a transformative approach to life. His extraordinary journey, spanning revolution to realization, remained a testament to how one individual could shape the destiny of a nation and elevate the aspirations of humanity.

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