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Sri Aurobindo's father, a man of great ability and strong personality. He
was born at Patna at 1844. At his youth he was eager in doctrine of Brahmo
Samaj. He had been among the first to go to England for his education, where
he took his doctor's degree of medicine at Aberdeen University. He returned
entirely anglicised in habits, ideas and ideals. After his returning at
India at 1871 he worked as a doctor of Civil Service at Rangpore at the
North-East of Bengal (now Bangladesh). Here he approved himself as
efficient doctor and smart official. At 1876 he was elected as member of
city council. At 1877 he became the first Bengali who was elected as
vice-chairman of Rangpore municipality. He and his wife were popular both at
British and at Bengal societies — him, as a interlink between them, called
"Suez Canal" of Rangpore. His wife, Svarnallata, following
her husband's wishes, behaved as true mem-sahib — she spoke at English,
wearied skirts, rode. Before 1872 they had two sons — Benoybhusan and
Manmohan. At 1872 d-r Ghose sent his wife waiting a baby at Calcutta, to his
friend Mano Mohun Ghose, leader for the defence who lived at the fashionable
side of the city — Chouringi. Here at the morning of 15th August Svarnalotta
born the third son. At insight d-r Ghose decided named his son Aurobindo —
at Sanskrit it means "lotus". Also he gave him a second name — Akroid (from
which Sri Aurobindo gave up and never used it), by the name of Annet Akroid.Later were born else two children —
girl, Sarojini, and boy, Barindra.
Soon after Aurobindo's birth Svarnalotta returned
with him at Rangpore. At this time at her were developed the first signs of
mental trouble, which by degress possession of her. Causes of trouble were
not found but it was hereditary ailment because two her sisters were
afflicted by the same hereditarily. Soon she was enable to make her court to
children. One of the first Sri Aurobindo's reminiscent was that she beats
Manomohan with candlestick. Aurobindo was hurt by it. Later he wrote that he
aspired drag away this awful love but got only hate and aversion, and at the
end he become indifferent. He prayed for bread, but got a stone.
D-r Ghose was astonished seeing so change of his
wife's condition. His business faltered — new British magistrate noted with
irritation that nothing could be done without d-r Ghose. On Englishman's
initiative he was moved to Bankur, at the North-West of Bengal. Soon he was
moved to Khulna, at the South-East. To this time d-r Ghose revised his
position to British Government. He was disappointed in it and call it as
heartless. He sent to his sons at England newspaper "The Bengalee" with
marked places concerned with bad treatment of Indians. Depressed by
illness of his wife, betrayed his once friends, d-r Ghose had a drinking fit
on. At November 1982, when he received a message that ship "Romania" sank —
at which as he thought was Sri Aurobindo — he died.