Someone who has made some history, especially in the realm of expulsions is R.Y. Deshpande. He is a perfect example of a self-proclaimed scholar, visionary and prophet and founder of the “Mirror of Tomorrow” blog site.
He is fondly rechristened here as Bye Bye Deshpande because of his knack of being expelled from everywhere, as well as his method of vindictively expelling those from the “Mirror of Tomorrow” who dare to think or express themselves differently, by unanimously interrupting all form of dialogue and rudely, abruptly and helplessly wishing them “bye!” (see here *).
In order to better understand why the “Mirror of Tomorrow” is what it is, a brief background from a perspective that is likely to differ from Bye Bye Deshpande’s would be the order of the day.
Pre-1980s:
The circumstances that led to Bye Bye Deshpande’s departure from his much publicized illustrious past and career with the most lethal and destructive of radioactive and nuclear substances have not been verified and in any case are of scant significance with his history at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, and are therefore left outside the purview of this note.
The 1980s:
Bye Bye Deshpande’s early known achievements in expulsions started when he began to intrude and interfere with the restorative and editing work of Sri Aurobindo’s magnum opus, the poem Savitri, that was being undertaken by a dedicated team of researchers, archivists, scholars and fellow-sadhaks at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram’s archive department.
His absolute dedication to HIS own opinions led him to believe that his preferred edition of the Savitri had to be declared as the one and only “sacred” edition of the Savitri. It mattered little to him if other subsequent editions, prior to the latest were published during The Mother’s time under her guidance.
It also mattered little to him that the latest 1993 edition of Savitri, born out of decades of archival research and study provided the edition that most accurately reproduced what the author, Sri Aurobindo, and the scribe that assisted him, had recorded on the thousands of manuscripts.
Bye Bye Deshpande who stuck to his beloved personal opinions evidently had to be shown the door as he was acting against the Good and interest of Sri Aurobindo, the Ashram as well as its many beneficiaries. He has since then clearly demonstrated to carry personal grudges against most of the people involved in the editing of the 1993 edition of the Savitri, going to the extent of accusing them of deliberately and maliciously tampering with the text and spiritual content of the poem.
The 1990s:
Deprived of any sense of importance, Bye Bye Deshpande maneuvered to become the editor of one of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram’s publication, the “Mother India” journal probably in order to earn the recognition that he had tried to obtain during his stint on the editorial team of the Sri Aurobindo Archives.
Once again his absolute dedication to HIS own opinions led him to believe that the “Mother India” journal was his personal mouthpiece and he therefore tried to force his views and opinions once again acting against the Good and interest of Sri Aurobindo, the Ashram as well as its many beneficiaries. And so Bye Bye Deshpande had to be shown the door once again.
2000-2010:
And once again, bereft of any form of recognition, Bye Bye Deshpande began to venture into the new universe of cyberspace on the prowl for opportunities to garner some recognition. The Science, Culture, Integral Yoga (SCIY) blog provided him an opportunity to regain some of that self-esteem and he slowly established himself as editor/moderator of that blog. But once again his absolute dedication to HIS own opinions led him to believe that the SCIY blog belonged to him and he was once again shown given the boot and shown the door.
Having been shown so many doors, Bye Bye Deshpande decided to play it extremely safe and crafted his own door, the unique door to a hall of mirrors, the “Mirror of Tomorrow”, a world of reflections – mostly topsy turvey, distorted, each one more removed from the reality than the other and given the antiquity, mostly yielding dusty and confused reflections - a door that he could open and close when he wished.
This was Bye Bye Deshpande’s perfect world, where HIS opinions and only HIS opinions mattered. All else that was outside of this door was disgustingly REAL. Its a pity for him that as soon as he stepped outside his door and his world of mirrors, the brute reality of the world didn’t have any pity on him.
This time, still forever and chronically dedicated to HIS opinions, he was caught red-handed in his persistent attempt to sow and manufacture opinions in the fresh, innocent, naive and receptive minds of his students at the Sri Aurobindo International Center of Education (SAICE) where he was still allowed to teach and frequent given the extremely tolerant and liberal atmosphere that has been allowed to exits at the SAICE just as is the case in the parent institution, the Sri Aurobindo Ashram. Evidently, as the brainwashing of innocent minds isn’t something that can be allowed in an institution such as the SAICE, Bye Bye Deshpande was reminded that he should better stick to his subject during class hours rather than engage in feeding his students with his personal and limited opinions on matters and issues that have no academic value, such as some of the controversies and disputes that he himself creates and instigates.
Deeply rattled and perturbed by the gentle rap that he got on his wrist from his seniors for his misadventure, Bye Bye Deshpande furiously retracted to his glassy den, the “Mirror Of Tomorrow”. But ironically without much reflection, he rushed to the rooftop and yelling, spewed out venom and insults. And once again his absolute dedication to HIS own opinions resulted in his passage out of another door, that of the SAICE this time, with the condition that he may re-enter if he expresses an apology, something that Bye Bye Deshpande might take a thousand years to learn given the earnestness and absolute dedication he faithfully preserves towards HIS own opinions.
The present:
Forever enamored to his absolute dedication to HIS own opinions, Bye Bye Deshpande is now understandably and pitifully resigned to vindictively show and shut the door at the face of all those who do not follow HIS views, opinions and ways. Evidently, not being able to step into and voice one’s views on Bye Bye Deshpande’s “Mirror Of Tomorrow” is no great loss and instead provides opportunities to others to venture towards new horizons and greener pastures such as the ”Mirror of Day After Tomorrow.”
The Day After Tomorrow:
Given the traumatic past of Bye Bye Deshpande, especially its cruel but unavoidable repetitiveness, the creators of the “Mirror of Day After Tomorrow” also extend a hand to Bye Bye Deshpande and take a pledge that they shall never show him the door. In order to make Bye Bye Deshpande feel at home and at ease, a domain and an abode that sounds similar to his own was thoughtfully created. It is hoped that before it is too late, Bye Bye Deshpande may regain his lost pRYDe and regain his lost “RY” to be called once again and remembered as RY Deshpande.
Editor’s note:
The authors of this piece are neither scholars, scientists or self-proclaimed visionaries, but they have all that it needs to expose the Lies, Deceit and Falsehood that Bye Bye Deshpande and his colleagues manage to churn out from websites such as the “Mirror Of Tomorrow”.
(*) “bye!”: http://mirrorofdayaftertomorrow.wordpress.com/ii-bye-byes/
One man’s “opinions and expulsions” is another man’s “principles and sacrifices”.
About RYD’s history before joining the SA Ashram, you might want to take notice of one Rohit Gupta who pointed out that:
“If you get the time please research Renukadas Baboo’s leaving BARC and joining the ashram! you might notice that his problems he had (caused?) there are somewhat similar in the ashram too. So much for his 30+ years of Sadhana.”
>> One man’s “opinions and expulsions” is another man’s “principles and sacrifices”.
That’s a way of looking at it.
But then there’s also yet another way of looking at it which is that this is this other man’s “principles of opinions” and “expulsion of sacrifices.”
Really, what a history! Wonder when RYD will realize his follies.
It will be quite helpful to get a similar account of SR & Co. I am sure they too have illustrious backgrounds when it comes to vanity, ambition and controversy.
Arindam’92
My post was also not published, guess Renukadas baboo has been looking for another “door”…. here is my post that he “censored”. A lot of it is not relevant since it is address to one Mr Bireshwar, whose post I was replying to. Since I was traveling I couldnt write to him earlier…
Dear Bireshwar,
Sorry for not writing earlier, I have been traveling and didn’t get time to respond. But your request for getting 25 names wrt who is whose relation etc is going to be super-side tracking and has nothing to do with the issue at hand. Moreover I don’t have the arrogance to even want to be a guru, and as you know there are already many self-proclaimed ones around, just in case you need one. And will also save you the trouble of doing any penance at Badrinath or wherever!
Renukadas baboo might be very delighted at seeing the hits on these blogs with google-analytics or some similar tool, my earlier post was to make everyone here aware that all visitors to this site aren’t necessarily in agreement to what he is dishing out / “discussed” here. And visitors to this site who are knowledgeable of more “facts” will not keep silent for long. So please don’t start harping about who is sucking up to whom! Too bad your pot shots missed, my surname is “Gupta” and not “Das Gupta”. And just for you information I wasn’t in Pondicherry when I made my previous post, IP geo-location isn’t 100% right!
Before the controversy started on the tlosa book, this was a very respected site with so many scholars participating with their views etc. And very specifically Renukadas baboo’s contribution is unparalled and inspiring to say the least. Recently the posts were scoring new lows so very often and finally the famous “she frog” posting was made. How can any respectable sadhak or for that matter any person write about a colleague (not sure if the person in question is a senior) the following words:
“This is what Jhumur the she-frog presently is, living in a she-well named self-importance, narcissism, hauteur, pride, vanity, or by whatever similar name one may like to call it. She is afflicted with a pretty familiar complex, something which should not have happened having grown up in the Ashram since her childhood, for having had personal contact with the Mother during the tremendous 1950s. But hard is it to change human nature. One can come in physical contact with the Mother for long years and yet remain stupid in several ways. …
The supercilious manner in which she handled or was prompted to handle the present issue is only indicative of immaturity, if not childishness; or else, and most probably, it simply was ugly contrivance. A nobler approach would have been to advise the student to leave the class, and inform the teacher that the student was leaving his class. The matter would have rested there, a thing which routinely happens in the Centre of Education. But the mischief was played by the predictable devil that is there in The Lives of Sri Aurobindo. The test for remaining in contact with the Mother lies in it. That is also the fight. The real malaise is present in it, and many of those “early students” have lent themselves to it—a most unfortunate thing. Everybody enjoys academic freedom here in the Centre, and there is no doubt about it, but crookedness is a clever person also. And, to quote Savitri, “Hard is it to persuade earth-nature’s change.”
But let us remember again Sri Aurobindo: “The children should be helped to grow up into straightforward, frank, upright and honourable human beings ready to develop into divine nature.” Unless a certain psychic perception grows in us there is not much hope. ~ RYD”
I really wonder what the consequence would have been at “Fermi/Dirac/etc. at Berkeley, Bhabha/Sarabhai/etc. at BARC” if something like this happened!
I think an apology is due even if Renukadas baboo refuses to take any further classes in the Ashram. It is also a misfortune for the students who will miss out learning from such a scholar… well my 2 cents.
Rohit Gupta
Please not that the following can be found in the TLOSA regarding Sri Aurobindo shortly after summarizing his Record of Yoga.
Page 245-6
“The question of the relationship between mysticism and madness has been discussed since antiquity. In the folklore of many cultures, a man or woman of exceptional ability has often been thought closer to the lunatic than to the ordinary mortal. Indian tradition offers hundreds of examples of yogis, mystics, and sufis whom others regarded, at least sometimes, as out of their minds. India assigns an honored place to the divine madman and madwoman once their spiritual credentials have been accepted. In the West, someone who acts eccentrically and claims divine influence is more likely to be considered a psychotic with religious delusions.”
The official consequence of such writing is nil, which appears incommensurate with the consequence of saying someone is a frog in a well , meaning having a limited view of things.
On November 21, 2010 at 6:00 am, Anonymous quoted from p. 245-6 of TLOSA.
This anonymous person appears to be in the habit of extracting words and quoting them out of context. Because, in the first instance this person omits the following passage in TLOSA that follows the one he has quoted:
“Most of Aurobindo’s experiences are familiar to the mystic traditions of India and elsewhere. He wrote about them in language that is reasonable and luminous, though often hard to understand. Some of this writing is in the form of diary notations that were concurrent with the experiences. Around the same time he also wrote more than a dozen books on philosophy, textual interpretation, social science, and literary and cultural criticism, along with a mass of miscellaneous prose and poetry. Numerous scholars admire these works for their clarity and consistency; thousands of readers believe that they have been helped spiritually or mentally by them. No contemporary ever re¬marked that Aurobindo suffered painful or anxious feelings as a result of his experiences. In one or two letters written during the 1930s, he wrote that his life had been a struggle, and hinted at inner dangers and difficulties as great as any “which human beings have borne,” but at no time did he give evidence to others of inner or outer stress. Indeed, virtually everyone who met him found him unusually calm, dispassionate, and loving – and eminently sane.”
Thus, how can this anonymous person suggest that the author of TLOSA has comitted a wrong for which he should suffer the consequencs of his actions? While the author of TLOSA has examined Sri Aurobindo’s mental sanity, something that any objective biographer and even disciple is entitled to do especially when dealing with an esoteric, occult and subjective matter, it is more than obvious that the author of TLOSA has clearly not concluded that Sri Aurobindo was after all insane. The author leaves it to the reader to decide whether Sri Aurobindo was insane or not after having led him towards a direction that clearly indicates that Sri Aurobindo was “… unusually calm, dispassionate, and loving – and eminently sane.” So what is this anonymous person really complaining about?
Secondly, this anonymous persons completely downplays RYD’s insulting spree against the S.A.I.C.E. “Knowledge-in-charge”, suggesting that RYD is being wrongly accused of impropriety because he accused the “Knowledge-in-charge” of only “having a limited view of things.”
But this anonymous person once again conveniently chooses to ignore all the rest that RYD spewed out against the “Knowledge-in-charge”:
“This is what [the "Knowledge-in-charge"] the she-frog presently is…self-importance, narcissism, hauteur, pride, vanity, or by whatever similar name one may like to call it. She is afflicted with a pretty familiar complex, something which should not have happened having grown up in the Ashram since her childhood, for having had personal contact with the Mother during the tremendous 1950s… One can come in physical contact with the Mother for long years and yet remain stupid in several ways. …
The supercilious manner in which she handled or was prompted to handle the present issue is only indicative of immaturity, if not childishness; or else, and most probably, it simply was ugly contrivance… the mischief was played by the predictable devil that is there in The Lives of Sri Aurobindo… The real malaise is present in it, and many of those “early students” have lent themselves to it—a most unfortunate thing. Everybody enjoys academic freedom here in the Centre, and there is no doubt about it, but crookedness is a clever person also.”
This anonomous person clearly appears to be unable to represent facts accurately!
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If you see nothing left-handed in the TLOSA quotes above, do I have some prime Florida real estate to sell you. Reminds me of a friend who replied to a job opening with “I don’t know C++, I have never worked in Java, etc.” and was called for an interview because all the keywords matched.
On November 22, 2010 at 7.32 am, Anonymous said:
“If you see nothing left-handed in the TLOSA quotes above…”
The problem here might very well be that some are in the habit of having a left-handed view of all that the author of TLOSA does. Call it bias? Or prejudice? Or simply a difference of opinion?
But, what is hard to explain, especially in the context of Sri Aurobindo’s Intergal Yoga is the fanaticism, narrow-mindedness and pettiness that is contained in the actions of those people who are acting against the author of TLOSA as well as against all of those who do not have left-handed views on the quotes above.
And a last word of advice. Do keep that prime real estate in Florida for yourselves because you or your job-less friend might actually need it. BTW, is your friend called Sraddhalu Ranade? Hope he got the job opening, because it looks like that he might need it soon.
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