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On 21-2-1971, in answer to Aurovilians working at the Matrimandir Nursery who
offered to stop their work there in order to join the excavation work, the Mother
stated:
“
No. The gardens are as important as the Matrimandir itself
.”
On 19-1-1972, in a conversation with Satprem, the Mother lists the 12 attributes of
the Divine Mother, along with their corresponding colours:
“
They are going to build 12 rooms around the Matrimandir, at ground level, and
Roger wanted each room to have a name: one of the attributes of the Divine
Mother and the corresponding colour
.”
This new element – the 12 Petals and their meditation rooms – takes up additional
physical space.
Along with the Urn and its newly-designed amphitheatre being very close to the
Matrimandir, it is now hardly possible, physically, to situate the lake immediately
around the Matrimandir, as had earlier been planned.
Some time either in 1970-71, or in 1972, when the Mother names the gardens, She
not only named the 12 gardens, and the 13
th
, the garden of Unity, but also a
garden directly around the Mandir, the garden of Love.
.Part VI – The Construction has begun.
From about mid-1972 onwards, by all accounts, the Mother became more and more
silent and indrawn.
Several of Her messages and formal statements during that period had to do with
the necessity not to lie.
On 17-8-1972, Shyamsunder read out to the Mother a letter from Narad when he
complained of the small size of the gardens; to this the Mother replied orally, as
reported by Shyamsunder in his notes:
“
I have never told Narad that it should be very big… Roger is the best judge
.”
On 4-11-1972, the Mother tells Shyamsunder, as reported in his notes, that Huta is
to be the guardian of the Matrimandir and that her house must be built in one of
the 12 gardens, and the money for it has already been given.
These last two statements seem to indicate that, with the several changes of design
and the additions of new elements made by Roger A, the Mother has accepted that
the size of the gardens may have to be reduces, and that they too should be part of
the island; nonetheless She still insists that the guardian house must be very close
to the Mandir, even though it may mean that it can only be built in one of the 12
gardens.
On 22-12-1972, responding to a query from Mary Helen conveyed to Her by
Shyamsunder, referring to the style or spirit in which the gardens must be created,
the Mother confirms, as reported by Shyamsunder in his notes:
“
Of course, it must be in the Japanese way
…”
On 12-2-1973, after Shyamsunder had read out to Her a letter from Narad seeking
guidance for the planting of trees and the execution of the gardens, the Mother
comments that it has already been told in detail to Roger A.