The story of the photo
by Adarini Inkei
adapted from an interview
with Utpal Marshall for Perfection Journey
“The photo was taken on July 8, 1988, in Washington, DC, at an outdoor Peace Concert Sri Chinmoy gave at the Jefferson Memorial, overlooking the Potomac River*.
“Sri Chinmoy was in a white dhoti, and the whole background is kind of white. The blue carpet was giving a feeling of the sea. Everything was white and blue.
“It is one of my favourite photographs of Sri Chinmoy. I took it just moments after he had finished.
“The air was charged with energy as storm clouds roll in across the Potomac. Within minutes the rain will pour down on us.
“Sri Chinmoy at that time was walking back and forth. He said he had to walk back and forth seven times in order to come down from this high plane that he was on.
“The picture is not perfect. It is a little grainy. But the feeling you get from that picture is unbelievable. For me, there is this peace and this vastness.”
*A tidal basin inlet of the Potomac River.
The Jefferson Memorial
Comments by Sri Chinmoy
the next day, 9 July 1988
When I went to Washington, D.C., I spent a long time inside the Jefferson Memorial. The design I liked so much, but the statue of Jefferson really disappointed me.
They showed him as a military man — with a heroic spirit. But his so-called outer heroism was nothing in comparison with his inner vision and wisdom-light. These were his main qualities. America loves dynamism, and the outer dynamism of a soldier this statue has. But the inner wisdom of a statesman or true world leader the statue does not show.
On the wall were some significant statements by Jefferson. Unfortunately, he came long before the world, especially America, was prepared for his beautiful and powerful wisdom-light. Always prophets come at least one minute before the world is able to appreciate them. When they are here, they are not accepted. They have such wisdom, but they are not taken seriously. Only afterwards does the world accept and appreciate them.
Published in The World-Experience-Tree-Climber, part 6