Please close your eyes for 10 seconds and imagine a congregation of over 5 lac people, eating from various food joints and disposing excess food and the plastic bottles around the area; staying across multiple locations disposing shampoo sachets; purchasing snacks, ice creams, juices and disposing the wrappers as they walk across the same area for three days. Please open your eyes, what did you see- something very scary, horrifying? Waste and only waste all over the place. If this is what one feels in imaginary world, just think what if this happens in reality.
This is what happened during Amritavarsham’60, BUT with no waste around- Puzzled, shocked, baffled?
Volunteers to collect the trash
A team of students from Amritas various institutes, some staff members and ashram inmates worked together to make this happen. Ammas devotees – Max and Mahita from United States of America, inspired by Ammas life and Her teachings, helped to systematized the whole approach of waste management. Over 1000 waste bins were placed across various locations – roads, food courts, accommodations etc. A team was responsible to check and clear all the food waste in the bins at regular intervals of time during the day and night. A second team cleared the waste across the accommodation and the roadside bins. 5 mini trucks were used for frequent pickups from these points. This waste was collected at a central point, where it was segregated superficially into various categories. The segregated waste was transported to ashram for further segregation and treatment. Food waste was mixed with coconut husk, wood chips to convert it to compost.
This external waste management unlocked the door to a powerful inner transformation. This is how it happened
Day 1: 25th September, we observed waste strewn across the shops so we cleaned and put the waste in our bins.
Day 2: 26th September, we found our waste bins full and lesser trash strewn across
Day 3: 27th September, we were surprised to see additional bags .The shop owners collected waste in their own waste bags and cardboard boxes in addition to our waste bags. Most of shops owners had their surroundings cleaner than before. They imbibed the approaches of waste management. They asked their customers not to spill waste, but to use waste bags. This is real transformation.
This is one small example of inner transformation that happened right before us in just three days.
Imagine the power of 60 years of transformation, imagine the power of 32 million hugs and imagine if all of this is being done by one person… YES just one person. This is the power of GUIDANCE of one Leader. This is the power of COMPASSION of one Guru. This is the power of LOVE of one Amma. Amritavarsham60 is truly 60 years of transforming the inner and outer world.
– Avinash Shivdas
“Just as we eat and sleep, keeping our environment clean should become part of our daily lives.” – Amma