Category: Ashram Life
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Navaratri days and Vijaya Dasami at Amritapuri
The first day of the Navaratri festival (Nine nights worshiping of Durga) this year was on September 21st. On that day, both at Amritapuri’s Kali Temple and the Kalari, beautiful and colorful ‘Golu’ dolls were being displayed with lights. Special homas and pujas were also conducted in the morning and evening in both locations by…
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Living with Sri Krishana, Janmashtami celebrations at Amritapuri
12 Sep 2017, Amritapuri The day’s festivities began with the Go Puja, the traditional cow worship. This ceremony is done on this day because Sri Krishna was a cowherd in his youth. At the head of a procession, the Ashram cows made their way to the front of the ashram where the special puja was…
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Onam celebrations – pookkalam, sadya, tug of war and cutural programs
4 Sep 2017, Onam celebrations, Amritapuri Ashram For the last ten days, as per the tradition of the Onam harvest festival, the entire state of Kerala has been ordained with lush, beautiful flower mandalas. At Amritapuri, each day the floral decoration in front of Amma’s room was unique. Each day, the beautiful arrangement depicted a…
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Ganesh Visarjan at Amritapuri Ashram
3 Sep 2017, Amritapuri Ashram After the Ganesha Chaturthi ceremony {news}, the beautiful, ornate clay idol of Ganesha was placed at the Kalari where special pujas were held every day. Every evening, devotees sang bhajans fervently to Lord Ganesha. After nine days, as per tradition, the Ganesha idol was taken to be immersed in the…
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Little ones tie Rakhis to soldiers
7 Aug 2017, Amritapuri Today is Raksha Bandan day. At the ashram, the little ones tied rakhis (simple handmade bracelets, usually made of thread) on the wrists of soldiers put thilak on their foreheads and offered them sweets. This is traditionally a day when brothers and sisters and celebrate and honor their bond by tying a traditional rakhi…
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Gurupurnima at Amritapuri celebrated
09 July 2017, Amritapuri Swami Turyamritananda lead the celebrations, conducted a Guru paduka puja of Amma at the Kali Temple. “There are many relationships in human life. But, the relationship between a Guru and disciple cannot be counted as one of these worldly relationships. In reality, the only bond of love that is eternal and indestructible is…
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Onam celebrations at Amritapuri
4-14 Sep 2016, Onam celebrations, Amritapuri For each of the 10 days of the annual Onam festival, ashram residents as well as students took turns making beautiful big pookkalams (floral designs) at the foot of the steps to Amma’s room. Each day when Amma came out for darshan, she would stand there for some time,…
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Sri Krishna Jayanthi at Amritapuri
24 Aug 2016, Amritapuri The festivities began at 7:30 in the morning with a special procession from the Ashram’s cowshed to the front steps of the Kali Temple where the Go Puja was performed showing reverence to all cows. A large number of Ashramites, devotees and visitors took part in the procession and puja, singing…
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Vavu Bali, paying homage to ancestors
2 Aug 2016, Amritapuri 2000 participants from around the globe gathered in Amritapuri to pay homage to their ancestors by participating in the Karkidaka Vavu Bali ritual. Vavu Bali is a Hindu custom where a special puja is performed on riverbanks and beaches on the no moon (Amavasya) that falls during the month of Karkitakam…
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New Year celebrations at Amritapuri 2016
1 January, 2016 – Amritapuri Thousands of people filled the main hall in Amritapuri to welcome 2016 in the presence of our Divine Mother. As darshan was finishing, a number of cultural performances entertained the gathered crowd who had come from all parts of India and the world. There were traditional Indian dances followed by…