Category: Festivals

Amma Marries More Than 150 Impoverished Couples 27 September 2003 In India, the cost of marriage is often heightened by dowry, a sum of money or a piece of property that the bride’s family pays to the groom’s. This has made marriage increasingly unaffordable for the poor. Often, in their efforts to pay for the…

Mata Amritanandamayi Math Starts Free All-India Legal Cell 27 September 2003 Amma’s 50th birthday is a red-letter date in the history of the Mata Amritanandamayi Math’s charitable activities, for it marks the beginning of Amrita Neeti Pratishtan: an all-India legal cell dedicated to providing free assistance to India’s poor. (l-r) Kerala Chief Justice Jawaharlal Gupta,…

Mata Amritanandamayi Math to Build Free Houses for Poor on Land Donated By Kerala Government 27 September 2003 Kerala’s Minister of Law, L.K. Mani and India’s VP Shekhawat hand over keys to beneficiaries. On the last day of Amritavarsham50, a joint venture between the Government of Kerala and the Mata Amritanandamayi Math was inaugurated by…

From Amma’s Birthday Message 27 September 2003 Amma has never considered that She has a birthday or that it should be celebrated. It is the sankalpa [resolve] of Amma’s children that has borne fruit in the form of these celebrations. It is an occasion for all of Amma’s children to come together to pray to…

Tewa Dancers From the North – Native American Music and Dance from New Mexico, USA The Tewa Dancers From the North is an ensemble of Pueblo Native American dancers from New Mexico, USA. The ultimate purpose of Tewa dance is sacred—dance as prayer, dance to keep humanity in harmony with the universe. The group performed for…

Mata Amritanandamayi Math Releases Seven New Spiritual Books During the Amritavarsham50 Celebrations, the Mata Amritanandamayi Math released seven new spiritual books, adding to its already diverse and deep catelogue of publications. Seven books in total were released during the Amritavarsham50 Celebrations There were three books of Amma’s teachings: From Amma’s Heart: Conversations with Sri Mata…

President of India Awards Prizes to Top Essay Writers 26 September 2003 Dhanashree Vinay Renge of Mt. Carmel Girls’ School in Nagpur receives a hug from Amma and an award from the President Upon the conclusion of his address to the more than 100,000 youth assembled in the Amritavarsham50 stadium, Indian President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul…

26 September 2003 Shri. Shankar Mahadevan The tone for the evening was set by singer Sri. Shankar Mahadevan, who enthralled everyone with his renditions of Karnatic pieces, bhajans, abhangs and devotional songs from movies. His rich and vibrant vocals were captivating as was the repertoire he had selected for the evening. Many remarked that the…

Many devotees cherish nothing more than being with Amma when She sings bhajans. Some sit with their eyes-closed in deep meditation, some sing along— maybe reading the lyrics from bhajan books—and others simply sit, witnessing Amma as She gives Herself so fully to the music. Amma sang bhajans in nearly two dozen languages, to the…

“Messiah of Love”: Amma’s Biography in Braille 26 September 2003 Anil K. Dilwali and his family came to see Amma during Amritvarsham50 with a very special gift—108 copies of Amma’s life story in braille. Mr. Dilwali was kind enough to recount us the full story. When Amma was presented with Messiah of Love, Her life…