Category: Festivals
-
Ready to receive 100,000 guests daily
13 September 2003 — Cochin, Kerala For a moment you think are on a film set. Temple fronts are being erected, pillars and statues are caste out of plaster, and tents and halls are being built. Walking up the area of the International Stadium on the outskirts of Kochi, you can see huge posters for…
-
This is not a human wish, this is divine
September 2003 At lunchtime, everybody takes a short break and food is served under a thatched roof just outside the stadium—rice, curry, sambar and buttermilk. 35-year-old Savitri is a devotee from Allepey, 60 kilometres south of Kochi who has come to help.”When we heard Amma wanted people to help clean, we came with the whole…
-
Transforming stadium into a spiritual centre
Nehru stadium, Kochi, Kerala Along the now still-empty “grand avenue,” arches are being built. On the left, temporary buildings are emerging for the Colours of Compassion Exhibition and several medical exhibitions. On the right, a huge darshan hall is decorated with artificial garlands and flower bouquets. The hall is more than 100,000 square feet, more…
-
Ganesha Visarjan: the immersion ceremony
6 September 2003 — Amritapuri Amidst the rousing melodies of a nadaswaram and takil, the Sri Ganesha Murthi which has received daily worship in the Kalari for over a week was brought to the base of the temple steps this evening. There the crowds gathered for this final ceremony of the Ganesha Chaturthi Festival to…
-
Elephant worship on Ganesha Chaturthi
31 August 2003 — Amritapuri Sri Ganesha, in the form of Ram, the ashram elephant, was led into Amritapuri’s large hall at about 8 a.m. this morning. The waiting devotees received Him with expressions of joy, for today was His birthday, Ganesha Chaturthi. Standing within an area cordoned off by elaborate kolam designs (decorative patterns…
-
Guru Purnima at the Ashram
13 July 2003 — Amritapuri No matter what one may say about Amma not being confined to the physical body, Her physical presence does make a difference. Anyone who has met Her will vouchsafe for that. But absence has the virtue of making the heart grow fonder. Those who participated in the Guru Purnima celebrations…
-
Amrita Keerti Puraskar awarded to Parameswaran
27 Sep 2002, Amritapuri This year’s Amritakeerti Puraskar went to P. Parameswaran. Union Law Minister Jana Krishnamoorthy presented the award. Sri Parameshwaran is an acclaimed and eminent scholar, thinker, and philosopher. He was born in Alapuzha, Kerala, in the year 1927. Shri Parameshwarji had his higher studies at University College, Trivandrum which he passed out…
-
Amma’s Birthday Celebrations – 2002
25 Sept, 2002 On Amma’s birthday proper, Amma descended from Her room at 8:45 a.m., pausing for a moment to allow Her largest darling son, the elephant Ram, to place a garland around Her neck. All those who had packed into the darshan hall rose to their feet to try and catch a glimpse of…
-
Amritakuteeram free housing scheme expanded
27 Sep 2002, Amritapuri As an expression of Her infinite compassion, Amma has been providing homes to the homeless and the destitute in Kerala since 1987. Moved by the plight of the homeless all over the country, Amma, later, launched the unique, and massive Amritakuteeram Project in 1996 for building 25000 houses for the homeless.…