Category: Festivals
-
Janmashtami – Krishna’s birthday
As always on Sri Krishna’s birthday, today was a day of great festivity at Amritapuri. The celebrations began at three o’clock in the afternoon with a parade to the local Krishna temple. The procession was headed up by some of the ashramite children costumed for the day and carrying an ashram banner, followed closely by…
-
Onam celebrations
Onam at Amritapuri was a day of many surprises. In the morning, Amma announced that She would hold the morning darshan program in the new hall where only bhajans and Devi Bhava darshan are usually held. Talking to the devotees present, Amma said, “You have been able to see the ashram as your own home.…
-
Rakhi: its meaning and significance
Raksha Bandhan is a popular festival celebrated across the country. Irrespective of caste and creed people from all walks of life participate in this festival. It is celebrated on the full moon day of the lunar month Shravana (Shravana Poornima) which also coincides with Upa-karma (changing the sacred thread for the brahmins, Avani Avittom in…
-
Christmas at Amritapuri
On Christmas Eve at Amritapuri, Amma joined Her children in the darshan hall for an evening programme featuring dancer Nandini Venkat performing South Indian classical bharata natyam depicting nava rasa (nine moods). The dance was preceded by a musical performance by several of Amma’s western children, included traditional Christmas carols in Italian and Latin, including…
-
Falling in love with Amma is Christmas
24 December 2000, Amritapuri Just before Christmas, Mother gave darshan to about 15,000 people a day in Calicut in northern Kerala, virtually around the clock for four days and nights. The programme ended early in the morning on December 24th. Without getting any rest after that marathon, Mother got into the car for the day-long…
-
Kumbha Mela
A Sea of People at the River of Life The Kumbha Mela has repeatedly been described as the largest congregation of people anywhere in the world coming together for a specific purpose. In 1989, when it was last held in Allahabad, it drew more than 15 million pilgrims. The Kumbha Mela is held alternately in…
-
Deepavali – the festival of Lights : the legends, story and the message of Diwali
India is a land of festivals where you will see at least one major festival each month. Deepavali (or Diwali) which literally means “rows of lamps” is one of the four main festivals of India. Throughout the world, all Hindus celebrate Deepavali or Diwali with great pomp and enthusiasm. The celebration of Diwali lasts six…
-
Reports of the celebration
On the evening of the 18th there was a talk by Swami Poornamritananda, which was followed by a soul stirring bhajans led by Amma. The devotional singing by the famous Hindustani singer Anup Jalota at 10 p.m. transported the devotees into heights of devotional ecstasy On the morning of the 19th, at 5 a.m. there…
-
She did what She always does
20 September 2000, Amritapuri, Amma’s Birthday When there are fifty thousand or more devotees in Amritapuri to celebrate Amma’s birthday, ‘living with Amma’ has a new meaning. It no longer means you sit with Her for meditation and satsang in the morning, as normally happens three days a week; nor does it mean you sit…