-
How blind people smile
20 January 2001, Chennai During the Chennai Brahmasthanam Festival keys were distributed to recipients of Amrita Kuteeram, Mother’s house-building project for the homeless. The Union Minister for Rural Development, Sri Venkaiah Naidu, handed over the keys in the presence of Amma. Speaking on the occasion, he said: “I am not a spiritual man. I am
-
Meenakshi and her temple
19 January 2001, Madurai Madurai is famous for an exquisitely designed, sculpture-covered, dramatically high-rising (in the traditional Tamil Nadu style) Meenakshi Temple. The Devi there is clad in green, and whenever Mother is in Madurai, this Devi is honoured on the night of Her final programs. First, when the four-sided murthi (holy image) in the
-
Plates and names
19 January 2001, Madurai to Chennai Amma departed from Madurai immediately after Devi Bhava darshan at about 8:00 a.m. A long day of travelling was to follow for the long caravan of ashram buses and vehicles. Yet the magic of travelling with Amma is not so much the moving, as it is the stopping. All
-
Amma’s Chennai visit 2001
14 January 2001, Chennai Chennai (Madras), one of the cinema capitals of India, has large cut-out photographs of film stars. A centre of political activity, it sports larger-than-life cut-outs of political leaders, too. Among the cut-outs towering above the crowded streets of Chennai, this year there were those of Amma – the one at the
-
I don’t need anything!
15 – 18 January 2001, Madurai Imagine this: The gentleman is highly respected in his community, wealthy, the owner and operator of a major local industry. He is also a devotee of Amma. Ten days before her scheduled programmes in his city, he closes his factory and sends all his employees to the ashram to
-
Car Darshans
10 January 2001 Leaving Amritapuri When Mother left Amritapuri for her three-week South India tour, Ram, the baby elephant, was given a special darshan. As her car drew near him, Ram immediately stuck his trunk right inside the open window and deftly took a few bananas from Mother’s hand. Mother said playfully, “Ram, po!” [Ram,
-
Cat, Monkey and Eagle
2 January 2001, Amritapuri As is customary, Amma came and joined the ashramites in meditation today. A great feeling of peace and silence filled the temple as Amma led Her children through meditation. When the meditation finished, Amma posed a question to all: “What attitude should a spiritual aspirant living at the ashram have?” Several
-
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