One of the things that took us all by surprise often was the number of people who came to eat. Initially we started seating everybody and serving them but soon found out that this would be a fatal experience. Firstly the number of people who came to eat was a sizeable one and the people to serve them.. very few. After cooking the food in that heat and with that soggy wood, and again coming out and serving the food; carrying these huge vessels from one end to the other was a great challenge. And then getting these huge vessels washed…they were all black with thick soot on them, took more strenuous effort.

you there was no running water. It was not that you could open the tap and water would come gushing out. There were only hand pumps there and we had to pump out water for everything, from brushing our teeth to cooking and cleaning vessels. It was also an overworked hand pump as the whole village was drawing water from it. Then I slowly decided on a strategy…I called the village boys and gave them biscuit packets as wages for pumping out a certain no of buckets of water…mind you it worked quite well; when I personally attended to it.

So after serving the first meal we learnt a good lesson. The villagers made us run from one end to the other calling out for one or the other item to be served….thankfully there were only three items. They all had a great appetite as they did a lot of physical labour. Normally in the cities one kilogram of rice along with vegetables etc could be served to up to ten people. But in the village a Kg of rice could only appease the hunger of 5 people. So each of them took 4 to 5 helpings and it had to be served to them wherever they sat. So after the first meal we decided that we would serve them food only in Amritapuri style….they had to come in a line and collect their meals. Only difference was that they were given use and throw stitched leaf plates instead of the regular stainless steel ones.

So if we thought that we had solved one problem we found that we had landed ourselves in a bigger one. The number of people coming to collect food reduced, but we still ran out of food and ended up cooking up to three times on some days. Guessed the reason! They were coming to collect food in buckets and huge containers and so it was difficult to predict the exact no of people who were eating our preparation. They would come and say any number from 2 to 15 and we had no means of verifying it. On most occasions they were collecting food for their men folk and children as the men were at work somewhere far away but sometimes we felt that they were collecting their evening meals along with the noon meals to avoid long walks at night to collect food. They would also collect meals for their children but the womenfolk and children would take a separate leaf plate and have the food there
too. It was a lot of fun watching this circus and we felt happy to feed them all they wanted. The only hitch was the wet firewood. We had taken a few gas cylinders with us; but once they were exhausted there was no way to replenish them.

Since there was no other ashramite other than me, it took me a lot more effort to keep the team motivated and so I had to always be at the helm of affairs. We had taken a lot of clothes new and used ones in good condition for men women and children. One day we decided to distribute them in Deulbari village as it was the more affected of the two. We had the people sit in a line and saw the happiness bloom in their faces as they received their share. We ran short because more and more people came and joined the line after hearing about the clothes distribution. Initially we restricted it only to the have-nots but later on could not refuse to anyone sitting in the line. We took down the names of those who have not received and promised to bring them their share of clothes soon. In the meanwhile a large quantity of relief material consisting of Tarpaulins, new clothes, medicines, etc have already been collected at the ashram which we plan to give to the neediest.

We have also contacted agencies to sink tube wells along with hand pumps fitted in the villages, having very few of them. We also contacted the government to help us in erecting rain water harvesting facility, like the one that is being done at the Kolkata centre. As it rains almost 6 months a year the villagers could get pure drinking water at least for that time. The main advantage being that this water would be free from arsenic which is quite common in this area. We experienced Amma’s grace throughout and felt the love of the people for Amma, because her followers worked with so much dedication.

- Sadasiva Chaitanya

Question 125:
“Who was your childhood’s hero figure or idol? What ideals did you see in him/her”
Please make your answer clear and brief (maximum 5 or 6 lines).

Tues 23 Jun

Tonight was the first night of the Albuquerque retreat.

Amma sang a new English bhajan – “In This World of Change”.  Amritapriya played harmonium and sang lead with Amma.  It was very sweet.

Amma sang:

• Sri Gananayaka
• Sundar Hai Nayana Tere
• Kanivotu Kattarulitaname
• In This World of Change
• Iswar Parameshvara
• Markanda Madhurya
• Shristiyum Niye (in Spanish)
• Amma Amma Taye

At the end of Shristiyum Niye, instead of ‘Devi….. Devi…… Devi’, Amma sang ‘Devi….. Devi….. Madre Divina’ and the crowd repeated back. This happened twice.  The last round, Amma just sang Madre Divina, Her arms outstretched in bliss.

Sri Pati
Albuquerque, New Mexico

22 Jun 2009

Tonight was the last public program in New Mexico – the Retreat starts tomorrow.    During the evening program, archana had just finished and it seemed like darshan was going to end soon. Ramanand took the stage to perhaps sing a few bhajans.  It was going to be an unusually early night – 2am.   But then something happened.  There was a mad scramble.  Amma had asked for a microphone.   Then a harmonium.  Then tablas.  All were moved near Amma.  She was going to sing!

People ran in from the hallway, friends contacted their roommates who had gone to bed early.  They scrambled out of bed and to the elevators.  The crowd drew nearer forming a semi circle in front of Amma.  People in the back of the crowd stood on chairs to watch, others pushed their faces through the gaps.  A song sheet was brought to Amma.  The tablas started, and Amma began….Khol Dar Waza Sera….

Amma motioned for everyone to clap along.   She was radiant, beaming.  Like Mata Rani,  Amma was engaging Her children in a wonderful exchange of love and longing for the Divine Mother.  Towards the end, Amma was shouting out “Jai Mata Di” -  Victory to Mother – raising her hands in the air just like Mata Rani.  The crowd was in bliss, shouting out the same in response.  Then the Jai Mata Di was echoed by “Sherawaliye Maharaniye” – The Supreme Queen who sits on a Lion – and the exchange went on for what seemed like forever.  Amma motioned for Ramanand to add his wonderful melodic callings while we continued singing.   Just as Ramanand would finish, Amma beckoned for him continue on.  Again and again it went for some time.

Finally, it all came to a blissful end. For a moment, all was silent. Amma sat absorbed in absolute bliss – Her eyes closed.  It was brief – maybe two seconds.  One wished that She would sit there longer.  But Amma stood up, and, in what has been a tradition on this tour at the end of evening bhajans, She raised her hands up in the air and shouted out ‘Mata Rani Ki’… and we all responded with a resounding ‘JAI!!!’

- Sri Pati

It was barely a year and a half since I first met Amma but it seemed as though I knew her for ages. I was blessed to be with Amma at Bangalore. It was a great pleasure for us, the students of Amrita School of Engineering, Bangalore to volunteer for Amma’s darshan programme and since this was my first seva at the ashram I was naturally excited. I chose crowd controlling near the stage with a desire to be near Amma for the rest of the two days. By the end of the day our lecturers announced that our turn would be after the public darshan got over.

I enthusiastically waited for my turn, making note of every gesture of Amma. At around 1 am Amma called all the students to come in a line. I was overjoyed but nervous since I wanted to ask Amma for a mantra. The queue moved forward and I was nearing Amma slowly. My only prayer was that she grant me a mantra. Amma embraced me. I started to speak but she hugged me once again and held me for a long time in her arms. I said, “Amma, mantra…” She smiled and answered, “Come tomorrow…” I was on cloud nine and kept on chanting “Amma, amma…” Suddenly I began lose my consciousness and fell down. Fortunately, the brahmacharinis there helped me with water but I couldn’t stand. Seeing the commotion near the stage Amma cried out to me, “There’s nothing to fear child.” I couldn’t stop crying. Amma asked the brahmacharinis to bring me to Her and they lifted me and placed me on her laps. I lay on her lap like a child on its mother’s. The darshan stopped for almost a minute. I gazed at her till my thirst was quenched. I spoke, “Amma, I want you…” She replied, “Amma knows…”

After a few months after the darshan, I happened to read a book entitled, “Man’s Eternal Quest” by Sri Paramahansa Yoganandaji in which he said, “… when a thought becomes deeply rooted in the subconscious mind, the divine grace is bound to flow to make the thought come true.” When I went through the pages of my life after Amma’s entry into my life, I was shocked to recall that I imagined to sleep on Amma’s lap before I went to bed every night. Was that the reason why Amma said, “Amma knows…”?

- Shikha

12 June 2009 — San Ramon

A gown made of old fruit and vegetable sacks… a pair of pants fashioned from rice bags… a wedding dress stitched from used shrink wrap…

These were just some of the “new fashions” modeled at the Recycle Fashion Show put on during darshan one afternoon in Amma’s San Ramon ashram.

In order to help create awareness regarding the importance of recycling, devotees in San Ramon put on a fashion show in which all the clothing was fashioned from potential trash. Other original clothing included a cocktail dress made of plastic cut from household cleaning items and a leisure suit made of discarded coin sacks.

“The point was to promote making fashion-usable items out of otherwise throw-away materials,” said Prechatas, a devotee-model who dawned a leisure suit made of six-pack connector rings. “The materials inspire the fashions.”

Throughout her life, Amma has been promoting environmental awareness and protection, specifically through the spiritual practice of seeing the creation as the Creator. Amma says that when we understand that all is divine, we will never waste or pollute. We will always treat the earth and its objects with awareness, care and concern for society as a whole.

When devotees in engaged in a similar project to create purses, cell-phone cases and even sandals from discarded plastic, Amma said, “Amma is very pleased by these children’s efforts to create wealth from waste. You may think it is only a small gesture, but through this the hearts of individuals blossom. Then others are inspired to follow. This can lead to significant changes in society.”

Amma watched the fashion show as she gave darshan, laughing joyously at the absurdity and fun of some of the creative fashions.

- Tulasi

18 June 2009

On the Second retreat evening, Amma held the meditation and question and answer session outside.

The hotel is right next to the LA Airport and also a very busy intersection, so it was quite noisy.  Amma playfully noted that we should hear all the noise as ‘Ma and Om’ (referring to the meditation that is done just after Amma enters the hall for darshan).

Bhajans were

• Sri Gananayaka
• Murali Vale Pyare Kanha
• Anandanmrita Rupini
• Sankara Siva Sankara
• Manasa Vacha (in Spanish)
• Sri Rama Namamu
• Nammavararu Namagilla
• Jai Ma Ambe

Murali Vale Pyare Kanha is a new Krishna bhajans with an upbeat chorus that repeats at the end:

Mukunda Madhava Jaya Govinda Gopijana  Kanta
Narakantaka he Nanda Dulare Charana Kamal Vande

“Glory to Govinda, Mukunda, Madhava, the sweetheart of all the gopis!  Killer of Narakasura, darling of Nanda, we worship your lotus feet.”

During darshan, both the LA Balakendra and LA Satsang put on wonderful plays with spiritual themes.  They were followed by an African Dance group accompanied by traditional African drumming.  The beat had everyone on their feet, and those who were outside the hall were rushing inside to watch the performance.

Afterwards, Amma was playing with one of the drums.

Murali
Los Angeles, USA