During the Singapore, Malaysia, Australia Tour, Amma held four Devi Bhavas – one in Singapore, and three in Australia (Melbourne, Gold Coast, and Sydney). Though Amma always remains the same – radiating Her divine love on everyone present –  each Devi Bhava had it’s own personality, so to say.

Despite the fact that I was seeing the color of Amma’s sari live, rather than via the Internet in Amritapuri, finding and giving a name to the actual colour was almost as difficult as when in Amritapuri! Anyone entering a sari shop in India will immediately realize that there are an infinite number of colors, hues, and shades available. Red is red for sure, but when it’s a shade between red and purple, it’s anyone’s guess.  And even live in person, the shade of Amma’s sari seems to shift depending on the viewing angle and lighting. So here are the best-guess names for what Amma wore during this tour.

In Singapore, Amma seemed to be wearing a tangerine-orange sari.

In Melbourne, Amma wore what was described by one devotee standing next to me as somewhere between magenta and fuscia.  I was thinking perhaps it was close to deep rose-red. Funny though – in Melbourne, where the programme was held at a racetrack, there were dozens of TV screens hanging from the ceiling – all showing Amma – and all in varying shades of ‘rose-red.’

In Gold Coast, Amma wore deep sky-blue – most like the blue in the east when the sun is setting to the west.

In Sydney, Amma wore a shade of purple. Lavender? Not sure. There were some “purple” flowers on Amma’s peetham – one matched the sari, but I never asked what type of flower it was.

Aside from the varying colours, both Singapore’s and Sydney’s Devi Bhavas held a few surprising moments. In Singapore, after the puja, right before Amma headed into the mandapam to get ready for darshan, it was announced that Amma would sing a few bhajans. So the instruments and microphones were brought up to the stage and the singers had to squeeze in few feet of space between the edge of the stage and the front of the mandapam. Amma started with “Om Namah Sivayah,” which went on for some time.  Most everyone thought there would be only one or two bhajans, but Amma went on to sing a total of six – ending with “Jai Jai Janani.”

There was also a very strict curfew in Singapore, as there was another event the next morning. As Devi Bhava was ending, the hall was literally cut in half – the floor to ceiling dividers were rolled out by the hall staff, squeezing everyone into the remaining space. When it came time for Amma to shower flower petals on everyone, there was no room for people to walk in front.  Amma first expected to see everyone moving from left to right as normal, but the only place people were moving was closer to the stage. She then laughed, and began walking from one side of the stage to the other, throwing petals on as many as She could reach.

In Sydney, originally, Amma’s flight back to India was going to be on the morning after DB was to end – giving Amma a well-deserved full day’s rest. Unexpectedly and to everyone’s surprise, Amma requested that the flight be changed to an earlier flight – and so it was. To 8 am the morning DB would end! To Amma, the extra day of rest would mean one more day being away from Her children in Amritapuri – many who hadn’t seen Her since early February when She left for the North Indian Tour.   Amma wanted to get back as soon as possible.

This meant that people had to rush back to their accommodations to get their luggage between the morning programme and Devi Bhava.  Then, everyone realized that an 8 am flight meant leaving the hall at 5 am to make it to the airport on time, as it was an international flight (fortunately, the airport was about 1/2 hour from the hall).  It also meant that Devi Bhava would have to end at around 4 am. And the bookstall and sound system would have to be broken down by this time and all the luggage ready to head out.

And so it was.  With Her grace,  Amma did finish darshan at fairly close to 5am – without having to rush and give quicker darshans.  Amma showered flower petals on everyone present, went inside the temple and all the closing prayers were said. After some time, Amma came out dressed in Her white sari, beamed at the adoring crowd, touched Her hands to Her heart several times… Was She saying She loved us? Was She saying that She resides in the inner recesses of our hearts and that it is only Her physical form that is leaving?  Both for sure, and much more.

Then Amma walked out of the hall, into the waiting car and off to the airport. Those flying with Amma followed soon after. The tour had come to an end. Amma would be in Amritapuri in less than 24 hours.

Sri Pati
In Transit