On Mondays and Fridays Amma has regularly been going to the beach and leading meditation and question and answer sessions. Monday the 16th, however, it had been raining heavily. So, we were surprised when we heard the familiar three bells announcing that Amma was coming out to join us. But where? In the bhajan hall under a tin roof reverberating with raindrops we discovered.

Amma was accompanied, as usual, by Siddarth who sat by her side. When another little boy came up and got a kiss from Amma, Siddarth clearly wanted to be sure he got his share of attention and cuddled up to Amma! Toward the end of the Q and A, little tots from all over the world began to slip through the crowded hall toward Amma. Blond, brunette, male, female, Eastern and Western, they all were attracted to Amma like filings to a magnet. They surrounded Amma, sitting on her peetham, at her feet and standing by her side.

At the end of the Q and A, Amma asked Siddarth to sing, Mayyaji. This was a particularly poignant moment, as he was about to leave India to return to America to start school.

O Mother, I need you. I need you every moment…Only you can make me smile. I need you. I need you with me.
Amma kept encouraging him to sing faster and he followed Amma’s instructions exactly. After that, Amma walked up the middle ramp to the stage for bhajans.

– Rita