25 Aug 2010
Amritapuri is brimming with smiles, chit-chat and lot. It is so very beautiful to see the many faces that have come to greet Amma and be greeted with her blessings. Eateries have sprung up: small canteens serving hot, cold, spicy and sweet food. Amrita Setu bridge is colorfully lighted with many colorful flags and lamps reminding the beauty of Karthika. Devotees have put up temporary stalls to serve food. Ashramites of all ages have started day and night seva to fulfill and offer help to all those who come. Devotees speaking Malayalam, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Gujarati, Marathi, Oriya, Punjabi, Bengali and many many other languages share the same feeling of being Mother’s own. The best of things is Amma is the same. Infact when queue monitors told Amma that people have come afresh in the evening, Amma said “Go call them ask them to eat, hand them a token and ask them to come for Darshan.”

It was around 7:30pm. Some questions were being asked by Amma to bramhacharins regarding their Seva. After some time, one bramhachari came to Amma bearing two pieces of cloth. It was Amma’s idea of handkerchief which she wanted all school children to carry. Amma saw them and had made her comments. Amma then turned to two other people on her side and said “Amma wanted all children to carry two cloth handkerchiefs. One for wiping face and other to spit or to use during sneezing. That way the world will be cleaner. Look it is so easy. Even I use it that way” and Amma took the towel, wiped her face and as a gesture covered her nose and mouth to show how one may use it. Amma said that she wants to make them and then Ashram can hand it over to children in schools so they can start using. As one was pondering about paper-tissue napkins that is common in the west, Amma turned at the bramhachari and said “Paper napkins are common but paper means trees and that is not environment-friendly! These cloth handkerchiefs can stand any amount of squeezing too”, saying so she took them and squeezed them hard meaning children may handle it freely. Then Amma continued saying “Cloth handkerchiefs can be washed and reused and they stay for a long time without much damage.” In between this conversation about 80 people got their Darshan while much more waited. Amma showed no sign of fatigue and yet it was 13 hours since she had started. In midsts, she was also talking to many getting their Darshan.

Amma reflected the joy of having so many of her children as normally as a mother would have her own. So beautiful, so much happiness, what a wonderful Life!

— Shyam