Memories of Amma’s first USA Yatra 1987 – part 5
It is hard to imagine those days when there was no computer, no cell phone, no internet . But all the planning for the first tour took place without that. The small typewriter which had been given to me was my way to contact people, to type up the Amritanandam newsletter and to keep in touch with the small & scattered group of people who had been keen to help after seeing the video of Amma in the summer. The Europe planning had been divided out and given over to a devotee living in France, Jacques Albohair. He would follow up there with the contacts I had made, added to those he already had, while I figured out Amma’s tour in America.
By January I knew that it was time to return to the US. Now that we had the plane tickets and the visas were granted, the substance of the tour was what was needed. Where would Amma and the group stay? Which cities and towns would Amma visit? What halls would be suitable for the evening bhajans and darshan? How about all those publicity posters that needed to be put up everywhere? Who would be there to do all that? I decided to cross the country again even though it would be the dead of winter. More video shows meant more contacts, more helpers, and more of Amma‘s children would come to hear of Amma’s upcoming visit. It was the only way I could see to move forward. Starting in San Francisco I would not stop until I reached Boston.
Asking for Amma’s blessing, my ticket for the US was booked for 3rd February.
Sitting in my hut near the Kalari one night getting ready to go, an idea popped into my head. Why not put together a ‘pre-tour’ with a few of the brahmacharins to precede Amma. They could go to each place Amma would visit, present an evening of satsang & bhajans and share their much vaster experience with Amma. All the halls and homes I was planning to arrange this coming month could be checked to make sure everything was suitable. Even though I knew it would add a layer of complexity to plan a pre-tour while at the same time planning for Amma’s visit, I decided to ask Amma about it. No one really much liked the idea except Amma. She smiled so sweetly when I asked permission for the pre-tour, and picked 3 brahmachris to travel in advance of Amma.
The pre-tour date was fixed for 26th March. We would meet in San Francisco and drive across the country. They would bring the harmonium and tabla set. One began composing a beautiful Hari Katha to share along the way. Another was busy editing Bhajanamritam Volume 1 in English. With all that in place, I set off.
– Kusuma