2 April 2014, Amritapuri

Since Thursday evening Bhakti’s mood is changed. When Amma was away on Ernakulam and Trissur tour till then, I saw her in forlorn mood, sitting just anywhere, and only raising brows to look up at anyone who called her, never raising the head. So forlorn!

Yesterday evening Amma arrived in the ashram. Near Her room, Amma got down the camper and walked in the direction of the steps, looking at Her human children throwing love glances at them. Just then down the steps from Amma’s room dashed out Bhakti, and ran straight into Amma with her special greeting sound: UuuuU! Obviously Bhakti was inside Amma’s room waiting for Her, but it was impossible to stay put there when she heard “Matarani Ki Jai” blasting the air, as people welcomed Amma. Amma had to stop there and give Her full attention to Bhakti who was twisting and twirling in joy to the accompaniment of everyone’s joyous surprise and her own Uuuuuu! Then, only after that, she ran upstairs like a good girl, and waited inside Amma’s room for Amma to finish with all others. That was for her share of special room darshan.

Today Amma started very early. Amma was visiting Devi temple about 2 kms away. Everyone was keen to go with Amma, and so, may be no one told Bhakti about it. May be Lakshmi akka was also busy, unpacking tour things and setting things for this early morning venture.
But she is as always quick to sense things. She was the playing the chief escort to Amma from Amma’s door.

After a while Bhakti remembered the previous day announcement that ashram residents should follow Amma. But Bhakti was walking ahead of Amma, through the flower petals the villagers offer to Amma on her waty to the temple.
When she came to the temple, Amma was received into the temple. I was standing away from the crowd for a while wiping my sweat. She came wagging her tail as if saying, “Look, I made it!” I tried telling her, “Don’t mind, Bhakti. You and I will wait here for Amma to finish and come out…” patting on her head. But then, “Please, don’t tell that to me,” her tail-end told me in my face as she left. She went inside the temple. She didn’t mind the newness of the place or people. She went round in the temple just as anyone of us participants. And more carefully, in the midst of the many pongala hearths.

Video: Bhakti joining with Amma for Pongala

We were all seated in the temple yard listening to Amma’s words of wisdom. She was speaking of the basic tenet of Sanatana dharma, to see God in every bit of creation. Everyone was listening with rapt attention. But one was there craving for Amma’s attention. As She spoke someone was disturbing her by touching her feet. She said in an aside that she should not be disturbed. But no human child around Her discovered who the culprit was. Amma looked down when the disturbance persevered. It was Bhakti. Gone under Amma’s chair from behind, so that no one noticed her! For a while Amma laughed and laughed at her kusuri- mischief; then Amma continued Her Satsang.

Then it was time for Amma’s departure. As Amma walked outside, Bhakti had quietly waited for Amma at the exit point so that when Amma left she got a place from where she could not be left behind. In the car with Amma!
Ask her, “Bhakti Bhakti! Where had you been?”
She might sing, “I had been to temple to see my Mother-Queen!”
– Sandhya