Category: AshramDiary
life at the Amritapuri ashram
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What do you say?
Hectic preparation was going on for Amma’s 54th birthday celebrations. As more than one hundred thousand people were expected, building the big tent started more than a few weeks ago. As the day neared many devotees from far and near poured in in order to do seva. Days and nights were spent on the site. Along with the rest of nature, the rain-god also played fun games with us. As we had no fixed working hours, he too didn’t have any. He was more fond of sending rain soon after we set something right, and in that very place. On…
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Anagha’s offering to Amma
Anagha (13), from Pala – Kottayam, could not attend Amma’s 54th birthday in Amritapuri on Sep 27th. While sitting in the classroom she composed a four-line prayer in Malayalam. Anagha recited this to Amma when she came to Amritapuri, on Sunday the 30th. The poem was so powerful. After listening to this Amma asked the little one that ‘are you going to make me cry?’ Here is the prayer. In the ocean of sorrow, I am always crying. With a smile, when will you remove my sorrows, oh Devi? Are you becoming devoid of compassion? Is it your desire that…
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Rain Rain Went Away
Rain Rain Went Away and Came Again Another Day…. 30 September 2007, Amritapuri It’s 1am in the boy’s computer room a few days after the birthday. Raindrops are once again falling outside, as it has been all month. That is, except on the day before, and day of the Birthday. It was simply Grace. Not a drop fell the entire day and night of the 26th making preparations and setup that much easier. The birthday itself started out dry. It was hot, but not unbearable. Umbrellas were in use again, this time to block out the sun. Though there were…
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Tulu people from Mumbai
28 Sep 2007, Amritapuri From Navi Mumbai, Dombivli, Kalyan area, about 100 people came to Amritapuri on 20-09-07 to participate in Amma’s 54th birthday. A.M Potian and Shri.P.Mendol said that most of the visitors had not met Amma before. They started this annual visit from 1995 with seven people. “People come to Amma with various family problems. After meeting Amma they see a new life altogether,” says Kunder.A few family members even save money every month so they can travel to Amritapuri once in a year for Amma’s birthday. “Since we travel in a group chanting Amma’s bhanjans and ashtoram,…
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Birthday Celebrations
27 .9.2007, Amitapuri Yesterday the mass of devotees had already gathered in full force for Amma’s darshan, bhajans and cultural programs. Amma gave darshan to as many devotees as possible and then stopped for bhajans. The hall was completely packed by that time. Amma sang the following bhajans: Manasa Chora Radha Krishna Vyathayariyikkan Bara Gopala (Kannada) Prapanchamengum Makaranda Madhurya (Telugu) Om Namah Shivaya Oru Nalum Piriyatto Mere Hridya Sree Ram Base (Hindi) Sarvavyapiyai (Tamil) Jai Jai Janani Jai Ho Teri (hindi) This morning the hall by the engineering college was completely overflowing with devotees. The hall must be one of…
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Birthday Approaching
25 Sep 2007, Amritapuri The birthday preparations are in full swing. Last night everyone was working on the other side of the backwaters to clear the venue. The whole area was, and still is, covered in mud. Only through hard work and grace will it be fit to receive all the devotees on the 27th, otherwise it will amount to a Woodstock-like experience. With Amma things may seems improbable to the last minute but then the fresh breath of grace blows and everything falls into place. Like Amma says, difficulties are but the shadow of the hand of the Divine…
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Anandamayi Brahmamayi
Yesterdays bhajans consisted of the following songs: Jai Gopalaka Jai Hitakari Omkara Brahmattin Bara Gopala (Kannad) Karuna Nir Katale Sri Rama Namamu (Telugu) Anandamayi Brahmamayi Om Namah Shivaya Shyam Shyam Kukadi Bandamundu Sontamundu (Tamil) Jai Jai Janani Jai Ho Teri The old song Anandamayi Brahmamayi always brings a few teardrops to Amma’s eyes and naturally of the listeners also. O Blissful One, Oh Absolute One, whose form is of unsurpassed beauty. Crossing the six mystic centers the yogis come to know Thee, the invaluable Treasure. Thy Glory and Infinite power, are however, only slightly known even unto them. Religions and…
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Singing or disturbing?
19 sep 2007, Amritapuri Last night during bhajans there was a crow that was sitting above Amma on a monitor speaker and she had quite a lot to say all the time. It really sounded like she was trying to convey something to everyone. After some time Amma asked her if she was disturbing or trying to sing along, and asked her to come down and sit on the microphone to have her say. Amma looked so sweetly at the crow as she was asking her this, but the crow flew away still making a racket. There was a really…
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Universal Pledge
18 September 2007, Amritapuri This morning, I was over at the Engineering College taking photos of students placing ribbons around trees and plants which they had adopted as a part of the Vriksha Raksha Bandhan program. One of the students had planted a mango tree sapling which was behind the College so we agreed to head there. After a few shots, I had to make my way back to the Ashram in order to sit at the seva desk during breakfast. But something caught my ear as I gingerly walked around pools of water that had formed from the persistant…