Category: Festivals
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Kanha He Ek? Gopi Anek!
Will she or won’t she? That was the question on everyone’s minds on Holi. Most years Amma has been in North India on this day, but this year it was a darshan day at Amritapuri. Would she play Holi with us? Darshan was coming to a close and there was a Pada Puja at the end. As the puja ended, it seemed that Amma might just stand up and leave. But some devotees showed Amma a pichkkari and some coloured powders and her interest was clearly aroused. She asked for the musicians to play “Ayi He Holi”. “Ayi he holi…
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The festival season
16 aug 2008, amritapuri the festival season has begun in amritapuri. actually it began two weeks ago when amma came back from the japan-usa tour. two days back, it was independence day. that night, after dinner, witnessed a lot of cultural programs. today is raksha bandan – the day sisters tie rakhi on the wrist of their brothers with a vow that they should protect them. sishya ties to their guru. today is also ‘avani avittam’ when the brahmins replace the old sacred thread with a new one. many were lining up in front of amma for the replacement of…
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Independence Day Bhajans
Last night the Independence Day of India was celebrated with plays and dances by students of Amrita University and of course the magnificent Bharata Mata Puja. I think everyone enjoyed one dance in particular where all the different costumes and style of India were paraded one after the other. Another highlight was when one of the student girls carried the flag on stage while others sang a beautiful rendition of Vande Mataram in chorus. Towards the end of the evening Amma gave a speech and sang Mata Rani. Excerpts of Amma’s speech, photos, and a video clip of the evening…
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Sivaratri in Amritapuri
5 March 2008 This past Wednesday, Sivaratri was celebrated literally all day long in Amritapuri. While our Beloved Amma was somewhere in Gujarat or Rajasthan, on Her way to Jaipur, Her children in Amritapuri were like Parvati doing penance for their beloved Siva who had suddenly disappeared. For a full 24 hours, the Brahmacharinis held a marathon of chanting, singing, and pujas in the Kali Temple which began 4:30am and ended just before Archana the next morning. Sitting in the Kalari for one of the various scheduled pujas, one could hear the Brahmachrinis chanting either the Maha Mrityunjayan Mantra (Om…
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Happy Diwali
9 Nov 2007, Amritapuri Yesterday afternoon, it was Ice Cream and Devi Bhava. Last night, it was sweets with dinner, followed by fireworks. Deepavali was being celebrated in full regal in Amritapuri. Right after dinner, all gathered in front of the Temple and began lighting sparklers, crackers, and bottle rockets. People were watching from the balconies of every floor of the flats. Cheers echoed each time a cracker exploded, or a bottle rocket successfully shot up in the air and burst into bright colors. All the while, Mother Nature had been having her own Deepavali celebration. As soon as the…
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Celebration and Culture
As I crossed the bridge going to my seva I knew something was up. Sacred drumming was coming from the direction of the Biotech Building and loud cheers rent the air from time to time. All the female students I saw were dressed in their best. Many were wearing the traditional white cotton Kerala sari, bordered with gold trim. Fragrant jasmine strands adorned their hair. When I arrived at the building I was amazed to see a huge statue of Kali, two elephants with Amma’s picture on their backs and many costumd dancers. They were awaiting the arrival of the…
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Ramayana Parikrama
walking in the footsteps of ramayanait was a spontaneous decision when sw. turiyamritananda told me he was going for ramayana parikrama [circumambulation of sacred spots associated with ramayana]. i asked, can i come with you?yes, he said.we drove 400 odd kilometres to reach pulpally, the hillstation in wynad district.while driving we saw the devastation the heavy monsoon rains in the last few days had wreaked. all the fields, houses and plantations had been submerged under water.leaving the plains, we started going up the mountain’s winding roads, hairpin curves… the sky was clear with no clouds. the rain had washed away…
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Vishu eve
Vishu is the start of the Zodiac New Year—when the sun enters into Sidereal Aries, Ashwini nakshatra—is celebrated as Vishu About 150 children and students gathered in front of the Temple and lit firecrackers after Amma finished darshan. It was fun to focus the camera in the darkness anticipating the bursts of light. Dhyanamrita 14 April 2007
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Gita Jayanti
Today is Gita Jayanti day, the day on which the message of the Gita was given by Lord Krishna to Arjuna, and recounted by Sanjaya to Dhritarashtra. Jayanti is celebrated all over India by performing arati, by reciting the Gita, by distribution of copies of the Gita and by holding discourses on it greatness and its eternal message. Mahatma Gandhi said: “When doubt haunts me, when disappointments stare at me in the face, and when I see not one ray of light on the horizon, I turn to the Bhagavad Gita, and find a verse to comfort me, and I…