10 April 2008 This past Thursday, Amma’s divine presence soaked deep into our hearts as we sat outside at her feet for the first time in the Australian Ashram in Melbourne. We had all been longing for this moment since Guru Purnima 2006 when we were given approval to purchase the property. The gathering began […]
Towards the end of the morning program on the first day of retreat, Amma said that she would dance after darshan. Eager devotees gathered around as the last person came to receive Amma’s hug. Then, a circle was formed, and Amma stood up to dance. But the musicians didn’t know what bhajan to play. Then…..apparently, […]
Amma arrived at Melbourne international Airport on April 3rd around 1pm after holding programmes in Singapore and Malaysia. A hundred or so people were on hand at the airport gate to greet Amma – an unusual scene for this American – where only ticket holders are allowed past security and to the gate. Amma was […]
1 April 2008 — Mines Exhibition and Convention Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Amma’s programs in Malaysia are huge—some of the biggest outside India. This year more than 20,000 people came. As such, Amma decided to give darshan as she does on her India tours, with people coming to her standing as opposed to kneeling. One […]
On the last afternoon during the Singapore programmes, a group of 30+ devotees from the Philippines came for darshan, holding signs asking Amma to come to their country. They had flown all the way from the Philippines just for the programmes. That they had come such a distance is not so remarkable in Amma’s world—so […]
27 March 2008, Singapore I arrived at the vast, modern Expo Hall in Singapore on the day before the programmes were to begin. Downstairs, enormous international trade shows were going on, the air filled with the energy of one big sales show. It was a relief to go upstairs and find Amma’s stage half-built and […]
26 March 08 The new bhajans that were written and tuned just before the North Indian Tour have had a few months of practice behind them and have now become part of the bhajan set and Amma and the musicians familiar with their rhythms and melodies. Indeed, last night’s bhajan set consisted of many of […]
27 March 2008, Singapore The first thing one notices upon landing in Singapore is how clean it is –the shining clean window fronts, the neatly manicured lawns and the evenly paved. For those just coming from Calcutta, the differences are that much more startling. Even more so, however, is how green Singapore is. For a […]
22 March 2008, Andaman One of the most striking aspects of Amma’s recent visit to the Andaman Islands was the overwhelming open-hearted hospitality and warmth expressed by the local devotees and islanders. Many of the people on the Andamans are still struggling to recover and rebuild after loosing their homes, loved ones, and livelihoods in […]