Category: WithAmma

Nine buses were parked on the side of the road for a bathroom stop on the way from Nagapattanam to Madurai. We were about 300 people scattered along the roadside in the middle of nowhere. Open pastures, farmland and trees were around us. I was talking with a fellow devotee, recalling on how during the North Indian Tour last year, I had discovered the bliss of raw sugarcane. At that moment, I turned around and saw a few Brahmacharies scampering off the road up ahead. There was a field of sugarcane right there! I spotted one holding a three foot long stick of sugarcane in his hand. That’s all it took – I ran off after him, and into the maze of cane stalks standing about 10 feet high. Still being a novice, I asked one of them to break off a stick for me. He obliged. At once, I put the stick in my mouth – using my teeth to tear off the hard outside. It was primal but in a blissful way. The texture of the soft center is a lot like celery. You chew on it only to get at the juice – and spit out the rest. All I can say is that my whole body was rejoicing at the nourishment that came from that stick – It’s a rare treat – I felt like a young Indian boy at play in a timeless way – as if I had done this in many lifetimes before.

Sri Pati, USA
1 Feb 2007

In Trichy, during darshan, in the wee hours of the night, a special darshan was there. He had 4 legs, but he didn’t walk. He could fly because he had wings. He was a small black bat, very tiny, like the size of a small mouse. Somehow it ended up on the stage – on the Women’s side – and there was a big freak out – everyone was afraid. A Westerner caught it and brought it to Amma. Amma stopped darshan, and put it on the back side of her hand, and started to caress it, brought it up to her face, while stroking it’s back, and softly kissed it. Oh it was a sweet darshan! Amma asked what to feed it – and gave it a banana. It sniffed the banana, but didn’t eat.

In Ettimadai, Amma was with a calf, fondling its neck, stroking its face and head. She kissed it, and kissed, and kissed. The calf licked Amma’s face.

Back in Amritapuri, one day, a small baby sitting on its mother’s lap came for Amma’s darshan. Amma took the baby on her lap. The baby had a pacifier in her mouth. She looked at Amma, took her pacifier, and put it in Amma’s mouth. Amma was sucking on the pacifier just like the baby.

Sounds simple, these small acts. The act is simple, but to do it so spontaneously without aversion, you need immense courage, love, and wisdom–the wisdom that every thing is your own Self.

It’s easy to talk advaita, but to live it, not easy.

Dhyanamrita
28 January 2007

The other evening, on the way from Trichy to Chennai, our caravan stopped along the side of the road for dinner. Amma was still far behind us. It would be about two hours before Amma would arrive.

The sun was setting. We were in the middle of nowhere. A small village lay about ½ km down the road. Otherwise there were open felds all around. A small pen of ducks was there. Villagers were walking their cows home from pasture. We were our own herd of people – scattering out among the grounds in groups. Some were, walking about, meditating, chatting, or helping to gather wood to cook chai. I found myself joining a group that was singing bhajans accompanied by a small portable harmonium. It was so blissful to be singing and playing harmonium. We probably sang for about an hour. A few local villagers had gathered around – some even joined in.

Amma finally arrived. She sat in her chair, her face beaming at all of us who were sitting in front of her. These impromptu rest stops with Amma are the best part of traveling with her. It makes the long bus rides, the sleepless nights, the dusty air, all worthwhile.

We all passed our tiffins to be filled with dinner, which were then passed to Amma who passed them back to us. We’re supposed to have our names written on the sides of the plates so that they can easily be identified. But with all people, getting the plates to the proper owner can be quite a task. In no time, there was a sea of plates being held high above heads – names being called out – making an endless circle from hand to hand – trying to find their way home. As more and more plates started circling, and more and more names being called out, Amma joked that we sounded like little chirping birds – and suggested that we should just eat from whatever plate we now had and give back to that person later. Amma even made sure that all the local villagers received a plate.

After singing a new bhajan”Om Shakti Om Shakti” with us, Amma headed to her camper. On the way, she called out for Prasad – she would give a quick standing darshan to the villagers who were there – a hug, a soft whisper in their ear, and a packet of vibhuti and a piece of candy.

Amma left, and we boarded our buses. A few of us felt inspired to give some of the villagers photos of Amma. As they stood there waving us off – holding their Prasad in one hand, photo in the other, we smiled at each other. Perhaps Amma will stop here again next year. Perhaps they will feel the pull of Amma’s love and find their way to Amritapuri or a nearby stop during next year’s South Indian Tour?

Hopefully, Amma will stop again with us on the way from Chennai to Nagapattinam.

Sri Pati – USA
Trichy to Chennai 28 January 2007

oh! there is amma. she is by the road side in a field distributing dosa…
all children had gathered around her. some others are making tea little further away.
by not far from amma, there is group of ducks inside a net-fence. both had similarity. the scene, the contrast stuck me. here one is there due to the bondage. No freedom to choose the life of their own. the other group- the children around amma, is for freedom from the bondage. they have chosen of their own.

some one was taking photos. clicking , clicking. he does not belong to the tour group. i asked him– where is he from? he said he is from ‘dinakarn’ a tamil daily. i wondered what he is going to do with the photo of amma sitting with ashramites and having food. he said it is very important for him. amma had come to his village. centainly he will publish the news and photo. he said it with such a spirit jumping on to his bike and running to his press office. i dont think i will be able to see the local edition of dinakaran. but one thing.. even in the villages people know about amma. they have respect and love for her.

we had our dinner… amma sang two tamil songs. the last one ‘om shakti om shakti’ was ecstatic and beautiful…

then we started again for chennai. now 9.30 pm. — another 180 k.m. to go….
shubaratri once again.
namah sivaya

dhyanamrita
26 jan 2007, trichy to chennai

darshan in trichy went on till 8.30 am in the morning. people have so much faith in amma , so much love for amma. it was reflected in the words of mayor and the minister who spoke. you could see the police people in the uniform joining the line to give prasad to amma– usually only volunteers of the local area gets such a privilege.

Amma stayed in a house next to the national college grounds. during the padapujaa, those family members put a kind of kingly turban on amma. it was very nice to see amma with the white turban with some yellow glittering beads hanging down.

by evening 4.30 amma visited an ashram residence – radha and ramesh – parental house next to sri rangam temple. sri rangam temple has the tallest temple gate in the world. Lord vishnu in ananta shayana is the murthi of the temple.

the house was in an agraharam- the place were the ayyankar brahmin community lives. there were about 60-70 people living in that house. it was a joint family. they all looked alike. they welcomed amma with chants and smiles and cries. after the puja, amma initiated a young boy with sacred thread. upon their prayer.

the house is like a small passage and small rooms on either side. after giving prasad she went to kitchen where swami ramakrishna was making coffee. she took the kettle from him and stretched out a cup of coffee.

when she came out of that house there was a big rush of people waiting for darshan.

with the help of the police amma could easily get out of the traffic of the city. before the police left, they made sure to come and get amma ‘s blessings.

writing this on our way to chennai, we are little far away from amma. the whole tour group is ahead of 150 km.

i didn’t sleep last night, had my breakfast and slept for 4 hours. i was not feeling hungry. so didn’t take lunch.
unless amma stops, we won’t stop. so waiting for chennai to have my dinner.

we are supposed to reach chennai after midnight… now it’s 8 pm.

good night — shuba ratri.

Dhyanamrita
26 jan 2007, trichy to chennai

I love watching the Badaga dance in Coimabatore. Two years back when Amma last was here, and again during Amma’s 53rd birthday celebrations in Amritapuri, they also enchanted the crowd – inspiring westerners, students, and Ashramites to join in . The same happened again this year. Young and old, men and women. Their rhythmic movements, graceful flowing hands and bodies, the beating of drums and call and response voices calls to the dancer inside us. It’s so primal, so natural, and so beautiful. One wonders how long these people have been dancing like this – how far back in time? How wonderful that India has been able to preserve these timeless traditions.

For a while, I was content just taking photos, or watching from the sidelines – focusing on their movements. But I found my inner self wanting to join in. I stood there – conflicted – trying to overcome my inhibitions – people would look at me – a westerner in white awkwardly throwing his body around. But then some westerners did join in, the Badaga happy to show them the movements even as they were ‘throwing a wrench’ into the coordinated movements of those already dancing.

Still, I stood by the sidelines. Then, at the end of the first night, as Darshan ended, and the Badaga still playing, Amma Herself stood up to leave the stage – and made a full circle – turning round with the beat, no inhibition, no concerns. Just dancing…..

The next day, I knew the Badaga would be there again. Would I join in?

Around 2am, they were singing and dancing again. Again, I stood by the sidelines, thinking about how Amma was so natural, innocent when She danced. I recalled how Amma says it’s just not enough to stand at the shore of the ocean and just get your feet wet. You have to dive in. I recalled how I overcame my fears when I used to go firewalking (walking on hot coals) – I would stand there trying to convince myself that it would be fine. It just takes a leap of faith…

In a moment of surrender, I joined the line. I found myself behind a Badaga man who was more than happy to call out the movements and changes as we made our way around the circle. I loved it. At times, it was awkward, but once I got the jist of it, it seemed so natural, so beautiful. When we were in synch -hands, legs, arms, – it was so nice – like a huge drum circle when they reach that magical moment when all the drummers are connected and the music just flows. So did our bodies- around and around, faster and faster.

I can’t wait till the next time..

Sri Pati, USA
Coimbatore, 23 January 2007

right after covai brahmasthanam, amma visited the amrita university campus in ettimadai. the sun has not yet risen in the horizon at that time. first amma blessed the new big swimming pool by touching the water. this is a newly constructed swimming pool of international standards situated under the shadow of the western ghats. she then visited cattle farm and went around the campus. you could see people running after amma’s car. some of them running behind amma were just coming out of the bath room — you could see that their wet hair was still dripping.
some people who were doing their morning exercises and practices not even noticed that amma has passed by.

amma served lunch to all the children who are traveling with her. we also had satsnag the jokes with amma.

left for trichy ( trichinappilly) in the afternoon, reached at 11 p.m.
amma is staying at a devotees house.

trichy is a city of temples. the city has 69 famous temples to its credit!. forget about the other small temples.
this is the first time amma is having program in this city.

dhyanamrita
24 jan 2007, trichy

the marriage held at the end of darshan in covai was little funny. a young brahmin couple were getting married. they had lot of special rituals. boy was from Orissa and girl is form Maduari, Tamil Nadu. the girl was asking the boy to tie the ‘mangalya sutra’ around her neck during the ceremony. amma was laughing so much seeing the strange custom. i dont know whether is a custom or bit of boldness (arrogance). they have put 3 malas to the bride and groom. then they exchange malas. then the girl will try to put the mala on the boy, who would not let her do that. he tries to block her.
why?
may be its time to make a second thought ?
a warning.
why should i enter the samasara?
maybe?
maybe not?
or it’s custom to invoke the intimacy and love between them.
then the boy puts one of his malas to her. she avoids it. like to catch a dog with a noose he caught her in the mala. every body was enjoying so much –the interactions between them.
may love prevail in their life. may amma bless you.

dhyanamrita
24 jan 2007, coimbatore

night time in covai its more cold. by the 3rd day the dust was coming more off the ground.
all the 3 nights the Badugas rocked the house. at one point Amma expressed that she wanted to dance with them.

after sani puja amma made an announcement in tamil over the microphone asking people to give way for the devotees who did sani puja to go to the temple with kalasa brought cheer to the devotees and much clapping.

Amma finished darshan in covai on the morning of 24. there were so many people to receive mantras and a padapuja and marriage.

when amma was leaving the stage devotees were praying to amma that she should not leave…

she left the brahmasthanam temple in another 10 minutes to the next place in her schedule.

does she really leave her children?
no.
she takes them with her always in her heart.

dhyanamrita
24 jan 2007, coimbatore