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Building a house by hand
The terrain here makes any kind of mechanized building impossible. A cement mixer is too heavy to be carried up the mountain, even in pieces. So, we are doing everything by hand. The skeleton of our house is nine steel re-enforced cement pillars. Very heavy bundles of 24 foot steel rods are carried up on the shoulders of our Nepali porters. Sand, gravel, and cement follow, some carried by man, so by mule. The bar is measured and cut with a chisel and sledge hammer. Babalu and Chitra bend and wire the bar together forming the steel heart of…
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Happy Amritapuri
Just like 2 years back, no major tours have been scheduled for the December-March period and the ever growing number of visitors and residents have been enjoying a blessed and stretched extended period near Amma, right here in Amritapuri… where it all began 40 years ago. The darshan days are busier than ever with large number of seekers and devotees from all over the world reaching Amritapuri on daily basis. There are the old-timers, the regulars and an increasing number of groups and new comers. Free from the time constraining tours, Amma welcomes all with her usual extremely generous disposition,…
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In the depth of the night
In the depth of the night There came a shining light Calling me to emerge from darkness And to let go of my blindness Tears of joy I shed Under Your starry sky Words of love I read In the stars so high The wonder You brought back In a world where all was black The child in me You embraced And I was just amazed I was reborn in Your ocean of Love You gave me wings to fly as a dove Your peace I try to live Your example I wish to give And though in my path…
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Our “Ashram” Life
Our “Ashram” is on the main road, north of Chandripuri and directly below the hillside village of Batwadi Sonar where we are building houses. We live in two buildings about 1 km. apart which we have dubbed Ashram A and B. “Ashram A” is four small rooms on the lower level of a building that came within a meter of having it’s foundation undercut and falling into the river. We have two sleeping rooms plus small kitchen and bath. A gas geezer (water heater) was brought fromDelhi for bathing. “Ashram B” is a single sleeping room at Hotel Monika, one…
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A visit to the villages in the valley in Kedernath
My guide to this valley has been Sudheer. Our task, to find the 34 villages adopted by Amma, meet or at least get name and mobile, of the village mayors (pratans), school officials, and especially kindergarten (anganwadi) teachers. That is not as easy as it may sound. Most villages are reached by steep, winding foot paths to the furthest places possible up or down from a road. The damage on the hillsides is less visible than in the valley, but very wide spread. As we climb, people stop us to show houses cracked as the earth settled weeks after…
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The future home
To prepare for the MLA’s visit and the assembly of the villagers, Br. Premamrita was up most of the night building a scale model of the house to display. It was done with such care and love. The scale model was a big hit, with many seeing for the first time what their future home would be like. Some women had tears in their eyes as they looked through the windows. This would be their future home. The men, who observe our progress at the site each day, discussed every detail. – Scotti
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The beginning & end
I was crying for help, and You answered me I was yearning to walk straight, and You taught me I was searching for a shelter, and You fetched me I was looking for a reason to live, and You gave it to me I was wondering who’s steps to follow, and Yours called me I wanted to let go of sorrow and pain, and Your presence showed me I was looking for joy, and Your smile uplifted me I was craving for love, and Your embrace fulfilled me I was lost in the wild, and You found me… For You…
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Pongal at Amritapuri
Sankranti is a solar festival; Sun changes his path to northward (solstice). The day is celebrated by different cultures differently all over India. In South India it is also called Pongal as it is associated with the harvest. The day is dedicated to worship of Nature. Amma often remembers this festival from her childhood as one that shows us how our ancients revered Mother Nature. Three days were exclusive pongal days: the first day was the ritualist beginning with cleaning up and white washing of houses, and worship of the family deity; as special food offerings are made to the…
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Everything must move up
Since so much land was lost along the riverside, the only place to build here is on the hillsides above. This valley is quite densely populated, with almost all suitable land taken for existing homes or farming. There is no possible place to efficiently build a tract of 50 homes. Our first house sits by itself among terraces growing rice and mustard seed. All building materials are dropped on the highway. Mules or Nepali porters show up to move sand, gravel, cement, brick, and steel bar up the steep hill on their backs. You can make 20 rupees carrying 35…
