"Amma's Affection Is My Teacher"

Wednesday, 25 February 2004 — Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh

Shri. Bhanwar Lal was a high-ranking servant in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in 1999 when he met Amma's Hyderabad brahmacharis. They spoke to him about Amma's life and teachings, and he was so impressed that within weeks he sent a proposal to Amma regarding the construction of houses for the homeless in Hyderabad: the government would provide the land, if Amma would foot the cost and provide the labour. Amma agreed, and six month's later another 1,000 houses were completed as part of Amma's Amrita Kuteeram free-housing program.

Currently, Bhanwar Lal is Commissioner of Civil Supplies and Secretary to Government Consumer Affairs, Food & Civil Supplies Department. He came to have Amma's darshan this Wednesday in Hyderabad. "In an area of Hyderabad called Guddimalkapur, there was a great need for houses for people in a slum area. Through the government, I could provide the land and the framework, but the means for building the houses was lacking. Amma sent a group of extremely motivated workers to the site.

After only six months—just prior to Amma's next visit to Hyderabad—all 1,000 houses were finished! When Amma came to Hyderabad a little later, She handed over the keys to the first beneficiaries during the darshan program.

"That was also my first opportunity to meet Amma, and I was so happy to meet Her. It was very thrilling. I felt really blessed. I really think Amma blessed me to strengthen me because of my affection for the poor people and the work I can do for them. I think it is because of this work for the poor that I got Amma's blessing. Amma's affection is my teacher."

—Devadath