7 Feb 2023, Amritapuri
The term “tsunami babies” refers to the children born to women who were unable to have more children after the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004. After the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004, several women from the villages surrounding Amritapuri came to Amma telling of a peculiar and tragic plight. Not only had they lost their children in the disaster, they were also unable to have more, as they had long back opted to undergo tubal ligation as a form of birth control.
Moved by their situation, Amma sponsored tubal-ligation reversal surgeries for six women. The first baby was born on September 13, 2006, and the final couple got a baby on December 24, 2008. The names of the children born as a result of these surgeries are Amritesh, Eknath, Aparna, Alwin, Atul, Aditya, Gayatri, and Krishnanunni. Today during darshan at Amritapuri, the families of these children came to see Amma and were allowed to have a photograph with her.
This is a heartwarming example of how compassion and kindness can bring hope and joy to people in difficult circumstances.
-Sree
