26-27October, Espoo, Helsinki, Finland – Europe Yatra 2025
Amma held a two-day program at Espoo Metro Areena in Helsinki, flying in from Barcelona. Over the two days, the temperature dropped from 10°C to 5°C, with wind and drizzle on the second day—yet hearts were warm.
The program took place in an ice hockey stadium. The floor was temporarily covered with planks and a stage was built just for the event—set up in only a few hours.
As Amma arrived on stage, devotees sang a song in Finnish. From their seats, people waved Finnish flags and joined in. The meaning of the song was shared as follows:
“we longed for your embrace,
smiles from ear to ear, tears of joy.
now you are here, among us all.
thank you for guiding us
in love and compassion.
tirelessly you labor;
you love everyone.
amma, let me see the path of dharma.
i promise to do good to others.
i will remember to chant, through life’s journey.
to us, you are the remover of darkness,
a mother to the small and humble.
amma laughed, and we laughed along.”
Officially welcoming Amma to Finland, Ville Merinen, a Member of the Finnish Parliament, said: “This is a truly emotional moment for me to stand here on this stage with Amma. She is a person whose life mission is to embrace others and bring compassion into the world. What she does has reminded me how precious it is to help one another. One embrace, one gentle look, one moment of selfless action can change the course of a life. Amma expresses it beautifully: ‘Each thought and action has the power to brighten or darken many lives.’”
Mervi Katainen, Chairperson of the City Board of Espoo, also expressed gratitude to Amma for coming to Finland. “The impact of your work is beyond measure. Not only because it brings help to the underprivileged, offers access to education and healthcare, promotes equality, and thereby contributes to world peace. But also because offering hope is a message that we all need right now,” she said.
India’s Ambassador to Finland, Hemant H. Kotalwar, shared: “Technology is fragmenting society. Nowadays, everyone is watching their mobile screens; everyone is in their own world. Amma is connecting people in the real sense. And through her hard work in India and abroad, I think she is giving us a message that we need to be connected, we need to be together,” he said. Kotalwar whole heartedly weclomed Amma to Finland which has been ranked the happiest country in the world for several years in a row by the United Nations World Happiness Report.
Amma addressed the gathering in Malayalam. Punyavati, a long-term ashram resident, translated Amma’s words into Finnish. Akhilesh Matti Rajakylä, a former Olympic swimmer, translated during the MA-Om meditation session.
Across both days, Amma sang bhajans, gave satsang, and conducted Atma Puja. Over 400 people received mantra from Amma during her visit to the city.
Amma also blessed two marriages and performed three Vidyarambham ceremonies before concluding the program.
Each evening, after long hours of darshan, Amma danced a few steps to the tune of “rarari rararo,” reminding everyone that life is to be celebrated, even amidst hard work.
The following afternoon, before departure, Amma met the 250-odd volunteers, offering lunch prasad, satsang, and bhajans in gratitude for their service.
As Finland moved toward the grip of winter, Amma offered the warmth of love and a clear direction for life—then departed for Aix-en-Provence, France, for the next stop of the tour.
-KaliCharn
