Category: Around Amma

  • A prayer from the heart of India

    A prayer from the heart of India

    21 February 2003, NagpurThe state of Maharashtra has an exalted history; as recently as the 13th century it was said that one could find a mahatma in every village in the state. The city of Nagpur, aside from being a major city of Maharashtra, is also the geographical heart of the nation. North and south,…

  • A walk to remember

    A walk to remember

    19 Feb 2003, Nagpur On the way from Hyderabad to Nagpur, the North Indian tour group stopped along the banks of the river Godavari, about two kilometres off the main road. The river Godavari is considered one of the seven sacred rivers of India. The group waited patiently for Amma to join us; some skipped…

  • Dreams come true

    Dreams come true

    19 Feb 2003, En route to Hyderabad A long journey in the hot plains led us to a cool evening chai-stop at a quiet temple yard by the road. The setting sun made his presence felt by brightly outlining the cloud that hid him. Amma sat amidst Her children facing the temple water-tank. Soon She…

  • Prana pratishta in Bangalore

    Prana pratishta in Bangalore

    Amma was going to breathe life, breathe Divinity, into an inanimate stone. Her vital force is the vishwa shakti, the universal energy

  • Kalasha sthapana in Bangalore

    Kalasha sthapana in Bangalore

    12 February 2003, BangaloreAt 8:30 this morning Amma performed the Kalasha Sthapana for Her newest Brahmasthanam Temple, installing the stupika at the apex of the temple’s roof. Gongs, bells, traditional panchavadyam drums and horns accompanied the continuous chanting of the mantra “Om Sivasaktyaikya Rupinyai Namah” (Salutations to the One who is the union of Shiva…

  • Anandavady

    Anandavady

    9 February 2003, Mananthavady Amma calls it Anandavady, the Blissful Garden. Not without reason. Mananthavady is a town among the hills of the southern tip of the Western Ghats. The ghats are known for their precious forests and beauty. Amma’s Brahmasthanam Temple, built atop one of the hills, is visible from a distance in all…

  • In the hills of northern Kerala

    In the hills of northern Kerala

    8 February 2003, Mananthavady The first stop of Amma’s 2003 North Indian Tour was in Mananthavady, deep in the rolling tropical hills of Northern Kerala. The ashram itself is perched atop one such hill, with a view opening out into a forested valley, dotted with the lights of homes nestled among the trees. The area…

  • What is special about the Bhavani river?

    What is special about the Bhavani river?

    This is a sacred place; it is a place of pilgrimage where many devotees and sadhaks have made offerings and done spiritual practices, and it has been visited and blessed by many mahatmas.

  • Geneva comes to Chennai

    Geneva comes to Chennai

    16 January 2003, Chennai Throughout the four days of programmes in Chennai, Amma’s devotees there had been asking Her if they could see the video of Her speech in Geneva in the original Malayalam. Now it is the end of the last program in Chennai: five a.m. and darshan is over; people crowd near and…

  • Devotion & Discipline

    Devotion & Discipline

    12 Jan 2003, en route to Chennai “Upanishad” means literally “to sit at the feet of” When one imagines the dialogues in the Upanishads, one can almost see the disciples seated humbly at the feet of the Master, gathered under a gigantic tree in full bloom. Such was the scene two days ago when, en…