festivals Archives - Amma, Mata Amritanandamayi Devi

The world is hungry, start giving gifts

24 December 2019

As is the custom in Amritapuri, Christmas Eve saw a tableau of offerings in the form of dance, song and drama from Amma’s children who have come from all parts of the globe to spend their Christmas holidays with Amma.

This year’s performances showcased the plethora of cultural traditions from which Amma’s children come, and demonstrated once again that Amma’s love transcends all boundaries as a universal language.

The audience was treated first to a shadow puppet play about the birth of Christ and the arrival of the three wise men, who immediately recognized Jesus as a divine King. The crowd was regaled with Christmas carols, sung with beautiful harmonies and melodies.

All were delighted by a traditional Spanish Flamenco dance, and by a joyous salsa dance performance from Amma’s Latin American children, to a song called “Festival.” The meaning of the song is:

Do not cry
understand life as a festival
live your life singing and dancing
and with that attitude you will be able to accomplish everything.

Indian classical and semi-classical dances evoked the sweetness of devotion and the unparalleled beauty of the Divine.

A group of Amma’s international daughters performed a spellbinding dance about the Divine Mother’s love for the devotee, with the message, “Even if we do not always see her, Amma is always with us.”

Dec. 24th was not only Christmas Eve, it was also one of the 8 nights of Chanukah, a Jewish holiday known as “The festival of light.” Traditionally celebrated for 8 nights, one candle is lit each evening and placed on a menorah (hanukia), in gratitude for God’s grace in our lives. In their offering, Amma’s Jewish children built a human menorah as a prayerful offering of gratitude. At the close of the dance, 8 candles were lit, each with a prayer. Each candle was lit with a prayer:

For peace on earth
For harmony among all
To restore nature’s balance
For service to humanity
That truth may prevail
For knowledge to dawn
For our hearts to blossom
To spread Amma’s light to all corners of the world

Amma’s international children closed the performances with a message for Amma and for all those assembled:

When we celebrate Christmas we are joining the world to reflect for a day on the qualities of love, sacrifice and selfless giving. But as we reflect on it, we can’t help but understand that for us, the children of Amma, everyday is Christmas. Everyday is a celebration of being with a master that embraces us in our darkness and helps us to see the light that is our true nature. When we sing “Joy to the world, the Lord has come,” we are not singing about a historical moment, but we are giving praise and gratitude for our great fortune of being a part of Amma’s story.

After the performances, Amma gave her annual Christmas address. In her remarks, Amma reminded the assembled crowd of the deeper meaning of the Christmas traditions, saying, “Children love Christmas because Santa Claus brings gifts for them. In fact, we can all become Santas. For this, we do not have to give material gifts. A compassionate glance, a few good words, a patient ear and small acts of kindness are actually big gifts we all can give. The world is hungry for such gifts. To start giving these gifts, we don’t have to wait for the Christmas season. We can give them always, every day.” Amma also reminded everyone of the true goal of this day, and of every day: “”At the very top of the Christmas tree, we place a brightly lit star. Its message is that our life’s supreme goal is to seek and attain that bright star: God. In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, we should not forget this truth. It is to remind us of this that spiritual masters incarnate from time to time.”

Following her address, Amma led the thousands gathered in a visualization and prayer for world peace, followed by uplifting and joyous bhajans. As the clock struck midnight, the ashram’s resident Santa Claus brought trays of chocolate Christmas cake to Amma for blessing, and she served the special Christmas prasad to one and all. It was indeed, to all a good night, filled with joy, contemplation, and prayer – a true holy day.

-Tulasi

Amrita Keerti to KB Sreedevi and Gopinathan Pillai

27 September, Amritapuri – AmritaVarsham66

In connection with Amma’s 66th Birthday celebrations Amritakeerti Puraskaram were presented to Vattapparambil Gopinathan Pillai for 2019 and K B Sreedevi for 2018. The Award was presented by Sri. Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India in Amma’s presence.

K B Sreedevi , the most loved storyteller from Thrissur, started writing at the age of thirteen. Yugantharangal is her first work. Sreedevi, who practised Karnatic Music and Veena recital, is one among the few women who forayed into literature from a Namboothiri family. The customs and the lifestyle of Namboothri families formed the major theme of her works. She has published many stories and novels through publications like Ezhuthachan Masika, Jayakeralam and Mathrubhumi.

She has to her credit various awards like Kerala State Chalachitra Puraskaram, Kunkumam Award, Janmashtami Puraskaram and Purogamana Sahitya Samiti Puraskaram.

V Gopinathan Pillai receiving AmritaKeerti

Gopinathan Pillai, who is well known as a teacher, translator, editor as well as a writer, is currently the faculty member of Institute of Management in Govenment. He is also in the Administrative Board of Kerala Kalamandalam Deemed University, Kerala Bhasha Institute and Asan Smaraka Cultural Centre.

He has authored various books which include Kathakali Praveshika, Paryayanikhandu, Malayala Vyakaranavum Rachanayum and had done studies on Aattakathakals Rukmini Swayamvaram, Ravanavijayam , Nalacharitham and Kumaran Asan’s works. He was also the Editor of Sabdatharavali and Kerala Bhashanigandu. He had been bestowed with various honours like Kathakali Pradeshika Award, M K Nair Puraskaram and Attukal Devi Trust Puraskaram.

Invoke the Motherhood within, let Love overflow through our look, word and deed

8 Oct 2019, Navatrati Celebrations – Amritapuri Ashram

Since Pujavaippu, for the last 3 days, Amma has been leading all in special prayers and chants in the evenings infront of the new altar decorated the pics of different forms of Devi.

On Vijayadasami day, Amma initiated Vidyarambham – initiating into the alphabets. Amma said the mantra “Hari Sri Ganapathaye Namah” and instructed all to write this mantra on floor. Later the 3 years old babies were initiated one by one by Amma on rice in a plate.

Before the ceremony, Amma spoke about the importance of Shakti worship and reminded us to invoke the divine motherhood which is present in all. She said: “The Supreme Being has two bhavas. One of them is the attitude of Atma-nishta – established in the Self, still and unaffected. The other is the attitude of love, compassion and affection. When the latter attitude of love and compassion comes forward, and the Atmanishta bhava retreats to the back, we call that aspect Shakti, Jagadamba or Devi.”

“Amma always reiterates that it is not enough to just have faith. We should live according to that principle. We have to cultivate humility in our speech, humility in our look, and perform each action with the attitude of worship. Accept everything with the attitude of accepting blessed Prasad offered to God. Even if an ant has fallen into our prasad, we remove it and eat it with the same reverence. We never complain that our portion of prasad is less or more. This is the attitude of acceptance.

“We should cultivate the attitude of a beginner. Learn how to have the attitude of a beginner. Our body has grown in all directions, but our mind has not expanded. For the mind to become as expansive as the universe, one should become like a child first. Only a child can grow up. At present our body has grown. But it is our mind that should grow. Our mind is still stunted. Water poured into a full vessel will only flow out. Water poured into an overturned vessel will also flow out. To be able to receive it, the vessel should be open and empty. Thus, an open mind is desirable, not one with ego.

“An open mind is like a blank sheet of paper. This is being a beginner. The more one learns, the greater the humility one acquires. There is a saying- ‘the more the rice-head matures, the more it bends down to the ground’. To the point where it reaches the soil where the paddy seed was sown. If we throw a stone into a lake, the ripples go outward until they reach the edge of the lake and then they converge back to the same spot where the stone was dropped. Similarly, one should do all action ever remaining established in the central point, the bindu.

When one good quality was awakened, all other good qualities spontaneously arose. Even though a cot has four legs, the whole cot will move if we just pull one leg. Similarly, when we identify the goal as God, we will feel like sacrificing excessive food, and purifying our mind. But we should cultivate good qualities within us. Only then can we awaken to the Self within us, the path to Self-knowledge, the eternal light, Atmabodha.

“Whether humans or animals, it is the power of love that binds the mother to the child and the child to the mother. Devi is this loving mother, the Mother of the Universe, Jagadamba. It is not enough just to see the Mother; we should awaken this maternal instinct within us. Once this motherhood awakens, we will be able to forgive, forget and forbear, just as a biological mother is able to with her own children unconditionally and selflessly. The foundation of this is Love. Where there is real love, we will be able to forgive their mistakes, their anger, and so on. We will forbear and forgive.

“Love is what is fundamentally needed for this. And that Love is verily God. Love is what we have within us; but do not give to others. Love is what we are most miserly about. Love is what there is most poverty for. All the religious practices and observances are only to awaken this love which is already within us. When we realise the real nature of objects, the feeling of motherhood will rise within us naturally. Once it awakens, we will have the power to forbear and forgive others, with our look, word and deed. We will be able to nurture the world just as a mother nurtures her child” Amma reminded all.

Afterwards, Around 180 students of Tabla students of which 115 are females, offered Nadapuja before Amma by playing together three kaydas and four bhajans. It was an amazing event to see people which included kids, youngsters, middle-aged and old from around the world, aged between 10 and 60, are playing together for our Amma.

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Let us make our entire lives an Onam

11September 2019 — Amritapuri Ashram
Excerpts from Amma’s Onam message:

Amma’s children have all come together here to celebrate Onam with Amma. For Amma, my children are the very pookkalams* and flowers of Onam. The unity of my children and their love-filled hearts are what make these pookkalams so beautiful to Amma.

The thought of Onam always brings back memories of our childhood, when we celebrated the festival with our friends and family. {news} There is a special sweetness associated with those memories. Amma remembers Onam as being a time when we kids could enjoy and play as much as we wanted, without elders imposing any restrictions. Differences of age and gender didn’t matter. Everyone came together and engaged in the Onam fun—swinging on tree swings, swimming and playing. Those times are unforgettable. No matter how many years pass, the sweetness of those memories never fades.

Onam is a celebration of love, friendship and oneness. It emphasises the relationships between human beings and Nature, between human beings and God, and between human beings themselves. As a part of that, it also invokes the relationships between rulers and the ruled, between neighbours, and between family members. Hence, Onam is a festival that brings people together and strengthens all human bonds.

The old traditions of Onam, such as singing poovili and the early morning hunt for flowers in yards and fields to make pookkalams, have all but disappeared. For the most part, even the fields themselves have disappeared. And our yards do not have the same flowers, dragonflies and butterflies like before. Such changes have not only occurred in Nature, but also in the human heart.

Usually, we make our ego the centre of our existence. All our effort is poured into strengthening it. But when we make God the centre of our existence, we become God’s shadow. In doing so, we give up our sense of doership. Taking avatara as Vamana, Lord Vishnu removed Mahabali’s ego and his notion of doership. Then Mahabali became complete.

The qualities of good and evil, of deva and asura, are within each one of us. If, like Mahabali, we are able to awaken divine qualities within, then the path to immortality will be thrown open to us.

Mahabali is a representative of an illustrious culture built on the foundation of values such as truth, righteousness, charity and devotion. However, when people celebrate Onam today, they often forget the noble values for which it stands. Onam and festivals like it have become occasions for wild partying and getting drunk and high. The real vision behind the celebration has been lost. We do not need celebrations that forget culture. Rather, we need celebrations that cultivate culture. Every celebration should become an opportunity to awaken and nurture our moral values.

During Onam, we have the tradition of making tree swings. Both young and old take turns swinging. If the ropes of the swing are fastened to a sturdy branch, there is nothing to worry about. If not, the laughter and fun may end in tears. When the swing is pushed up forcefully, children often scream with delight and laughter. Although fearful of the possibility of falling, they trust that their parents will ensure their safety and keep them from falling to the ground. In this way, even a potentially dangerous event becomes a happy experience for the child. The teaching here is that when living in this world, our mind should be firmly fastened to its foundation—God. Only then will we be able to move forward without becoming lost in the highs and lows of life.

Onam is not a celebration that should happen just one day a year. Let us make our entire lives an Onam. With the flowers of love and compassion, let us make a beautiful pookkalam in our heart. Every day, let us wear the eternally new clothes of “service to the world” and “love for God.” Let the games and sports of Onam inspire us to think of our life as lila—a divine play—and, as such, accept everything that happens in it. Forgetting all our differences in the spirit of unity and love, let us transform our entire life into a golden celebration of Onam.

* flower mandalas

==

After the morning satsang Amma sang few bhajans, at the end asked the devotees to dance along with the tune. After giving darshan to few hundred people, she started serving OnaSadya (prasad lunch) to all. She also fed the Ashram elephant Lakshmi. Playing and teasing, Amma fed Lakshmi with rice, banana, payasam and pappadam too.
In the evaning Amma lead a set of beautiful bhajans. There were lot of cultural programs presented by the children of Amma from India and abroad. Amma concluded the days celebraion with a perfect English song which goes like this —

Only love is our light
Only love can unite
Only love shines so bright
Only love can end this might.

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Gaja puja on Ganesh Chaturthi

2 Sep 2019, Amritapuri

On Ganesh Chaturthi day special Ganapati Homa was performed at Kalari and the worship of Ganesh in the form of elephant was performed in the main hall. These pujas marked the beginning of the week-long Ganesha Festival at Amritapuri. A huge Ganesha idol was installed at the Kalari and every day special puja & bhajans will be held in the morning and evenings in the coming days. Ganesh Visarjan will be on the final day (8th Sep) symbolising the worship of the formless in a form and ultimately merging in the formless aspect. {read more about Ganesha}.

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When the impurities are removed, our Bhakti will become mature

23 August 2019 — Amritapuri Ashram
SreeKrishna Jayanthi Celebrations – excerpts from Amma’s message

Today is the sacred day when the Lord Krishna took avatara on this earth as the embodiment of strength and beauty. He gave this world the message of courageous action and pure love in all its fullness. The Sanskrit word avatara has a meaning other than “incarnation”; that is “ teertham holy place or holy water.” Bhagavan Krishna is the holy water that washes away the impurities of the mind. The mind becomes pure. True knowledge awakens. The dark-hued one, dressed in yellow raiment, wearing a peacock feather in his hair—he still shines as the protector of dharma and the guru of the world.

Sri Krishna’s lilas attract one all—from little children to the elderly. They captivate the educated and uneducated alike. Centuries have passed, yet that attraction persists, undiminished. To this day, bhagavan still plays his lilas in millions and millions of hearts. Sri Krishna was born with a smile on his face. He smiled throughout his life and finally gave up his body with a smile. He was not attached to anything—like butter floating in water. He did every action without the notion of doer-ship.

Lord Krishna, who was eternally free, was born in a prison cell. This symbolises the state of every human life. Each soul is essentially free—whole and complete. However, not realising this wholeness, we are born and live in this prison cell. This prison cell is nothing but thinking that we are this body. Bhagavan was also born into a body but the difference was that Bhagavan never forgot his completeness. His was born to release others from the notion that they were their bodies.

Not long after Bhagavan was born, both his parents, Vasudeva and Devaki, came unchained. This symbolises that when love for God takes birth in the human heart, it will not be long before that person is liberated from the misery of birth and death. When Krishna was born in the prison cell, the guards fell into a deep asleep and the prison doors opened by themselves. Vasudeva was able to step out easily with the infant Krishna, unbeknown to anyone, and walk across the Yamuna River to Ambadi. The guards symbolise our five senses. When the love for God is born within an individual, all his senses come under his control. Then the mind will not wander in search of external comfort. This is the reason why Vasudeva was able to cross the Yamuna so effortlessly. A real devotee is not a slave to anything. In fact, he becomes the emperor of the world.

We know that Krishna was very fond of butter and that his favourite lila was to steal butter from the homes of the gopis. Even though butter is present in milk, to extract the butter, the milk has to be turned into buttermilk, and the buttermilk has to be churned. The butter symbolises that which is dearest to Bhagavan: parabhakti—supreme devotion. At present our bhakti is tainted with desires. Today we are ruled by our likes and dislikes, selfishness and ego. Only when these impurities are removed will our bhakti become mature and turn into parabhakti—supreme devotion. Amma prays to the Paramatman that the hearts of her children are filled with the supreme love for the Lord.

Read about Uriyadi and Go puja celebrations

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GoPuja and Chanting of Divine names

23 Aug 2019, Amritapuri

As part of Janmashtami celebrations (Sri Krishna’s birthday), devotees participated in GoPuja (worship of cows) and Nagara Sankeertanam (Chanting of the Divine name) at Amritapuri Ashram this morning.

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Later in the afternoon, there was Uriyadi (a traditional game where a pot filled with curd and butter is broken). As Amma came to the front of the temple steps, three Brahmani kites followed and could be seen circling in the area. Brahmani kites are considered to be an auspicious sign.

Amma was sitting on the ashram steps, waching her children playing Uriyadi, she said “Pot is the ego. You have to break it. Then only, you will get the butter of life.”
There were a lot of children dressed as baby Krishnas who came to sit on Amma’s lap. Amma played with them and fed them butter.

Children of the ashram also presented a vibrant dance.

In the evening, Amma sang a set of Krishna bhajans. Late into the night, there was Bhagavatam reading, and when the clock struck midnight, Amma gave butter and honey to the statue of baby Krishna before leading another series of energetic bhajans. Afterwards, Amma delivered her message. {read from here }

Amma distributed prasad to all present before returning to her room at 1:30 AM.

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Independence day celebration and Raksha Bandhan with Amma

15 Aug 2019, Amritapuri

Amma hoisted India’s National flag at the Ashram grounds today. As she walked to the stage through the line of devotees standing with small tricolour flags, the police and Military gave a ceremonial salute to the flag against the backdrop of National anthem. Amma then offered her pranams to the flag and distributed sweets to the military and police personal.

When Amma came to the stage, there were children there to greet her with tricolour flags. One boy gave Amma a large flag that she waved in unison with all the children.

Being that it was Raksha Bandhan, there were many devotees who came to Amma and tied the rakhi on her wrist (a traditional knot of love and faith).

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Kids tying rakhi to soldiers, get inspired to follow Dharma

15 Aug 2019, Amritapuri

A small function was arranged at the ashram to honour the soldiers on the day of Rakhi. As a mark of respect love and gratitude, the kids of the ashram kids tied rakhi on their hands, applied tilak on their forehead, waved arati, and fed them with sweets.

Inspector J Jonah Alfred addressed the kids and said, they as soldiers following Dharma to protect the country. “You have to study well, develop skills according to your taste and serve the country in whichever way possible. You don’t need to be in the military for that.” He inspired them to follow dharma so that we will have a better world.

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Playing Holi at Amritapuri

21 March, Holi Festival – Amritapuri

Normally the festival of Holi takes place when Amma is traveling in the North of India as part of her annual Bharata Yatra. This year Holi took place just a few days after Amma returned to Amritapuri so all the residents in the ashram were fortunate to celebrate with Amma in person. Some of those devotees from North India that usually get to be with Amma on this day traveled all the way to the Ashram to make sure they didn’t miss the chance to celebrate with Amma…and they did not come empty handed… they came with trays of multicolored powders and many large water pistols and a large pot filled with colored water…all kept ready in case Amma came out.

Around midday Amma came without any prior information to the Kali Temple to “play Holi” with everyone. In Kerala, Holi is not a widely celebrated festival and people are more focused on Onam and other local holidays, so before celebrating with everyone Amma explained the significance of Holi to better understand the beauty and deeper meaning behind the festival. {news}

After the brief explanation Amma shared some humorous anecdotes of her own childhood and how she celebrated Onam. Amma asked everyone to pray for the martyed soldiers in the recent terror attack.

Next Amma sang two Holi themed bhajans as the whole hall clapped in joy. Half way through the second bhajan, Aye He Holi, Amma could no longer resist the trays of colored powder next to her or the large pistols filled with colored water and to the delight of everyone she began ‘playing Holi’ as she sang. Clouds of colored powder and streams of colored water rained down on all within range of Amma. As the bhajan reached its crescendo Amma stood up and began to dance as she continued to color everyone around her; even the musicians and their instruments who thought they were safe sitting behind her.

As the song concluded all were blissfully doused in a rainbow of colors and Amma asked everyone to meditate together and pray for world peace, concluding the celebration with everyone chanting Lokah Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu.

-Dass