Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi

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Flood relief and overflowing compassion – Amritavarsham charitable projects

27 September 2018, Amritapuri  

The 65th Birthday Celebrations of Amma were focused on helping Kerala recover from the recent monsoon floods. Both Amma’s annual birthday address {news}, as well as several of the function’s charitable initiatives, were aimed at uplifting victims of the flood, which took the lives of nearly 500 people in August.

Following Sri Guru Paduka Puja performed by Swamiji, Amma gave a Satsang that stressed the lessons taught by the flood.  {news}  Amma’s Satsang was immediately followed by Amma guiding the devotees in meditation, Manasa puja, a prayer for world peace, and bhajans.

Earlier in the morning, 18 Brahmacharinies performed Ganapati Homa in the venue, creating a new energy for the whole day’s function.

Amma took the occasion to acknowledge the compassion and selflessness of individuals who came forward to help the flood victims. Amma gave one lakh rupees to 10 families of those who had died trying to rescue flood victims. She also presented certificates of commendation to the more than 400 volunteers who manned the Amrita Help Line—a 24-hour call-in centre set up at the Amritapuri Campus of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham that over five days fielded more than 25,000 calls, connecting more than 100,000 flood victims across the state with relief services. {news}

“Several hundred students worked together for days on end to help rescue people trapped in life-threatening situations,” Amma said. “They were able to bring timely help to many people in many areas. What invoked their unified response was the love and compassion they felt towards those trapped by the floods. The selfless love they experienced made their actions extremely beautiful and successful, and an inspiration to everyone.”

MAM was not the only entity to acknowledge the selfless service rendered to flood victims. The 200,000-plus members of the 13,000 AmritaSREE SHGs saved the money that they would have spent on travelling to Amritapuri for Amma’s birthday celebrations and instead donated that amount—Rs. 10 lakhs—to Amma to help the Math in its continued flood relief-and-rehabilitation efforts.

As happens every year on Amma’s birthday, MAM also gave away certificates for free surgeries at the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences in Kochi. These included 60 neurological surgeries, 15 kidney transplants, 62 head-and-neck surgeries, 75 urological surgeries, 250 oncological treatments, 80 gastrointestinal surgeries, 50 orthopaedic surgeries and treatment for 150 dialysis patients.

Cheques for Rs. one lakh were also issued to widows of Kerala fishermen who died at sea in 2017-18, free weddings were performed to 16 couples and free saris were given to 400,000 women.

MAM had also completed the construction of 900 toilets in Kollam District Kerala, taking its total of toilets constructed for the poor in the state to 12,000. Certificates of receipt were given to 200 representatives during the function.

Ten spiritual books published by MAM about Amma’s life and teachings were also released, as well as was the Malayalam version of Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s new book, Exam Warriors, written to inspire students preparing for their exams and life. The book was released by Sri. Kummanam Rajasekharan,  Governor of Mizoram, who presented Amma with the first copy.

Amma was also garlanded by a number of dignitaries who came to offer Amma their birthday wishes including Sri. Kummanam Rajasekharan, Governor of Mizoram; Ramachandran Kadannappally. Minister for Ports, Ramesh Chennithala, Leader of the Opposition, Kerala Legislative Assembly, K.C. Venugopal, MP, All India Congress Committee General Secretary; and Vellappally Natesan, General Secretary of the SNDP Yogam, among others.

Giving darshan to thousands upon thousands of devotees who came for the program, finishing darshan at 8.00am on 28th,  being on the stage for the last 22.30 hours straight.

 

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Free marriages at Amritavarsham

27 Sep 2015 Amritapuri – Amritavarsham 62 , Amma’s Birthday Celebrations

Each year on Amma’s birthday, the Mata Amritanandamayi Math helps couples having financial difficulty to have a traditional Indian wedding by providing all the requisite clothing, gold jewellery and feast, etc.

Sri. Ashok Singhalji, former president of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, and Sri. Vellapalli Natesan, the General Secretary of the SNDP Yogam, helped to give away the gold wedding jewellery to the women.

 

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Community wedding conducted by Amma

27 Sep 2014 – Amritavarsham, Amma’s 61st Birthday celebrations

Amma conducted marriage of 63 impoverished couples, with MAM providing all marriage clothing, jewellery, feast and other arrangements needed for the marriage for free.

For the last so many years Amma has been conducting the mass marriage during her birthday celebrations.

 

Free marriage for the poor

27 Sep 2012, Amritapuri – Amma’s 59th Birthday celebrations

Amma conducted the weddings for 59 impoverished couples. The couples were given new cloths  and gold ornaments and food for all family members who attended. This was part of the number of charitable activities launched during the 59th birthday celebrations of Amma.

 
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Mass marriage on Amma’s 58th birthday

27 Sep 2011, Amritapuri

In connection with the 58th Birthday celebrations, Amma conducted a mass marriage of dozens of underprivileged couples. As it does every year, the Mata Amritanandamayi Math provided all the requisite items for a traditional Hindu wedding, including gold necklace, bangles, wedding dresses for both bride & groom and feast for all family members.

 

 

 

We will remember Amma’s special love forever

26 September 2005 — Azhikkal, Alappad Panchayat, Kollam District, Kerala

Ramya, the daughter of Ravindran and Rajila of Medayil House in Azhikkal, was beaming with joy. She is one of 51 women who will be married in the Ashram’s mass marriage taking place tomorrow on Amma’s birthday.

Only a few months back, Ramya’s mother was heartbroken and distraught. There house had been ravaged by the tsunami, leaving her only with an ailing husband and two vulnerable children. In her distress, Rajila turned to Amma for assistance in getting her daughter married.

“I had no resources. I didn’t know where to stay,” says Rajile. “I narrated my sad story to Amma, and I was overjoyed when Amma comforted me and promised to arrange everything.”

Ramya will marry Thambil Vallial, a fisherman based in Trivandrum , alongside 50 other couples.

The Ashram is paying for the expenses for all the couples, including their gold ornaments, wedding dresses and a family feast–at cost of Rs. 45,000 per couple.

“We will remember Amma’s special love forever,” said Rajila and Ramya.

—KaliCharan

Mass marriage for impoverished couples

Monday, 27 September 2004 — Amritapuri

Amma’s 51st Birthday Celebrations

Srinath and Lakshmi (names changed) never dreamed this day would take place—the most memorable day of their lives. But on September 27, this very poor couple were married at Amritapuri Ashram by none other than Amma Herself.

Their wedding took place along with those of 30 other couples who’s families were similarly unable to afford the costs of a traditional Indian marriage. After a careful economic screening process, the Mata Amritanandamayi Math arranged all the necessary clothing, gold ornaments and puja items needed for the ceremony and conducted the mass wedding on the auspicious occasionof Amma’s 51st birthday celebrations.

One of the stipulations for the couples was that the bride’s family would pay no dowry to the groom’s.

This was the second time that Amma and the Math had conducted a free mass wedding for the poor. The first took place a year before during Amritavarsham50, Amma’s 50th birthday celebration in Cochin, where more than 150 couples were wed.

–Sushil

Lakshmi’s wedding

15 December 2002, Amritapuri

A long time resident of Amma’s orphanage gets married
“I had always been troubled by the fear that being born the child of a beggar woman, I would have to spend my life begging in the streets, or in still worse conditions…

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“As we slowly moved closer to Amma, my mind was throbbing. Would Amma give me a new life? Would She console this unwanted one, who was so hated by everybody? If Amma forsakes me, where will I go?

“As I reached Her lap, Amma whispered affectionately, with a sweetness of love I had never heard before: ‘My pearl… my darling daughter… do not worry… isn’t Amma with you?’ I burst into tears. I had been condemned by society’s callous judgement even before I could stand on my own; but now I wanted to shout again and again: “I am no longer an orphan, no longer a beggar!” – from Lakshmi’s story, Matruvani August 2001

Today was a very special day for Lakshmi, who grew up in Amma’s orphanage from the age of about 12 (born in poverty, she doesn’t know her exact age). Today, Lakshmi entered into wedlock at Amritapuri. The very same Amma who had taught her the alphabet when she first came to the orphanage performed the wedding ceremony. But first, Lakshmi spent time in Amma’s room, a daughter alone with her Mother on the morning of the big day. After the wedding, Amma received Lakshmi and her husband into Her lap.

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Amma is also providing a new home for Lakshmi and her husband, Mr. Ambu, who works at AIMS. Not only that, She is giving them a good start with a savings account which will help them to be financially secure.

Who says she is an orphan?