Categories
Around Amma 2004 Tsunami

Smriti Deepam: lamps of remembrance

26 December 2005 — Alappad Panchayat, Kollam District, Kerala The walk had been made before—16 days shy of a year ago. Then and now, the prayers were the same: May the dead find peace… May those who loved them find peace.,, May the whole world be happy. But although the walk Amma led from Amritapuri […]

Categories
Disaster Relief Free Housing Tsunami

Helping Nagapattinam to overcome fear

20 December 2005 — Samanthampettai, Nagore, Nagapattinam District, Tamil Nadu “When difficult circumstances arise in life, there are two ways to respond. We can either run away in fear or kindle the love within and try to overcome,” Amma said. She was talking to the 60,000 people or so who’d come to have her darshan […]

Categories
Birthday

Amma’s birthday is bigger than onam

26 September 2005 — Alappad Panchayat, Kollam District, Kerala Tears of joy rolled down the cheeks of Ravi and his wife Ammini Amma, as they stood in front of the new house that Amma’s Ashram had built from them. This is in Azhikkal, where the tsunami devoured 86 lives, including two of Ravi and Ammini […]

Categories
Birthday

Amma did what the government could not

26 September 2005 — Alappad Panchayat, Kollam District, Kerala On 26 December 2004, they lost everything. For generations their families have been maintained through fishing. Never did they dream that in one day their means to that income could literally be washed away. But that’s exactly what happened when the tsunami wrecked their fishing boat […]

Categories
Ashram Birthday

Lighting the lamps of love

26 September 2005 — Amritapuri The Kayamkulam Backwaters looked like the Ganga flowing through Haridwar. The waterway was glowing with the dancing lights of thousands oil lamps lit all along the banks of the village community—a spontaneous and loving gesture by the neighbouring villagers to express their unfathomable gratitude to Amma. The twinkling lamps—Amrita Jyoti—symbolized […]

Categories
Around Amma 2005 Disaster Relief Tsunami

Rather than rust away doing nothing, it is better to wear away doing something

Transcribed from a press conference at Amritapuri September 23rd 2005, Amritapuri Q: Was the UN recognition of the Mata Amritanandamayi Math as an NGO because of its tsunami relief work? What is the implication of this recognition? AMMA: No, the UN recognition was accorded on the basis of all the humanitarian work that the M.A. […]

Categories
Free Housing Tsunami

Brick by brick- rebuilding houses for tsunami victims

19 August 2005 — Vellannathuruthu, Alappad Panchayat, Kollam District, Kerala As the morning sun finds its way through the canopy of coconut trees that shade Vellannathuruthu, a group of Amma’s devotees and disciples plods back and forth along one of the seaside village’s dirt pathways carrying loads of bricks—mostly upon their heads. It’s hard work. […]

Categories
Tsunami

Ashram finished first one hundred houses in Kerala

The Ashram is the first NGO in India to finish building houses, based on the government plans, for the tsunami victims.18 July, 2005 at 6.30 pm The Honourable Chief Minister of Kerala, Shri. Oomen Chandy will be handing over the keys to the houses built in Clappana village, for people of Alappad panchayat who had […]

Categories
Free Housing Tsunami

Amma s goodness inspired tsunami relief work

26 June 2005, Amritapuri “Amma’s hands of goodness inspired tsunami relief and rehabilitation activities in the state” said Mr. Oommen Chandy, Kerala Chief  Minister at a function in Amritapuri. “Endowed with a big heart, symbolising  the goodness of the society, Amma has completed the construction of Tsunami houses at a fast pace” said Mr. Chandy […]

Categories
Free Housing Tsunami

Handing over the keys to the next 89 houses

25 June 2005 The Honourable Chief Minister of Kerala, Sri. Oomen Chandy will be handing over the keys to another 89 houses built for people of Arattupuzha Panchayat, Alappuzha District who had lost their homes in the tsunami. The ashram delegates will first present the keys to the Honourable Chief Minister. With this the total […]