Get Ready for Hugs! ‘Hugging Saint’ Mata Amritanandamayi Devi in City on 20 & 21 Feb
Mangaluru: Aum Amriteshwaryai Namah! Addressing the media persons during a press meet held at Amrita Vidyalayam Campus Hall, Sulthan Battery Road, Boloor,Mangaluru, Prasadraj Kanchan-President, Mata Amritanandmayi Seva Samithi, Mangaluru gave a summary of the programmes schedule during Sadguru Sri Mata Amritanandmayi Devi In connection with Amritasangama 2018 and Brahmasthanam Kshetra Mahotsava, here in the City on 20 and 21 February 2018. He said, “At Brahmasthanam Kshetra, Special Poojas such as Navagraha Homa, Bhagavathi Pooja, Alankara Pooja, Mahasudarshana Homa and other Archanas will be performed from sunrise to sunset and included in the “Udayasthamana Seva”.
“At the Yajnashala Venue there will be Bhajans, Meditation, Ammas discourse, Manasa Pooja and individual darshan to all. Amma came to Mangaluru for the first time in 1995 when the programme was organized in the Town Hall, Mangalore and Bhagavathi Temple, Sasihitlu. Since then amma’s devotees have been intently involved in spiritual and social services. Amma has given the Brahmastanam for the people of Mangaluru in the year 2008 and this year is the decennial celebration of the consecration of the temple. In this temple the family of Lord Shiva is found engraved on four sides of a single stone, it is a unique type of place of worship.” added Kanchan.
He further said, ” Different types of Homas and Poojas are performed at this temple. On Krithika Nakshatra of every month (Ammas birthstar) pooja is performed between 6:30 P.M and 8:00 P.M at the temple, were lots of devotees participate. Amma has also given a wonderful educational institution Amrita Vidyalayam to the students of Mangaluru were in addition to the formal education value based inputs and other takes for the all round development of student are given importance.”
Amritasangama -2018:
The Brahmasthanam Mahotsav at Mangaluru has left an indelible impression in the minds of people at the national and international level. This has encouraged the devotees to participate in the programme in very big numbers. Under the guidance of the Local Math In charge Brahmacharini Mangalamrita Chaitanya facilities are provided for satsang, meditation, bhajans, and manasa pooja.
Social and Charitable Activities:
In the formal function on 20th and 21st February organized at 10:00 A.M the following are arranged.
1.Distribution of Wheelchairs for physically disabled.
2. Scholarship for economically weak but talented students.
3. Distribution of Waste Disposal Bins as a part of Swaach Bharath Initiative to Schools.
4. Recognition of Amrita Sree the self help group promoted by Mata Amritanandmayi Math.
5. Contribution of Sports and games material to Gandhinagar Government Higher Primary School.
6. Release of Book titled “Karunya Theera”.
7. Release of Special Envelope and Amma Stamp.
Amma’s Darshan:
There is no fee for Amma’s darshan. Darshan tokens are distributed free to all interested devotees who come on time and are seated in the auditorium.
Facilities:
As a part of festivities there is Public Anna Santarpana; Medical Facilities are available; Free Transport from Lady Hill circle-Mangaluru to the Venue is being provided; Bus Facility has been arranged to the bus stand and railway stations; Drinking water facility will be provided, and paid canteen will be functioning.
For more particulars contact: 0824 2457056, 8951470744
About Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (Amma):
One of the top most spiritual leaders of the world, Mata Amritanandmayi Devi strives for peace and goodwill by travelling across the world and responding to the difficulty faced by the people. Amma listens to the joys and sorrows of all the people who come to her irrespective of caste, creed, religion, colour, sex. She provides solace by hugging and gives them hopes and aspirations. Her endeavors are appreciated all over the world and Amma has been the recipient of many international awards in respecting her efforts for humanity involved in the service of humanity.
Mata Amritanandamayi Devi -the Founder of Embracing the World; Founder of Mata Amritanandamayi Math; Founder of Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS Hospital); and Chancellor of Amrita University is a Spiritual leader, humanitarian and visionary known throughout the world simply as “Amma”,(Mother) has served the world-community for decades, imparting wisdom, strength and inspiration. Through her extraordinary acts of love, inner strength and self-sacrifice, Amma has endeared herself to millions and inspired thousands to follow in her path of selfless service.
Truly a citizen of the world, Mata Amritanandamayi holds free public programs throughout India, Europe, the United States and Australia, as well Japan, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia, Canada, Africa and South America. In her talks, she offers words of wisdom and guidance on both personal fulfillment as well as the most pressing matters of our time. From climate change to terrorism, cross cultural tensions to poverty and women’s rights, Amma’s observations invite each of us to get involved in the process of rebuilding a concerned and caring society.
To this day, Mata Amritanandamayi concludes her programs by embracing each person attending the event. Far from a brief book-signing or walk along the rope line, these personal, one-on-one meetings take up the vast majority of Amma’s time. Amma has given this motherly embrace, known as her darshan, to more than 36 million people throughout the world. She has been known to give darshan for more than 22 hours without interruption. Her entire life has been dedicated to alleviating the pain of the poor, and those suffering physically and emotionally, and is known for her selfless love and compassion toward all beings.
The most personally accessible spiritual leader alive today, Mata Amritanandamayi may well be on a first-name basis with more people than anyone else in the world. When people pour out their hearts to Amma, she offers them emotional solace, spiritual guidance, and concrete solutions to their problems. Receiving Amma’s embrace, many feel inspired to offer selfless service to those in need. In this way, this simple yet powerful act as a mother’s embrace – has become both catalyst and symbol for the growing international network of humanitarian initiatives that is Embracing the World.
When asked where she gets the energy to help so many people, she answers: “Where there is true love, anything is effortless.” While Amma is widely regarded as one of India’s foremost spiritual leaders, Amma says that her religion is love. She has never asked anyone to change their religion but only to contemplate the essential principles of their own faith and to try to live accordingly.
How She Began:
Mata Amritanandamayi was born in a remote coastal village in Kerala, South India in 1953. Even as a small girl, she drew attention with the many hours she spent in deep meditation on the seashore. She also composed devotional songs and could often be seen singing to the divine with heartfelt emotion. Despite her tender age, her compositions revealed remarkable depth and wisdom.
When she was nine years old, her mother became ill, and Mata Amritanandamayi was withdrawn from school in order to help with household tasks and the care of her seven siblings. As she went door-to-door gathering food scraps from neighbors for her family’s cows, she was confronted with the intense poverty and suffering that existed in her community, and in the world beyond it. Where Mata Amritanandamayi encountered people in need, she brought them food and clothing from her own home. She was undeterred by the scolding and punishment she received from her family for doing so. She also began to spontaneously embrace people to comfort them in their sorrow. Responding to her affectionate care, they began to call her Amma (Mother).
Amma was deeply affected by the profound suffering she witnessed. According to Hinduism, the suffering of the individual is due to his or her own karma — the results of actions performed in the past. Amma accepted this concept, but she refused to accept it as a justification for inaction. Amma contemplated the principle of karma until she revealed an even more profound truth, asking a question she continues to ask each of us today. “If it is one man’s karma to suffer, isn’t it our dharma (duty) to help ease his suffering and pain?”
With this simple yet profound conviction — that each of us has a responsibility to lend a helping hand to those less fortunate — Amma moved forward with confidence in her life of service and compassionate care for all beings, uniquely expressed by the motherly embrace she offers to all who seek solace in her arms.
In Amma’s community, however, it was not permissible for a 14-year-old girl to touch others, especially men. Amma explains, “In India, women are expected to remain in the background. It is said that ‘Even the walls should not hear them.’ My family could not understand my way of reaching out to people; they had no idea of the spiritual principles.” But despite adverse reactions, Amma followed her heart, later explaining, “A continuous stream of love flows from me to all of creation. This is my inborn nature. The duty of a doctor is to treat patients. In the same way, my duty is to console those who are suffering.”
Amma says that love expressed is compassion, and compassion means accepting the needs and sorrows of others as one’s own.