Meeting with AMMA
Narayan came home one evening and asked me if I have heard of Mata Amrutananda Mayi, she would be visiting London and ‘The Guardian’ newspaper had a nice article about her.
I told him what I knew from hearsay - that Mata Amrutananda Mayi or Amma as she is fondly called was from Kollam, she belonged to a fisher-man family and she was self-realized in her teens. The thing that was unique about her was the hug that she gave people. She had a huge following in native Kerala. I remembered Appa and Dr. Radhakrishnan had visited her in connection with the Yagam and she made them sit on the dias along with her. Appa fondly recalls how she sang “Chalanga katti odi odi va”, a Bhajan which Amma sang and he said it was just incredible.
Narayan got me print-outs containing details of Amma’s visit and her program in London.
She was coming on a Sunday and was staying until Wed morning. Sunday would be too crowded and I had an exam on Monday, so I decided to go on Tue, the 28th Oct.
I left home around 6:45 a.m., reached the venue Alexandra Palace at 7:45 a.m. and was relieved to be the fourth in the queue. The gates opened at 8:30 and we went in. Tokens were handed over for the darshan and priority was given to those who had never met Amma before and those who had not seen Amma during this visit yet. I went in and found myself at about 10th in the queue. It was quite nice in the queue, an American Lady who has renamed herself Kali, a Sri Lankan lady, a couple of English men, we all got very friendly. And since it was quite early, I went to get some tea for a couple of us and ukma and when I came back, realized the queue had really moved up. But my friends from the queue took care of my bag and were waiting for me. I collected my token and all of us sat together. It was huge hall and one side of it had lots of souvenirs - from Khadi stuff, meditation beads and souvenirs of Amma. We did a small walk around the stalls and then sat right near the stage but near the entrance, so we could see when Amma entered. There were two big tvs that showed work done by Amma during the Tsunami, the Gujarat earthquake etc, the educational institutions run by Amma, and also Amma’s travels around the world. Everything was well-organised and run by the volunteers.
What surprised me was the crowd. Most of them were white, very few desis and many of them had met Amma previously. As we waited near the entrance, Amma made her way. This was the first time I was seeing her in person. Amma wore a plain white sari, a great smile, hands spread-out, walked with joy and was quite small and simple. I just watched and touched her feet as she passed by me. There was something about her smile that was wonderful. After she sat down with a few small children, there was a short prayer and meditation for 10 minutes and then Darshan started.
I was not really sure what would happen and a bit apprehensive as well. I was in the queue and as we walked towards her, I found myself getting more and more emotional, the tears just started flowing. As I looked around a bit embarrassed by my tears, I saw this was common; many people were wiping their eyes. The volunteers asked me what languages I spoke and I replied Malayalam and then it was me and Amma. The moment arrived. Amma held me and hugged me close and whispered “Ponnu Mole” a few times in my ears. All I remember is this incredible feeling of love and affection and how wonderful Amma smelled of Paneer and sandal. I felt precious in that moment. She held me the way she would hold a tender baby. And I sobbed my heart away. I wanted the moment to continue and I also felt like cuddling her and konjing her like the way I would a small baby, pinch here cheeks slightly. I also felt like not letting go and wanting to talk to her. But it was time to leave, there were many others in the queue.
It was at about 11:45 now, and I spent a few minutes by myself hugging all the feelings and emotions that ran through me. And thinking ‘Amma is an amazing, amazing lady’, she is spreading love.
I met my crowd-mates and we had tea together and also bought some Amma souvenirs and then it was time to go home.
When I rememeber is the embrace was so true and genuine (I can’t think of any other way to express the embrace) and the whole episode with Amma was about ‘love and affection’. Like millions of her devotees, I am truly touched and blessed indeed to have received this wonderful gift of true love!
I told him what I knew from hearsay - that Mata Amrutananda Mayi or Amma as she is fondly called was from Kollam, she belonged to a fisher-man family and she was self-realized in her teens. The thing that was unique about her was the hug that she gave people. She had a huge following in native Kerala. I remembered Appa and Dr. Radhakrishnan had visited her in connection with the Yagam and she made them sit on the dias along with her. Appa fondly recalls how she sang “Chalanga katti odi odi va”, a Bhajan which Amma sang and he said it was just incredible.
Narayan got me print-outs containing details of Amma’s visit and her program in London.
She was coming on a Sunday and was staying until Wed morning. Sunday would be too crowded and I had an exam on Monday, so I decided to go on Tue, the 28th Oct.
I left home around 6:45 a.m., reached the venue Alexandra Palace at 7:45 a.m. and was relieved to be the fourth in the queue. The gates opened at 8:30 and we went in. Tokens were handed over for the darshan and priority was given to those who had never met Amma before and those who had not seen Amma during this visit yet. I went in and found myself at about 10th in the queue. It was quite nice in the queue, an American Lady who has renamed herself Kali, a Sri Lankan lady, a couple of English men, we all got very friendly. And since it was quite early, I went to get some tea for a couple of us and ukma and when I came back, realized the queue had really moved up. But my friends from the queue took care of my bag and were waiting for me. I collected my token and all of us sat together. It was huge hall and one side of it had lots of souvenirs - from Khadi stuff, meditation beads and souvenirs of Amma. We did a small walk around the stalls and then sat right near the stage but near the entrance, so we could see when Amma entered. There were two big tvs that showed work done by Amma during the Tsunami, the Gujarat earthquake etc, the educational institutions run by Amma, and also Amma’s travels around the world. Everything was well-organised and run by the volunteers.
What surprised me was the crowd. Most of them were white, very few desis and many of them had met Amma previously. As we waited near the entrance, Amma made her way. This was the first time I was seeing her in person. Amma wore a plain white sari, a great smile, hands spread-out, walked with joy and was quite small and simple. I just watched and touched her feet as she passed by me. There was something about her smile that was wonderful. After she sat down with a few small children, there was a short prayer and meditation for 10 minutes and then Darshan started.
I was not really sure what would happen and a bit apprehensive as well. I was in the queue and as we walked towards her, I found myself getting more and more emotional, the tears just started flowing. As I looked around a bit embarrassed by my tears, I saw this was common; many people were wiping their eyes. The volunteers asked me what languages I spoke and I replied Malayalam and then it was me and Amma. The moment arrived. Amma held me and hugged me close and whispered “Ponnu Mole” a few times in my ears. All I remember is this incredible feeling of love and affection and how wonderful Amma smelled of Paneer and sandal. I felt precious in that moment. She held me the way she would hold a tender baby. And I sobbed my heart away. I wanted the moment to continue and I also felt like cuddling her and konjing her like the way I would a small baby, pinch here cheeks slightly. I also felt like not letting go and wanting to talk to her. But it was time to leave, there were many others in the queue.
It was at about 11:45 now, and I spent a few minutes by myself hugging all the feelings and emotions that ran through me. And thinking ‘Amma is an amazing, amazing lady’, she is spreading love.
I met my crowd-mates and we had tea together and also bought some Amma souvenirs and then it was time to go home.
When I rememeber is the embrace was so true and genuine (I can’t think of any other way to express the embrace) and the whole episode with Amma was about ‘love and affection’. Like millions of her devotees, I am truly touched and blessed indeed to have received this wonderful gift of true love!