All Arrangements in Place for 'Amritavarsham 62'

ByExpress News Service Published:27th September 2015 03:10 AM Last Updated:27th September 2015 03:10 AM

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VALLIKAVU (KOLLAM):Lakhs of devotees of Mata Amritanandamayi will gather at Amritapuri in Kollam on

Sunday as part of Amritavarsham 62. Apart from the devotees, many VVIPs and eminent personalities from
various walks of life are expected to participate in Amritanandamayis birthday celebrations.
As many as 2,500 police personnel from the rural and city limits of Kollam have been deployed in
Amritapuri.

On September 27, the programme will start with Ganapathi Homam, followed by Sri Guru Padapuja, the
ceremonial washing of the gurus feet. The padapuja will be led by Amritaswarupananda Puri. A satsang by
Swami Amritaswarupananda Puri, vice-chairman of Mata Amritanandamayi Math (MAM), will also be held on
the occasion. Maha Ganapati Homam and a Lalitasahasranama Archana will be held for world peace.

This will be followed by Ammas annual birthday address. Also part of the formal programme will be
important announcements, launches and inaugurations of various new programmes and charitable projects
by the Mata Amritanandamayi Math and its institutions.

Another annual hallmark of the birthday celebrations is the free marriage ceremony for impoverished
couples and the distribution of free clothing to the poor. Over the years, it has become an occasion for
thousands of people from across India and abroad to make an annual pilgrimage to Amritapuri Ashram in
Vallikkavu, to have the privilege of celebrating Ammas birthday in her presence.

The celebrations will also include Ammas signature darshan - her personal motherly embrace for each
person attending the event.

Around 600 people from self-sufficient villages will also take part in the function to greet Amma. For the first
time, 90 per cent of people of this village are coming out from their village to wish and seek the blessings of
Amma.
Ammas birthplace in Kerala, Valliakavu, has become the headquarters of her India-based spiritual and
humanitarian organisation - Mata Amritanandamayi Math. The projects of MAM have been initiated in
response to the needs of the poor, who have come to unburden their hearts before Amma and cry on her
shoulder. Throughout her life, Amma has embraced and comforted nearly 35 million people around the
world, resulting in the international media calling her The Hugging Saint, a release from the math has said.
A prominent spiritual leader and caretaker of Dharmsthala, Veerendra Hegde, arrived at the ashram on
Saturday to extend his birthday greetings to Amma. Hegde said that Amma was a unique personality who
loved all living beings in equal proportion.