KOLLAM: The 64th birthday of Mata Amritanandamayi was celebrated on the Amrita university campus at Amritapuri here on Monday. Thousands of devotees from the country and abroad attended the programme under a canopy covering five lakh square feet on the college ground. The celebrations focused on extending charitable initiatives in the areas, including education, sanitation, housing and healthcare for the economically challenged. The ritual of pada pooja was offered by Amritaswaroopananda Puri, Math vice-chairman, marking the commencement of the celebrations.
"Even today, I am not interested in celebrating my birthday," said Amma. "Yet, I am grateful that during this occasion some good initiatives are made to shed the light of love into the darkness of at least a few lives. When we do something to alleviate the sorrow of others, we create a small wave of celebration both internally and externally in those people's lives," she said. The new projects inaugurated included the provision of running water in Pandori, Jammu; the training of over 1,000 tribals in digital literacy, provision of 37 free homes for impoverished Keralites and the construction of 8,000 toilets across the state.
The Math also gave away the first of 1,000 e-cycles-bicycles capable of generating and storing electricity via a dynamo and solar panel-and gave certificates to graduates of its health-worker-training programme and tailoring-and- embroidery classes. Those who were present on the occasion included Philipose Mar Chrysostum, Mar Thoma Valiya Metropolitan; Prof. P.J. Kurien, deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha; Jual Oram, union minister for tribal affairs; Y.S. Chowdry, union minister of state for science and technology; Satyapal Singh, minister of state for HRD; K.C. Venugopal, MP; Ramesh Chennithala, leader of the opposition; and Oommen Chandy, former chief minister.
Mr Jual Oram awarded Amritakeerthi puraskar to Dr. M. Lakshmi Kumari, president of Vivekananda vedic vision. The award includes a Saraswathi statue, citation and cash award. The Math distributed saris to four-lakh women enrolled in various humanitarian programmes of the Math. This was followed by a mass wedding of 54 couples for which the Math provided jewellery and garments.
