Mata Amritanandamayi’s 57th birthday today

AMRITAPURI: The 57th birthday of Mata Amritanandamayi will be celebrated at Amritapuri here on Monday.

Thousands of devotees from different parts of the country and abroad have already thronged the Amritapuri Ashram and Amrita Viswa Vidyalaya campus to make the celebrations a memorable event.

The main venue of the birthday celebration will be on the premises of the Amritapuri campus of the Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham.

All arrangements were in place on Sunday itself to receive the devotees.

The main hall, sprawling over an area of more than 200,000 square feet, has facilities to provide drinking water to the devotees, right where they are seated.

More than 200 temporary bathrooms have also been erected in close proximity.

More than 100 food counters have been arranged to provide food. The 200plus students from various Amrita educational institutions and 200 Western devotees will manage the food counters.

The birthday celebrations will kick off at 5 a.m. with the Mahaganapati Homam, followed by a Lalitha Sahasranama Archana.

At 7.30 a.m., Swami Tureeyamritananda Puri will light a lamp to inaugurate the birthday celebrations. A discourse by Swami Amritaswarupananda Puri, vicechairman, Mata Amritanandamayi Math, will follow.

Mohiniyattom dancers will usher in Amma to the dais at 9 a.m.

Disciples will then perform pada pooja to Amma.

This will be followed by Amma’s birthday address. The jayanti meeting will start at 11 a.m.

Union Ministers of State Sriprakash Jaiswal, Gurudas Kamat and K V Thomas and Opposition Leader Oommen Chandy are among the dignitaries expected to attend the jayanti function.

Presentation of the Amrita Keerti Puraskar to N P Unni, former ViceChancellor of Kalady Sanskrit University, launching of the Amrita Sree Insurance Scheme, distribution of pensions to destitute women, mass wedding of impoverished girls, distribution of Vidyamritham scholarships to students, release of books on Mata and cultural programmes including performance by renowned American rap artist Doug E Fresh are part of the celebrations.

Amma will give darshan to the devotees following the jayanti meeting.