KOLLAM: The 65th birthday of Mata Amritanandamayi will be celebrated on Amritapuri campus of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham on Thursday. Due to the recent floods in the state, the event will be low-profile, without a formal dignitary programme.
Amma will take part in special prayers for world peace on Amritapuri campus on her birthday. She will offer ‘seva’ and announce various charitable programmes of the Math. The university campus is buzzing with activities ahead of the birthday celebrations on Thursday. The prayers will be held on a large pavilion that can accommodate around 1 lakh devotees. The event will start with rituals such as ‘Ganapati homam’, ‘Guru Padapuja’ led by the senior-most disciple Amritaswarupananda Puri and it will be followed by Amma’s address. “We have done away with colourful celebrations in the wake of floods. There will not be any special invitees for the programme,” said vice-chairman of the Mata Amritanandamayi Math (MAM) Swami Amritaswarupananda Puri. But a number of dignitaries are expected to make a visit to the pavilion on Thursday.
The dais will witness the distribution of various welfare pensions, community marriage, medical aid and scholarships for students from economically weaker backgrounds. The Math will offer financial aid to the dependents of those who lost their lives during flood rescue operations. Amma gave darshan to devotees on Wednesday evening at Amritapuri and later led the prayers at the campus. For decades, Amma’s birthday has been a major annual event with several dignitaries visiting the Amritapuri campus.