Sudhamani / Mātā Amritanandamayī Devi
Mata Amritanandamayi
Born	September 27, 1953 (1953-09-27) (age 54) Parayakadavu, Kerala, India

Mātā Amritanandamayī Devi (Devanagiri: माता अमृतानन्‍दमयी, Malayalam: മാതാ അമൃതാനന്ദമയി; born September 27, 1953) is an Indian spiritual leader revered as a saint by her followers, who also know her as "Amma", "Ammachi" or "Mother". She is a widely respected humanitarian and called by some "the hugging saint".^[1] Image File history File linksMetadata Amma1. ... is the 270th day of the year (271st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1953 (MCMLIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... , Kerala ( ; Malayalam: കേരളം; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of southwestern India. ... च् + छ = च्छ Devanagari in Unicode The Unicode range for Devanagari is U+0900 . ... Malayalam (മലയാളം ) is the language spoken predominantly in the state of Kerala, in southern India. ... is the 270th day of the year (271st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1953 (MCMLIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... In traditional Christian iconography, Saints are often depicted as having halos. ... Humanitarianism is the view that all people should be treated with the respect and dignity they deserve as human beings, and that advancing the well-being of humanity is a noble goal. ...

Early life

Amritanandamayi was born Sudhamani in the small village of Parayakadavu (now partially known as Amritapuri), near Kollam, Kerala in 1953. Sudhamani was born to a fishing family of the Arayan caste. Her schooling ended when she was nine, and she began to take care of her younger siblings and the family domestic work full-time. , For the district with the same name, see Kollam District. ... , Kerala ( ; Malayalam: കേരളം; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of southwestern India. ... Arayan or Aravan or Dheevaran is a dravidian caste of Kerala, India. ...

Rise to fame

Her devotees claim that she had many mystical experiences as a child. Since 1981, she has been teaching spiritual aspirants all over the world. She founded a worldwide organization, the Mata Amritanandamayi Mission Trust, which is engaged in many spiritual and charitable activities. From humble beginnings she undertook a journey to attain "universal motherhood". She addressed the United Nations General Assembly.^[2] This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... . ... Spirituality, in a narrow sense, concerns itself with matters of the spirit. ... A charitable organization (also known as a charity) is a trust, company or unincorporated association established for charitable purposes only. ... The foundation of the U.N. The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress and human rights issues. ... The United Nations General Assembly (GA) is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations. ...

International events

• 1993, Chicago: speech at the "Parliament of the World’s Religions" 100th Anniversary.
• 1995, New York: address at the Interfaith Celebrations at the 50th Anniversary of the UN.
• 2000, New York: keynote address at the Millennium Peace Summit, UN General Assembly.
• 2002, Geneva: keynote address at the Global Peace Initiative of Women innaugural meeting at the UN in Geneva.
• 2002, Geneva: "Gandhi-King Award for Non-Violence" from The World Movement for Non-Violence at UN headquarters.
• 2004, Barcelona, Parliament of World Religions.
• 2006, New York, James Parks Morton Interfaith award.^[3]

Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... Nickname: Motto: Urbs in Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in the Chicago metro area and Illinois Coordinates: , Country State Counties Cook, DuPage Settled 1770s Incorporated March 4, 1837 Government  - Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Area  - City  234. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Parliament of the Worlds Religions. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the state. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Geneva (pronunciation //; French: Genève //, German:   //, Italian: Ginevra //, Romansh: Genevra) is the second most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich), and is the most populous city of Romandy (the French-speaking part of Switzerland). ... Global Peace Initiative of Women (GPIW) is an international network of women and men spiritual and community leaders. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... The Gandhi-King Award for Non-Violence is presented by The World Movement for Nonviolence. ... The World Movement for Nonviolence was founded in 1998 by Bawa Jain, son of Acharya Sushil Kumarji Maharaj, began presenting the Gandhi-King Award in 1999. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Recognition

In 1993, she was one of the representatives of Hinduism at the Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago. Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... Hinduism (known as in modern Indian languages[1]) is a religious tradition[2] that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ... Chicago Meeting, 1893 There have been several meetings referred to as a Parliament of the World’s Religions, most notably the Worlds Parliament of Religions of 1893, the first attempt to create a global dialogue of faiths. ... Nickname: Motto: Urbs in Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in the Chicago metro area and Illinois Coordinates: , Country State Counties Cook, DuPage Settled 1770s Incorporated March 4, 1837 Government  - Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Area  - City  234. ...

Amritanandamayi was the keynote speaker at the Global Peace Initiative of Women, at the UN in Geneva, Switzerland held in October 2002. This was an initiative of the UN' Millennium World Peace Summit, in which Amritanandamayi spoke in August 2000. Global Peace Initiative of Women (GPIW) is an international network of women and men spiritual and community leaders. ... Coat of arms of the Canton of Geneva Coat of arms of the City of Geneva Geneva (French: Genève, German: Genf, Italian: Ginevra, Romansh Genevra, Spanish: Ginebra) is the second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zurich), located where Lake Geneva (French: Lac de Genève or Lac L... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ...

In 2002 Amritanandamayi was presented with the Gandhi-King Award for Non-Violence by The World Movement for Nonviolence at the UN General Assembly Hall (Palais Des Nations) in Geneva in recognition of her lifelong work in furthering the principles of non-violence. The three previous recipients of the award were Kofi Annan, Nelson Mandela, and primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall. The Gandhi-King Award for Non-Violence is presented by The World Movement for Nonviolence. ... Nonviolence (or non-violence) is a set of assumptions about morality, power and conflict that leads its proponents to reject the use of violence in efforts to attain social or political goals. ... The World Movement for Nonviolence was founded in 1998 by Bawa Jain, son of Acharya Sushil Kumarji Maharaj, began presenting the Gandhi-King Award in 1999. ... Kofi Atta Annan (born April 8, 1938) is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1, 1997 to January 1, 2007, serving two five-year terms. ... Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (IPA: ) (born 18 July 1918) is the former President of South Africa, and the first to be elected in fully representative democratic elections. ... Primatology is the study of primates. ... Dame Jane Goodall, DBE, (born April 3, 1934) is an English UN Messenger of Peace, primatologist, ethologist, and anthropologist. ...

She is also considered by some to be an avatar of the Great Mother. The ten avatars of Vishnu, copyright BBT In Hindu philosophy, an avatar (also spelt as avatara) (Sanskrit: , ), most commonly refers to the incarnation (bodily manifestation) of a higher being (deva), or the Supreme Being (God) onto planet Earth. ... The Great Mother manifests itself in myth as a host of archaic images. ...

Senior disciples

The first set of monastic disciples of Amritanandamayi came to her in the late 1970s. Today, they as well as other disciples and devotees look after the ashram's multifaceted activities. The first disciple to be initiated as a sanyasi was Swami Amritaswarupananda.^[4] Other senior disciples are Swami Paramatmananda, Swami Pranavamritananda, Swami Turiyamritananda, Swami Prajnamritananda, Swami Ramakrishnananda, Swami Purnamritananda, Swami Vidyamritananda, Swami Amritageetananda, Swami Amritatmananda, Swami Jnanamritananda and Swami Kripamritananda. The Ashram is now known as Amritapuri. Bramachari Dayamrita Chaitanya is one of Amma's senior disciples stationed at the MA Center located in San Ramon, CA. He is in charge of all activities performed by the MA center in the US and all branch groups. Monasticism (from Greek: monachos—a solitary person) is the religious practice of renouncing all worldly pursuits in order to fully devote ones life to spiritual work. ... A disciple (from the Latin discipulus, a pupil) is one who receives instruction from another; a scholar; a learner; especially, a follower who has learned to believe in the truth of the doctrine of his teacher, and implies that the pupil is under the discipline of, and understands, his teacher... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ... An Ashram (Pronounced aashram) in ancient India was a Hindu hermitage where sages (See Rishi) lived in peace and tranquility amidst nature. ... Sanyasa (pronounced sanyaas) symbolises the conception of the mystic life in Hinduism where a person is now integrated into the spiritual world after wholly giving up material life. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Amritapuri is the main Ashram of Mata Amritanandamayi. ...

Darshan

Amritanandamayi is known to the world media as 'the hugging saint'. She offers hugs to everyone who approaches her and in India she has been known to individually hug over 50,000 people in a day, sitting sometimes for over 20 hours.^[5]Worldwide, Amritanandamayi is said to have hugged at least 30 million people in the past 30 years.^[6]

"Darshan – The Embrace", a film on the life of Amritanandamayi was officially selected for showcasing at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival. Jan Kounen, an award winning filmmaker who was born in Netherlands and is based in France, directed the film. Manuel De La Roche of France, is the producer. Jan Kounen and his crew began shooting the footage for the film in 2003 during Amritavarsham50,^[7] Amritanandamayi's 50th birthday celebrations in Kochi. The team also traveled with Amritanandamayi on her Indian and International tours in order to complete the movie. About the film, Kounen says, "when I first took up the project and started filming, I thought, 'Amma is a good person, doing good things, in turn I can do something good for her'. But as it went on, I realized, no, I am the one who is receiving the gift".^[8] Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Cannes Film Festival (French: le Festival de Cannes), founded in 1939, is one of the worlds oldest, most influential and prestigious film festivals. ...

Matruvani

Matruvani is a monthly magazines concerned with spirituality in India. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Spirituality, in a narrow sense, concerns itself with matters of the spirit. ...

It is published by the Amritapuri Ashram in both Indian and European languages. Matruvani was first published in 1984. The magazine has been translated into English, Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali and Hindi. European Matruvani is also published in French, German, Italian, Finnish and Spanish. The International version of Matruvani is known as 'Immortal Bliss'. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Malayalam (മലയാളം ) is the language spoken predominantly in the state of Kerala, in southern India. ... Tamil ( ; IPA ) is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamils in India and Sri Lanka, with smaller communities of speakers in many other countries. ... Kannada - aptly described as sirigannada (known to few as Kanarese) is one of the oldest Dravidian languages and is spoken in its various dialects by roughly 45 million people. ... “Telugu” redirects here. ... Marathi is one of the widely spoken languages of India, and has a long literary history. ... Gujarati can mean two distinct things: The Gujarati language is a language spoken in India and Pakistan, mostly in and around the Gujarat state. ... Bengali or Bangla (IPA: ) is an Indo-Aryan language of the eastern Indian subcontinent, evolved from the Magadhi Prakrit, Pāli and Sanskrit languages. ... Hindi ( , Devanagari: or , IAST: , IPA: ), an Indo-European language spoken all over India in varying degrees and extensively in northern and central India, is one of the two central official languages of India, the other being English. ...

Amritapuri

Amritapuri is the main Ashram of Amritanandamayi. It is located in Parayakadavu, Kollam, Kerala about 120km north of Thiruvananthapuram and 120km south of Cochin. Amritapuri is also the name by which the location of the ashram is now known. An Ashram (Pronounced aashram) in ancient India was a Hindu hermitage where sages (See Rishi) lived in peace and tranquility amidst nature. ... , For the district with the same name, see Kollam District. ... , Kerala ( ; Malayalam: കേരളം; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of southwestern India. ... , Thiruvananthapuram   (Malayalam: തിരുവനന്തപുരം TiruvanÅ­ntapuraṁ), also known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala and the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram District. ... Cochin may refer to: Cochin China Kingdom of Kochi, a former princely state of India, merged with Travancore to form the State of Kerala Cochin city, the former name of the city of Kochi, in Kerala Hôpital Cochin, a famous hospital in Paris, France Cochin font, from the Adobe...

Amritapuri is also one of the campuses of the Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham. Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham is the youngest deemed(-to-be) Research University in India. ...

Humanitarian activities

Mata Amritanandamayi Math's website describes various charitable and humanitarian projects undertaken by the organization.^[9] Examples include a program to build 100,000 homes for the poor; hospitals; orphanages; hospices; women's shelters; pension disbursements for widows; community aid centers; homes for the aged; eye clinics; and speech therapy centers.^[10] Many of Amma's centers in the US run 'Mother's Kitchen', or 'vegetarian soup-kitchens', where volunteers prepare and serve meals to the poor and needy. . ...

The Mata Amritanandamayi Math runs 33 schools, 12 temples, one super-speciality hospital in Kochi, feeds thousands during mass kitchen, provides pension every year to over 15,000 widows, builds 25,000 houses annually for the homeless and has 35 Amma welfare centres all over the world to spread her spiritual message.^[11]

Recently, Mata Amritanandamayi Math announced a billion rupees (23 million dollars) in aid to the victims of the 2004 tsunami.^[12] The Math's relief work is happening in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Andaman & Nicobar islands and in Sri Lanka.^[13] For other uses, see Tsunami (disambiguation). ...

In September 2005, Mata Amritanandamayi donated $1,000,000 to the Bush-Clinton Hurricane Katrina fund.^[14] She also sent a top aide to the devastated areas soon after the storm struck in the United States to assess the kind of help needed by victims. 2005 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December- → Deaths in September September 28 : Constance Baker Motley September 25 : M. Scott Peck September 25 : Don Adams September 20 : Simon Wiesenthal September 14 : Robert Wise September 10 : Hermann Bondi September 8 : Donald Horne September 7 : Moussa Arafat... This article is about the Atlantic hurricane of 2005. ...

In October 2005, thousands of blankets were sent and distributed to the survivors of the Kashmir and Pakistan earthquake.^[15] 2005 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December- → Deaths in October 28: Richard Smalley 26: Emil Kyulev 24: José Azcona del Hoyo 24: Rosa Parks 23: Stella Obasanjo 22: Liam Lawlor 22: Shirley Horn 20: Endon Mahmood 17: Ba Jin 10: Milton Obote 7: Charles...

Criticism (suck my chaddis)

Amma cannot turn water into milk, as previously said. Amma can only turn jubins tuttee into lassi. This has been recorded by many television reporters, LIVE. WHILE HE WAS TUTTEEING. Amma has also said to been had plastic surgery on her buttocks. This is reported to be done to attract more African American males.

Also, her collab. on Shaynayne's mixtape has also caused critisizism. Her track, "Let me hug jor aloos" was sexually explicit and had to be edited by Musharaahf.

In addition, a current affair with Juboomayne is underway. Details are messy.

Amma has said this about the situation:

"OYY!! KUTHAAAAAAAAAY!!!! RESPECT THIS TUTTEE! I CAN TURN LADOOS INTO TUTTEE PEBBLES. THAT REMIDS ME SAHIL HAS RABBIT POOP. THAT REMINDS ME MOIMOIS FACE LOOKS LIKE POOP. THAT REMINDS ME I LUV SHANNONS ASSHAIR. THAT REMINDS I SAW DJ BALI WITHOUT HIS CHADDIS ON AND HE WAS TAKING A SHOWER WITH A NIHANG SINGH GUY. THAT REMINDS ME VISHS MOM MAKES TASTY PAKODAS. THAT REMINDS ME MR. CHACKO HAS SOME ROUND FAT JUICY GULAB JAMAN. THAT REMINDS ME CRANK THAT CROCCO HO. THAT REMINDS ME HOLLA ATCHA SAAHIB. THAT REMINDS ME COPPPPPPP MMMYYYYYY MIXXXXXXTAAAAAAAPEEEEEEEE SALLEEEEE"

In June of 2007, Amma came under criticism from dozens of elected officials, religious and community leaders throughout the state of California^{[citation needed]} as a result of her choice to stay at the LAX Hilton during a labor dispute. Rabbi Michael Lerner, in his self-owned magazineTikkun Magazine^[16] claimed to have denied an award offered to him ^{[citation needed]}from people^[17] who had organised Mata Amritanandamayi's speech in California. He said in a letter addressed to her "Amma, there is no possibility of creating a more loving and caring world that I know you are so committed to so long as spiritual leaders like yourself fail to link spiritual ideals to concrete social justice for poor and working people."^[18] Her decision to stay at the hotel caused public outcry from religious leaders and workers participating in the hotel boycott.^[19] Michael Lerner is the name of several notable people from the Americans: Michael Lerner, rabbi and left-wing political activist Michael Lerner, actor Michael Lerner, retailer with Lerner Stores This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Tikkun is an English-language opinion magazine published quarterly in the United States since 1986. ...

A book critical of the Amritanandamayi ashram written by the Kerala-based head of the Indian Rationalist Association Sreeni Pattathanam led a political furor when the State government sanctioned prosecution of Pattathanam, the owner of the publishing company and the printer of the book. The order followed directions from the Kerala High Court to the State's Home Department for considering an application by a high ranking devotee and inmate of the Mata Amritanandamayi Ashramam, T.K. Ajan, to criminally prosecute the three^[20], based on criticisms found in the book. The order ultimately received international attention, and was rescinded after criticism by Humanists, Rationalists, writers, and the Communist Party. Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations (FIRA)is an umbrella body of about 65 rationalist, atheist, skeptic, secularist and science organisations in India. ... Sreeni Pattathanam is a Kerala based rationalist activist and writer of some ten books and many investigative reports. ... The Communist Party of India (CPI) is a political party in India. ...

See also

• Amrita survey
• Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham (the University which she founded and is also the Chancellor of)
• J and Friends Sing and Chant For Amma - A compact disc of devotional songs written and recorded by American alternative rock musician/songwriter J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr), an open follower of Ammachi. All of the proceeds from the CD go to Amma's charites.
• Amrita TV
• Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre

Mata Amritanandamayi Math // Founder Mata Amritanandamayi Year & place of founding At Amritapuri, Kerala, Kollam, India. ... Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham is the youngest deemed(-to-be) Research University in India. ... J and Friends Sing And Chant For Amma is an album-length compact disc by American guitarist/singer/songwriter and Dinosaur Jr bandleader J Mascis. ... A compact disc or CD is an optical disc used to store digital data, originally developed for storing digital audio. ... Alternative music redirects here. ... J Mascis (born Joseph Donald Mascis on December 10, 1965) is an American musician, best-known as the singer, guitarist and songwriter for Dinosaur Jr, though he also has been an occasional producer and film composer. ... Dinosaur Jr is an American alternative rock band formed in Amherst, Massachusetts in 1983 as Dinosaur. ... Amrita TV is a Malayalam television channel. ... Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre The Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre (AIMS) is a super-speciality hospital near Edapally, in Kochi, India. ...

Notes

1. ^ Los Angeles Times: The Week In Photos, (2006). www.latimes.com. Retrieved on October 15, 2006.
2. ^ BBC-News Article About Mata Amritanandamayi
3. ^ Award - Interfaith Center New York
4. ^ Ammachi - A Biography of Mata Amritanandamayi by Swami Amritaswarupananda, ISBN 1-879410-60-5
5. ^ "Amma: The 'hugging saint'", By Cathy Lynn Grossman USA TODAY, 7/18/2006
6. ^ BBC-News Article About Mata Amritranandamayi
7. ^ Amritavarsham 50, Amma's 50th B 'day celebrations @ Amritavarsham.org
8. ^ I am Receiving the Gift, Interview with Kannadi on September 10th 2004, Cochin, Kerala, Available Online
9. ^ Social Service,
10. ^ Social Service,
11. ^ Hindustan Times, "Healing wounds with a hug" by Surendra Singh, October 9th 2003, Available Online
12. ^ Tsunami relief
13. ^ Amrita Tsunami Relief & Rehabilitation Projects in India Srilanka Asia
14. ^ Hurricane relief
15. ^ M. A. Math Responds to Kashmir Earthquake Available Online
16. ^ CPWR
17. ^ Rabbi Lerner's Response to Amma — A Jewish Magazine, an Interfaith Movemen
18. ^ Rabbi Lerner's Response to Amma — A Jewish Magazine, an Interfaith Movemen
19. ^ Amma, 'Hugging Saint' of India, Stirs Controversy Over Refusal to Honor Hotel Boycott
20. ^ "Move to prosecute rationalist leader criticised", The Hindu, Jan 29, 2004

USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. ...

References

• BBC-News article about Amritanandamayi
• Hurricane relief
• Tsunami relief
• Social Service
• Amma: Healing the Heart of the World by Judith Cornell, (William Morrow & Company, ISBN 0-688-17079-X)
• Messages from Amma: In the Language of the Heartby Janine Canan (Ten Speed Press, ISBN 1-58761-214-3)
• Department of Health issues measles warning: CDNA
• Getting to Joy: A Western Householder's Spiritual Journey with Amma (Mata Amritanandamayi) by Karuna Poole (Shantini Center, ISBN 0-9643629-2-9)
• The Element Encyclopedia of the Psychic World by Theresa Cheung (Barnes & Nobles, Inc, ISBN 0-7607-90233-X)

External links

• Amritapuri.org (official mission site - India)
• Amma.org (official mission site - USA)
• Embracing the world (The Week cover feature)
• Amma (The Rick Ross Institute)
• Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (Apologetics Index)
• Darshan the Embrace Trailer
• Global Guru Amma