Hyderabad, September 28, 2024: Amma, Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi’s 71st birthday was celebrated at Amritapuri Ashram with simple ceremonies, reflecting the solemn backdrop of the recent Wayanad disaster. The festivities began at 5:00 a.m. with a Ganapati Homam, followed by Lalita Sahasranama Archana. A satsang was held at 7:30 a.m. in the ashram's main prayer hall by Swami Amritaswarupananda Puri, Vice Chairman of the Mata Amritanandamayi Math.

At 9:00 a.m., Amma graced the birthday stage with a warm smile, greeting the thousands of devotees who had gathered in anticipation. Following her arrival, a Guru Paduka Puja was performed under the guidance of Swami Amritaswarupananda. Amma then delivered her birthday message, led everyone in meditation, bhajans and prayers for world peace. During the ceremony, Mata Amritanandamayi Devi awarded the Amritakeerthi Puraskaram to renowned poet Prof. V. Madhusoodanan Nair.

As part of the celebrations, mass marriages were organised, with Amma personally overseeing and leading the ceremonies. Amma’s darshan continued till Saturday morning, as she met individually the  thousands of devotees who had come from around the world to Amritapuri to celebrate their beloved Amma’s birthday. Several prominent figures visited the Ashram to extend their birthday wishes.

Real love is born from fearlessness:
Amma, Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi

““It is from real love is born from fearlessness. It is from this love that new creations, shining with goodness, emerge.” Said Amma, on her 71st Birthday message. Selfishness is fear. It is darkness. It drinks our energy and leaves us drained. It makes us weak and helpless. It drives the individual and society to destruction. Rather than war and endless conflict, may patience, love and compromise guide our attitudes and actions.”

“Instead of the dark climate of religious wars and genocides, let us hear the call for expansiveness and compassion ringing from all quarters. May we all be vigilant in abandoning the desire to exploit nature, as it leads to the tragedies that affect our lives, our loved ones, our wealth and all that we hold dear. May each of us extend our hands to comfort those who are suffering and in pain. And, thus, may everyone find peace and happiness.”

“No one is willing to introspect, honestly evaluate themselves and change their behaviour. As a result, we are unable to look around us with love for others or to protect nature with respect.

Numerous discussions have been held about the dangerous path the world is on, yet we are not showing the required alertness to act with discernment. Our attitude towards the world is like this: “The world’s condition is serious, but there’s nothing to worry about.””

“On one hand, we organise massive symposiums and conferences to discuss solutions for global warming and climate change. On the other, we don’t hesitate to continue destroying forests, mountains and rivers. We hold large discussions about reducing greenhouse-gas emissions, while simultaneously building more factories. The smoke and waste from these factories pollute our air, rivers and oceans. People are very adept at giving impassioned speeches about truth and justice. Yet we often see these same people engaged in hypocritical actions. People loudly warn of the detriments of alcohol and tobacco use, and at the same time they expand their production to increase the GDP. People find new ways to market them and entice people to buy them. While GDP is important, the survival of the world and nature, as well as society’s physical and mental health, is far more vital. Therefore, it is crucial that we bring some balance to this state of affairs.” said Amma.

About Amrita University:

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham is a distinguished multi-campus, multidisciplinary university, accredited with an A++ rating by NAAC. It is ranked 41st globally by the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2022, being the only Indian university in the top 50. The university holds two UNESCO Chairs—one for Experiential Learning for Sustainable Innovation & Development, and another for Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment.

Headquartered in Coimbatore, Amrita operates across eight campuses in five states—Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Haryana. The university is involved in over 500 global collaborations, including with institutions like Harvard University and the University of Oxford. Founded by Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (Amma), Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham continues to embody her vision of education and research driven by universal values.