Tsunami victims pin hopes on Amma

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Tusnami victims pin hopes on Amma

Azhikkal, Jan 6, 2005

 

For most of the tsunami victims of 'Amritapuri', named

after Mata Amritanandamayi and nestling between the

sea and Kerala's backwaters, their graveyard is just

in front of their houses.

 

The tunsami washed away 144 people, most of them women

and children, on the morning of December 26. The

people, most of them fishermen, live in houses just on

the coastline, hardly any distance from the sea.

 

In one of the graveyards, 46 bodies were cremated

while about 60 were cremated in an adjacent one.

Fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, relatives light

candes everyday and pray in memory of their dear ones

who were taken away by the huge waves.

 

At some distance, the Mata Amritanandamayi Math stands

like a rock. Though the sea waters gushed into the

compound of the sprawling Math, there was no major

damage to the math. Hundreds of devotees of ''Amma''

were inside the math on the fateful day. They were

quickly evacuated under the supervision of Amma.

 

The tsunami that returned after 60 years has killed

more than 150 people in coastal Kerala. Kollam and

Alapuzha districts of the state are the worst hit with

Azheekal and Poonthrathuruthu region in Allappat

Panchayat being submerged. More than 42 deaths were

reported in Allapat.

 

Most of those living in the relief camps have lost

their houses.

 

They do not know when government asssitance will reach

them.

 

Officials have made visits and taken note of their

sufferings. A central team has just visited the

village but the villagers have pinned their hopes on

Amma.

 

Ma Amritanandamayi is leading the rescue operations in

southern Kerala. Today, the entire Amritapuri village

is being looked after by Amma's disciples and

devotees. A UNI correspondent toured the area could

see the impact of the devastation.

 

Even with the limited time and resources available,

the ashramites have flung into rescue operations. Dr

Chandrasekhar, a Brahmachari at Amrita Kripa says,

''We don't have badges. But once people recognise us

by our dress, they open up. Many have lost everything

and are terribly depressed.'' The Mata Amritanandamayi

Math has accommodated over 13,000 evacuees in 12

relief camps opened in the educational institutions

run by it. The Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences

(AIMS) has dispatched six doctors and deployed 10

fully equipped ambulances for medical care. The

injured are being treated at Amrita Kripa Charitable

Hospital. The hospital has already distributed

medicines worth over Rs 4,00,000. [are they missing a

zero, or is there a misplaced extra comma..anyway,

it's a lot of rupees keval]

 

 

 

 

 

 

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