more details emerge

[Guest guest]

from rediff.com

 

Amritanandamayi unhurt in attack

 

George Iype in Kochi | August 21, 2005 23:39 IST

Last Updated: August 22, 2005 00:10 IST

 

A man tried to attack Mata Amritanandamayi, one of India's best-known

spiritual figures, on Sunday evening, but was overpowered by her

disciples.

 

The incident occurred�during a prayer and bhajan event�at the

Mata's�Vallikkav Ashram in Kerala's Kollam district.

 

Police officers�have taken custody of the attacker and

say�Amritanandamayi is unhurt and safe.

 

The police said the attacker, whose name is reported to be Pavithran,

has been staying at�the Ashram for some days.

 

Hailing from Idukki district in Kerala, the attacker sat�among the

followers praying and singing in front of Amritanadamayi who was

seated on the dais.

 

Suddenly, he�jumped up and rushed to Amritanandamayi with a knife. But

before he could reach her, a group of disciples around Amritanandamayi

overpowered him.

 

"The attack on our Amma has been foiled. Amma is safe and sound. And

she has forgiven the man who tried to attack her," Amritaswarupananda,

an associate of Amritanandamayi, told rediff.com

 

He said Amritanandanmayi�had a very busy day on Sunday. In�the morning

she distributed 300 sewing machines to women from villages affected by

the tsunami. Kerala Speaker Therambil Ramakrishnan was the main guest

during the event.

 

Amritaswarupananda said�the Math�also gave clothes to 5,000 children

from Alappuzha district who had participated in the

Yoga-English-Sanskrit class conducted in May.

 

He felt the person who tried to attack Amritanandamayi was of "unstable mind."

 

Math officials said they would impose strict security measures for

visitors to the Ashram who want to meet and hug Amritanandamayi,

 

Amritanandamayi is wellknown�for spending up to 18 hours a day hugging

her followers.

 

At last count, more than 30 million people had been given her

blessings through her hugs.

 

Amritanandamayi, 51, was born in a poor fishing village in the remote

coastal village of Parayakadavu, which was affected�by the December

26, 2004 tsunami. As a child, she refused to go to school and spent

nearly all her time chanting prayers to Lord�Krishna. She went to the

seashore to meditate and nearly every night.

 

Soon, she began to attract devotees.

 

Originally named Sudhamani, she adopted her current name, which means

full of immortal bliss' in 1981.

 

Since then, Amritanandamayi has addressed international interfaith

meetings and set up branches of her ashram in India and abroad. She

now has centres in Canada, England, France, Italy, Germany, the

Netherlands, Sweden, Spain, Finland, Argentina, Brazil,�Reunion

Island, Japan and Singapore.