Amma in Singapore, Pakistani newspaper item

[Guest guest]

http://www.amma.org.sg/ammasvisit2009.html

 

March 28-30th.. rather short notice, even for the Amma org.

 

 

 

Millions flock to India’s hugging guru

 

 

By Matt Sedensky

 

AMRITAPURI (India): The droves who come here leave with no souvenirs, no

memories of posh hotels, nothing more than they brought.

 

All they came for was a hug.

 

The woman offering the soft embrace is considered a guru, and her tender

approach and simple message have galvanised followers to amass in crowds

thousands deep at stops around the globe. Part of the appeal of Mata

Amritanandamayi, or Amma, as she is universally known, are teachings she says

transcend any single faith, let alone simply her Hindu upbringing.

 

“My message is not unique,†she says through an interpreter. “There will

ever only be one message capable of purifying man, nature, the atmosphere, the

earth we live on and life itself. That message is: Act with compassion and love

for all our fellow beings.†The masses aren’t coming for Amma’s eloquence,

though. Far more than any oratory, any dogma, any writings, people are drawn

here by her touch, and so they line up and wait in marathon hugging sessions

that can stretch 20 hours and more. The guru’s aides say she sleeps little,

sometimes just an hour a night, but is as eager to hug her first visitor as her

last.

 

full article:

http://epaper.dawn.com/artMailDisp.aspx?article=09_03_2009_010_003 & typ=0

 

from Pakistani newspaper Dawn. this item probably appeared only in the online

edition, not the paper you would buy on the streets of Karachi or Lahore!

 

Keval