5,00,000 People expected for Mata Amritanandamayi's birthday

[Guest guest]

I think this is "5 lakh" if you count big numbers

Indian-style.

 

Item below from the Kerala page of

http://www.newindpress.com and IANS (India Abroad News

Service)

 

Keval

(who won't be among the 5,00,000 - but will be viewing

the webcast if the Amritapuri server doesn't crash!)

---------

 

5,00,000 People expected for Mata Amritanandamayi's

birthday

 

IANS

 

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kochi is getting ready for the

50th birthday celebrations of spiritual leader Mata

Amritanandamayi expected to be attended by hundreds of

thousands of people. Several political luminaries and

celebrities will attend the four-day celebrations,

beginning September 24.

 

On September 24, Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani

will travel to Kochi. President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

will be there two days later followed by

Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat the next day.

Besides, several chief ministers and other leading

politicians from several parties are expected to

participate in the celebrations.

 

Reports indicate that more than 500,000 people from

India and abroad will be attending the celebrations.

 

The unifying theme of the four-day programme to

observe "Amma's" birthday will be Changing the

Individual and the World Through Spiritual Love and

Compassion.

 

The highlight of the four-day event will be a mega

youth meeting attended by 100,000 young men and women

from around the world. Kalam is expected to address

this gathering as well as the meeting of global chief

executive officers. An international conference on

women is also on the anvil. Personalities like Yolanda

King, daughter of Martin Luther King, American actress

Linda Evans and Jewish spiritual teacher Rabbi Leah

Novick will be the leading lights in the conference.

 

Besides, international cultural programmes

highlighting the traditional art forms of all nations

are also being planned.

 

Flags representing all the countries recognised by the

United Nations will be displayed and water from

important holy rivers from all countries collected.

The water will be ceremoniously poured together into

one large vessel, signifying the unity of all nations,

and poured into the ocean after that.

 

Giving more details, Swami Amritaswarupananda,

chairperson of the international organising committee,

said the celebrations would climax in a grand finale

on September 27, Amma's 50th birthday.

 

The spiritual leader will individually receive and

bless everyone present.

 

The four-day programme, titled Embracing the World,

will include a gallery of 108 paintings by renowned

artists from around the world inspired by Amma and her

life.

 

A mass marriage ceremony will be conducted for 108

economically disadvantaged couples. A legal cell of

1,008 lawyers who will offer free services to the

needy will also be set up.