Amritavarsham items from newindpress.com

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Sunday September 21 2003 00:00 IST

 

Pak women delegation coming for Amritavarsham

 

KOCHI: It's called `Women Beyond Borders'. A unique

initiative to get together women from either side of

the border of discontent to chalk out a programme for

exchange of `seva' or service.

 

Three women from Pakistan are scheduled to arrive here

on September 25 to participate in this unique

endeavour, which is part of the celebrations of

Amritavarsham, the golden jubilee birthday gala of

Mata Amritanandmayi.

 

The Pakistani delegation is led by Saleha Mahmud

Abedin, Muslim scholar and sociologist, who is also

director of the London-based Institute of Muslim

Minorities. Accompanying her are Nasira Iqbal, retired

judge of the Lahore High Court and Begum Suraiya

Zabeen, technical adviser to the Family Planning

Association of Pakistan.

 

National Commission of Women chairperson Poornima

Advani, Central Social Welfare Board chairperson

Mridula Sinha and founder and former academic director

of Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts Kapila

Vatsayan will comprise the Indian delegation.

 

The meeting, which is likely to be an hour-long one,

will be co-ordinated by Swamini Krishna Amrita Prana,

trustee of the Mata Amritanandmayi Math Sevika trust.

 

A spokesperson of the math said that the initiative

was in tune with the message of universal motherhood

that Amma preached. The spokesperson noted that

because of the political strife between the

neighbouring countries, there was a great need to

forge ties of common concerns and beliefs. ``Universal

motherhood and love is that tie which binds'.'

 

The meet assumes significance in the backdrop of the

ongoing cross-border altercations between the two

nations, and the failure of several attempts by both

governments to resolve the border issue.

 

``We, however, have had no trouble with organising

this meet,'' said Math vice-chairperson Swami

Anritaswarupananda. ``These people have met Amma at

various international fora and were quick to respond

to the invitation. And since our meet is neither

religious, nor political, but aims for universal peace

and harmony, there have been no complications with the

visas either.''

 

Saleha Abedin is also scheduled to participate in the

inter-faith meet.

 

The organisers say they will only provide the platform

for the talks, and not determine the course it takes.

``It's for them to decide how to devise a programme by

which the women of the two nations can extend `seva'

to each other. The session will be a closed door one.

 

 

Sunday September 21 2003 00:00 IST

 

Murli Manohar Joshi may skip Amritavarsham

 

KOCHI: BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi who resigned as

the Union Minister for Human Resource Development on

Friday is likely to skip the Amritavarsham

celebrations, following his indictment in the Babri

Masjid demolition case.

 

Senior functionaries of the Mata Amritananda Math told

this website's newspaper that Joshi's visit ``has most

likely been called off''.

 

Joshi was scheduled to arrive on September 25, along

with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal

and director of Dubai's Finance Ministry Ahmed Lutifi.

He was to give a talk on Amma as well as attend a

closed door session on the implementations of the

math-sponsored resolutions and action plans.

 

``We have received confirmations from both Bhujbal and

Lutifi, but there has been no intimation from Joshi.

We believe that after the recent developments, his

trip is most likely to be cancelled,'' the

spokesperson said.

 

 

Saturday September 20 2003 11:28 IST

 

Medical facilities for devotees

 

KOCHI: Advanced medical facilities will be available

for the thousands of devotees who will participate in

the Amritavarsham celebrations at the Jawaharlal Nehru

International Stadium from September 24-27.

 

Five medical units will function near the pavilions

set up within the stadium and outside it. Medical

facilities at the temporary hospital include

Cardio-Monitor and Ventilator for treating people with

heart ailments.

 

Besides this twenty five doctors and fifty

para-medical staff have been stationed at the

temporary hospital unit. Medical units will be

stationed in other parts of the venue.

 

A 24-hour ambulance service with four ambulances

fitted with state-of-the-art facilities will be

stationed at various boarding centres for the

devotees.

 

Volunteers trained in first aid will be deployed

throughout the venue. Around 15,000 specially-trained

volunteers will take care of the needs of the devotees

at the venue and in the city.

 

The volunteers will function in 36 departments. This

includes 3,350 volunteers in the mess, 1,200 to take

care of boarding facilities and 1,000, transport, and

1,200 at the venue proper