Amma memorabilia all around the venue

[Guest guest]

newindpress.com is full of Amritavarsham!

http://www.newindpress.com/amrita2003/ for daily

updates.

 

I've been wondering whether Amma dolls would be sold

cheaper in India than in the U.S... apparently not.

 

Amma memorabilia all around the venue

 

 

KOCHI: Amma memorabilia is all around the venue. While

Amma's photographs and endorsed merchandise are a dime

a dozen in most stalls, there is one exclusive nook

here which is sure to burn a hole in the pocket.

 

The international gift shop has an array of the cutest

Amma dolls in various sizes _ ranging from two-inch

ones to the big, foot-long ones. The price tag too

ranges from Rs 800 for the miniatures to Rs 8,000 for

the big ones. [about $200 US, at Rs 40 to one US buck

- or about the same as the large dolls cost

stateside.. keval] There, however, isn't a dearth of

customers willing to splurge their dollars on a little

memento of the fest. Cuddling an Amma doll close to

her, a foreign devotee gushes: ``I love the doll. I

can sleep with her, talk to her, tell her my troubles.

It's like having a darshan of Amma anytime I want.''

[agreed! That's what 99% of Amma doll owners would

say.]

 

Other items on sale are little necklaces for Amma

dolls. Ordinary glass beads which have been strung

together have turned extraordinarily divine with a

notice saying they were worn by Amma during her

darshan. But before you decide to patronise this shop,

take heed. We were told only foreigners are allowed

here. The reason: ``Indians loiter around, touch the

wares and go away without buying anything.''[well,

duh, how many Indians have Rs 8000 burning a hole in

their pockets? keval]

 

While the Kaloor stadium is teeming with people, there

is an amazing order all around. Not a scrap of

littered paper lies on the ground for more than five

minutes. By then, a volunteer comes to sweep it away.

Meals are served to thousands with such efficiency

that serpentine queues are missing. There are

volunteers serving water (specially treated at a plant

set up at the site) for the devotees wilting under the

heat.

 

On the streets too, the much dreaded traffic jam is

missing despite the convoys of buses and cars that

have driven into the city.

 

The Southern Railway has introduced an

enquiry-cum-reservation counter on the premises of the

international stadium for the convenience of

devotees/travelling public who are participating in

the function.