AmritaPuri - President hands over 500 more houses

December 19, 2005

Mata's gesture lauded the hindu KOLLAM: President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on Sunday formally entrusted to the State Government a batch of 500 houses constructed at Alapad by the Mata Amritanandamayi Math. The houses have been built for those who lost their houses in last year's tsunami disaster. Mr. Kalam who received the certificate of completion of the houses from Mata Amritanandamayi, at a function at the Math, handed over the certificate to Minister for Revenue K.M. Mani. In his address to the gathering at the function, Mr. Kalam said that he was extremely happy to hand over the houses to the State Government. He

said that in times of difficulty and calamities, true leaders would be at the spot. Mata Amritanandamayi reached the spot at the crucial time when the tsunami struck Alapad region. She led a team of devotees to rescue as many victims as possible and arranged food and shelter in all the affected areas. In her benedictory address, Mata Amritanandamayi said that behind the completion of the houses lay the story of compassion and selflessness. Though man cannot thwart disasters like the tsunami, the burden could be mitigated if people came together and helped rebuild the lives of the affected. This is what the Math did. She said that people should be able to construct a bridge of love, through selfless service, to bring everyone together. With the completion of the 500 houses, the Math has built 2,000 houses in all for the tsunami-hit. At Alapad alone, 1,000 houses have been constructed. As many as 4,200 houses are now being constructed by the

Math. Apart from the victims in Kerala, the beneficiaries include victims in Tamil Nadu, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Sri Lanka. At the function, Mr. Mani thanked the Mata on behalf of the State Government for constructing the houses. Minister for Labour Babu Divakaran, Minister for Fisheries Dominic Presentation and Karunagapally MLA Rajan Babu were also present at the meeting. Swamy Amritaswarupananda Puri, vice-chairman of the Math, welcomed the gathering. Kalam dedicates Amrita Mutt houses for tsunami victims kaumudi KOLLAM: President A P J Abdul Kalam dedicated 500

houses built for the tsunami affected people by the Mata Amritanandamayi Mutt here and praised the relief and rebabilitation mission taken up by the Mutt for disaster-hit people in India and abroad. "Wherever calamities occurred real leaders would come and console people. Amma (as Mata Amritanandanamayi is known to her devotees) acted swiftly to give relief to the tsunami-hit people," Kalam said at the Amritapuri Ashram in Kerala's Kollam district. Stating that he had had several opportunities to receive the blessings of Amma, Kalam added that her readiness to bring relief to the people in distress and those displaced by natural calamities showed her love and compassion for the humanity as a whole. The President handed over to state Revenue Minister K M Mani the key and documents for the houses built in Srayikkad and Cheriyazheekal areas of Alappad panchayat, which was ravaged when tsunami struck. The first lot of 500 houses formed part 1500

houses pledged by the Mutt for the tsunami victims in the area. In her message, Mata said she was happy to help the "children who had lost everything in the tragedy. Amma does not feel that she is the one who is giving these houses. By the grace of "paramatman" Amma and her children were able to render at least some service to the suffering," she said. "Real prayer is wipingthe tears of the distressed" Amma's satsang on the occasion of the President of India's handing over of 500 tsunami houses constructed by the Ashram. 18 December 2005, Amritapuri Amma is happy to take part in this function of handing over the houses to the children who lost everything in the tsunami tragedy. Amma doesn’t feel that she is the one giving these houses. By the grace of the Paramatman, Amma and her children were able to render at least some service to the suffering. We are not isolated islands. We are all links of the same chain. All of our actions—whether done intentionally or unintentionally—have an effect on others. If we hold back from changing until others change first, no change will ever take place. But if we are ready to change first, it will effect a change in others as well. What has taken place in this village is a perfect demonstration of this truth. Since the tsunami struck, through the current day,

the Ashram children have been fully engaged in the construction of houses. Seeing their hard work, initially about 10 villagers joined in, soon it became 20, then 100 and, as of late, more than 1000 children from the surrounding villages have been taking part in the construction seva. Women, men and youngsters—followers of all political ideologies and religions—have been happily working hand-in-hand, united in heart. When Amma sees this, her eyes and heart overflow. In this world where selfishness prevails, to see such selfless children is a delight for the eye. It is proof that the world has not totally forgotten the language of compassion and selflessness. It is through the mirror of selfless service that human beings are able to behold their own true beauty. We might not be able to stop natural disasters like the tsunami from taking place. Though they bring the darkness of sorrow, we should try to light the lamp of optimistic faith. Situations in life

might not always turn out in our favour. But we should try to live our life like a river that always flows on regardless of the obstacles before it. Our vision of life should inspire us to live this way. The awareness that God’s power is always there supporting us will help us to move forward. There are certain situations in life that we simply cannot change. But regardless of the situation, we always have the freedom to choose how to respond. If we have the correct attitude, we will be able to progress without breaking down, no matter how difficult a situation may be. If we have the attitude of surrender, we will understand that there is nothing in life to reject. We will have the attitude of acceptance alone. If plants are able to grow from manure and give fragrant flowers in return, if the civet cat and the musk deer can spread sweet fragrances, why can’t we transform our lives into flowers that are eternally full and fragrant? Why can’t we become like a never-fading

rainbow, eternally bring joy to one and all? Our Rishis taught us to love and serve the world, seeing everything as God. Real service is the power that sustains this world. When human beings serve nature, nature serves human beings. When human beings serve the flora and fauna, they serve humankind in return. In life, we should have the attitude of trying to understand and respect each other’s feelings. Through selfless service, we should be able to construct a bridge of love that will bring all of us together. Real prayer is wiping the tears of the distressed. If there is no shoulder for the sorrowful to lay their heads upon, it would be the greatest darkness. Once the different parts of the body were arguing over which one was the most important. The hand said, “If I weren’t here to do all the hard work, then how would all of you be able to eat?” The eyes said, “If it weren’t for me, even the greatest man would fall into every hole or ditch.” The

tongue said, “After the body dies, all of you will be no more. Only the words that I have uttered will remain.” The argument continued on like this till it became a huge fight. Finally, they had to take the argument to God. God said, “All of you are definitely very important. However, the most important part is the shoulder.” All the body parts were stunned. “The shoulder? He didn’t even mention any of his abilities while we were arguing! So, how did you suddenly feel that he is the greatest?” God said, “When a person cries, the only place he can rest his head is on someone’s shoulder. The shoulder is the greatest because he gives comfort to the sorrowful.” Today we are shouldering the burden of our prarabdha, of our past actions. Let us offer them to the Paramatman. And let us take up the spirit of self-sacrifice. May the rest of the lives of the children who suffered so much due to the tsunami be filled with

peace and happiness. Let us pray together for the peace of all the beings in creation. (Read the above message in Malayalam as Amma spoke) Visit > http://www.amritapuri.com/ Regards, http://www.hindushakti.tk Send instant messages to your online friends http://in.messenger.