(Newswire.net — September 24, 2013) Kollam Dt, Kerala —
Leading scientists, social leaders, academicians, entrepreneurs and administrators will discuss ways for holistic development of villages, as an international summit will begin here tomorrow, marking the start of the 60th birthday celebrations of renowned humanitarian leader Mata Amritanandamayi Devi.
The three-day Amritavarsham60, which will see the launch of service projects and sessions on knowledge and spirituality besides cultural performances from across the world, will conclude on September 27, lending expression to diverse realms of human excellence before an expected crowd of 5,00,000 over the three days.
Amritapuri — an ashram complex with an adjacent university and lining a green stretch along Vallikavu village of Kollam district — will open the festivity soon after the conclusion of an ongoing three-day prayer for world peace. Just as the Mahachandika Homam would conclude at 11 am on Wednesday, a two-day international seminar on “Our Villages, Our World, What Can We Offer” will set off, with the inaugural address by former Indian president Dr A P J Abdul Kalam.
Prominent among the speakers would be eminent scientist Dr. M.S. Swaminathan and Noble laureate Dr. Leland H. Hartwell.
Swami Amritaswarupananda Puri, who is the Vice-Chairman of Mata Amritanandamayi Math (MAM) which is organising the event, revealed that the basic idea behind the summit was to make use of the ideas at the non-governmental organisations proposed programme to adopt 101 villages across India.
The main project MAM is unveiling this year would be the adoption of the villages, aiming to make them self-reliant and a role model for the country, he said.
By evening, Amma — as the spiritual leader is called fondly by millions of her followers across continents — will conclude giving darshan to the visitors. There will be a 90-minute Bhajan at Amrita University ending at 8 pm.
After an hour’s break, the venue would open for cultural performances. Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia will give a Hindustani flute recital, followed by an instrumental fusion by frontline mridangam player Karaikudi Mani. There will also be an Odissi duet by couple Sujata and Ratikant Mohapatra. The final show for the night would be a musical dance performance by Amrita Yuva Dharmadhara.
The dignitaries at the sprawling venue alongside the backwaters on the rest two days include Kerala Chief Minister Sri. Oommen Chandy, Gujarat Chief Minister Sri. Narendra Modi (Sep 26) and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Sri. Vijay Bahuguna (Sep 27), besides a string of state governors and ministers of central and Kerala governments.
September 26 morning will witness a grand Panchari Melam, where well-known drummer Kizhakkoottu Aniyan Marar will lead a massive orchestra featuring ethnic chenda, cymbals, pipes and horns. This will be preceded by a Mahaganapati Homam and Lalita Sahasranama Archana.
“On the 26th, Sri. Modiji will unveil a number of new scientific advancements and prototypes made by Amrita University that we are offering to society,” the Swami said. These include a wireless ECG-monitoring system called Amrita Spandanam and a personal safety alert system for women and children in distress that has more than 15 features.”
On the evening of the same day, the Kerala Chief Minister will inaugurate a set of new charitable ventures of Amma’s ashram. As for the concluding day, the notable participants include Governors Sri. K. Sankaranarayanan (Maharashtra), Sri. B.L. Joshi (Uttar Pradesh), Sri. K. Rosaiah (Tamil Nadu) and Sri. Aziz Qureshi (Uttarakhand). Among other dignitaries on September 27 are Union cabinet ministers Sri. Vayalar Ravi, Sri. Oscar Fernandes and Sri. Harish Rawat.
Other announcements and unveilings by the Mata Amritanandamayi Math (MAM) will include exciting developments in cancer research by the Amrita Centre for Nanosciences & Molecular Medicine, a new tablet-based learning programme for literacy called Amrita RITE and a clutch of exciting online innovations for the benefit and protection of society, the swami revealed.
True to its style, MAM — a non-governmental organisation Amma founded in 1981 — will use the occasion to launch new humanitarian and educational initiatives throughout the country and extend existing ones. Besides the ambitious 101 village-adoption programme, MAM will launch a Rs-50-crore relief-and-rehabilitation package for calamity-struck Uttarakhand state upcountry, where the Math would rebuild 500 houses destroyed in the June flooding.
“We will also provide financial aid for victims of early-August landslides in hilly Idukki, pledge Rs. 50-crore in free surgeries at Amrita Hospital in Kochi (both in Kerala),” he said. “MAM also plans to open new medical centres at our hospitals, and open a new Centre for Spiritual Studies and extend the reach of our already scholarships and pensions for the poor.”
For the devotees of Amma, the anticipated invents include Sri Guru Padapuja and Amma’s birthday address on September 27, as well as opportunities to hear her sing bhajans and to have her darshan. A decade ago, Amma had, on her 50th birthday, embraced thousands of people nonstop for 24 hours.
The other artistes at the festival would be famous rock guitarist J Mascis, Carnatic mridangist Umayalapuram Sivaraman, classical vocalist Ajoy Chakrabarty, dancers Shobana and Manju Warrier, drummers A Sivamani and the Stephan Devasy Group, sitarist Nayan Ghosh, Baul musician Parvathy Baul and African musician Marie Nga.