Mata Amritanandamayi Devi was born as Sudhamani on September 27th 1953, in a small village of Parayakadavu which is now popularly known as Amritapuri, near Kollam, Kerala. Her mother relates that the child wasn't born crying as babies usually are, but with a beaming smile on her face. At the age of five Sudhamani was composing beautiful, extraordinarily profound hymns to her beloved Lord Krishna. From early childhood she had divine moods, including frequent meditative states, singing, and ecstatic dancing beside the seashore in the bhakti of Lord Krishna. She studied till the age of nine but later though very good at studies she had to stop her education to look after her younger siblings seven brothers and sisters, also looking after the house hold domestic work.
Sudhamani would roam the local villages, gathering grass and visiting neighbourhood homes.Many say she had mystical experiences as a child. She saw many things that troubled her. She saw how some people were starving, while others had more than enough, many people were sick and suffering from intense pain, unable to afford medicine, the elderly were neglected and treated harshly by their own families. The pain of all was unbearable to her and though she was a small child she began to ask herself what should be done, how the pain of these people can go. She wanted to go and remove their sufferings. She could always feel the presence of God within her. She wanted to reach out and comfort & uplift those who were less fortunate than her. She did so by sharing her food with the people starving and taking care of the elderly who weren’t looked after. She was even punished for doing these by her family but Sudhamani would not stop, her kindness always won the heart of each and everyone. She would spend hours meditating and praying to Lord Krishna.
She would work all day singing to Lord Krishna and doing all her duties and never felt the work given was less. With a smile on her face and heart full of divine love she use listen to all the sorrows of many people and with her divine embrace and words has brought them feeling closer to the Lord and deeper into the self within where happiness and joy is to be found.
Amma refers to as vishwa matrutvam—universal motherhood. Amma is trying to awaken the world through her life, teachings and divine embrace Amma always listens and answers all questions queries regarding dharma, duties, and spiritual practices patiently. From the age of 17 itself she had started to solve people’s confusion and their queries. Amma has cleared the doubts of sincere seekers with wisdom, clarity and true insight with Ultimate Reality. Amma wipes the tears brings smile to everyone who meets her. She laughs and jokes with people, shares in their success and failure many see Amma as their lifelong confidant and friend.
Since 1981 she has been teaching spiritual aspirants all over the world. She founded a worldwide organization, the Mata Amritanandamayi Mission Trust, which is engaged in many spiritual and charitable activities. Built up on the very property where Amma was born, Amritapuri is now the headquarters of Amma's worldwide mission and the spiritual home for Amma's monastic disciples and hundreds of householder devotees. Amma sees each and every one, listens to their worries, consoles, encourages, and provides new direction to their lives. In Amritapuri you will find people from all parts of the world — speaking different languages and having different customs and religions — all living under one roof. In their quest for the meaning of life, each has forgotten their differences and become a child of Amma
Bramachari Dayamrita Chaitanya is one of Amma's senior disciples stationed at the MA Center located in San Ramon, CA. He is in charge of all activities performed by the MA center in the US and all branch groups. Brahmacharini Dipamrita Chaitanya is in charge of the French ashram in Pontguin, France.
Mata Amritanandamayi Devi is known to the world media as 'the hugging saint'. She offers a hug to everyone who approaches her and in India she has been known to individually hug over 50,000 people in a day, sitting sometimes for over 20 hours. Be young or old, sick or healthy, rich or poor—everyone receives the same unconditional love. Amma turns no one away. She is also considered by some to be an avatar of the Great Mother. Amma's mystical poem Ananda Veethi describes her transcendental experience of attaining union with the Divine. Amma has never sought to convert anyone; hers is not a sectarian mission. "Darshan – The Embrace," a film on the life of Mata Amritanandamayi, was officially selected for showcasing at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival.
Amma's charitable social services cross all barriers of nationality, race, caste and religion, and have drawn the attention of the world community which include Hospitals for the sick, homes for the homeless, disaster relief, orphanages, hospices, free pensions, suicide-prevention, employment programs… the list is endless. Amma says that in today's world, people experience two types of poverty: the poverty caused by lack of food, clothing and shelter, and the poverty caused by lack of love and compassion. Of these two, the second type needs to be considered first—because, if we have love and compassion in our hearts, then we will wholeheartedly serve those who suffer from lack of food, clothing and shelter. Amma desires that everyone in the world should be able to sleep without fear, at least for one night. Everyone should be able to eat to his fill, at least for one day. There should be at least one day when hospitals see no one admitted due to violence.
Amma gave inspiring address at the Parliament of World's religions held in Barcelona in 2004. At the UN headquarters in Geneva, She gave the keynote address at the Global Peace Initiative of Women and Religious Leaders. Gandhi-King Award the Non-Violence award was presented to Amma in 2002 at the United Nations Palace in Geneva, in recognition of her lifelong work. In August, 2000, Amma was guest speaker at the Millennium World Peace Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders, organized by the UN. The United Nations 50In 1995, for the 50th Anniversary Summit of the United Nation s, Amma spoke on her visions for the 21st Century. In 2006, New York, she was presented the James Parks Morton Interfaith award. In Oct 2007, Amma was awarded for her humanitarian activities at human rights film festival, Cinema Verite, in Paris. Actress Sharon Stone presented the award. In March, 2008, in Jaipur, Amma addressed at the Global Peace Initiative of Women's international conference entitled "MAKING WAY FOR THE FEMININE for the Benefit of the World Community".
Amma’s dream is of a world in which women and men progress together, a world in which all men respect the fact that, like the two wings of a bird, women and men are of equal value. Amma has said that she wishes to be lovingly caressing someone, consoling them and wiping their tears even when she breathes her last.
