Housing Colony in Rameswaram
10 January 2003, Rameswaram
Amma’s programme at this legendary island off the
eastern coast of India is being held at Her newly constructed
housing colony here. Part of Amma’s Amrita Kuteeram project,
keys to 108 new homes, were given to homeless families this
evening in a special ceremony. Sri Vidya Sagar Rao, The Honourable
Minister of State for Home Affairs, was on hand to give an
inaugural address and to share with Amma in the presentation
of the keys. In his speech, he noted that while 45 billion
rupees of foreign fund comes through his office for various
religious organisations charitable projects in India, Amma’s
institution is the only one to ensure that the money reaches
the lowest strata of the society completely. |
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Mata Amritanandamayi
Math takes the credit for utilising their foreign funds for
the sake of the poor to the fullest effect.
| The housing colony, Amritapuram, has a beautiful view
of a Shiva temple said to have been consecrated by Sri Rama.
In fact, Rameshwaram is home to many artefacts from Sri Rama’s
life according the great epic Valmiki Ramayana, including
the hill from which he surveyed Lanka before rescuing his
beloved Sita from the rakshasa (demon) Ravana. |
"Amma’s institution is the only
one to ensure that the money reaches the lowest strata of
the society completely." |
It is said that in order to reach Lanka, Sri Hanuman (a monkey,
and the greatest devotee of Sri Rama) led a group of monkeys in
carrying large stones into the sea to form a bridge across the water.
Many of these stones can still be seen extending into the sea.
| Today, the programme site bustled with activity as ashramites,
visitors, and local volunteers all pitched in to put the finishing
touches on the village, begun less than sixty days ago. They
formed long chains to pass stones into a small pond that had
filled in a construction ditch, recalling the devotion and
vigour of Sri Rama’s monkeys as they built the bridge
to Lanka. |
 |
Earlier this year, Amma’s initial goal of building 25,000
houses was surpassed. Her new goal for Amrita Kuteeram is to build
and freely distribute 100,000 homes for the homeless over the next
ten years. As an extension of Amma's Amrita Nidhi project, 500 new
pensions were also given this evening to destitute women in the
impoverished Rameshwaram. Sri Pon Radhakrishnan, India's Minister
for Sports and Youth was on hand for the presentation.
Amma gave darshan to 12,000 people before the night was over.
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