2006: The Year in Review

What took place around Amma and the Ashram in 2006.

January

1 January 2006
"Imagine the Sun Rising in Your Heart" Amma's New Year's Message for 2006 {link } {photo}

31 January
Amma consoles the wives and mothers of six village fishermen who drowned in the backwaters,  wiping their tears with her hands. Later MAM handed over Rs.50,000 to each family. {photos}

February

8 February 2006
- Amma makes a house call on the way from Kannur to Bangalore on the Indian Tour - {From Anger to Compassion}

15 February 2006
- Amma gives darshan to a huge crowd in Karwar - {link}

23 February 2006
- Amma was awarded "The Philosopher Saint Sri Jnaneshwara World Peace Prize 2006" by the World Peace Centre (WPC), a Pune-based organization focused on bringing together the forces of science, philosophy and religion for world peace  {Link}

26 February 2006
- A Night at Gajanan Maharaj Temple of Sri Gajanan Maharaj Sansthan in Shegaon. {Link}

27 February 2006
- Amma arrives in Pune and celebrates Sivaratri by dancing on stage. {Link}

March

13 March 2006- It wasn't the first time that 100,000 people have come to one of Amma's programmes, but it was the first time that all of them tried to come for darshan at the exact same time. {link}

15 March 2006
- Amma Celebrates Holi with Flying Colors {link} 

24 March 2006
- Amma consoles victims of Varanasi blast - {link}

April

10 April 2006
- The Ashram signs a memorandum of understanding to build 100 houses in Bambooflat, South Andaman, as part of its tsunami relief-and-rehabilitation project. - {link}

May

2 May 2006
- Amma was presented with the Interfaith Center of New York’s 4th Annual James Parks Morton Interfaith Award.  {news} & {photos}

16 May 2006
- AIMS Hospital’s new "mobile medical unit" will bring the state-of-the-art medical care of AIMS to rural areas via satellite. - {news}

31 May 2006
- When Amma's plane touched down at SeaTac Airport in Seattle on May 31st, it marked the 20th year that Amma has come to the United States. - {news}

July

10 July 2006
- Residents of Amritapuri celebrate GuruPurnima and watched the ceremonies in the US via a web-cast {2 photos}

August

9 August 2006
- Avani Avittam: In an annual ceremony, Amma replaces the traditional sacred thread on brahmacharis, brahmins and students. {photo}

14 August 
- Independence Day is celebrated in Amritapuri  - {news} & {14 photos}

"Have we ever experienced true freedom?"  excerpts from Amma's speech in Amritapuri on the eve of India's 60th Independence Day. {news}

17 -25 August
-Brahmachari-doctors Ram Mohan and Chandrasekhar have seen to some 3,000 patients as part of the Ashram's flood-relief work in Surat.
{news} & {photos}

27 August
- The Ashram hands over a  284 houses more to tsunami victims in Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu--120 in Pandagassaalai (a hamlet in Pattinacherry Village) and 164 in Akarapettai. - {news}

September

1 September 2006
- An international conference was held at AIMS Hospital to promote telemedicine in rural areas in third-world countries.  Amma meets with UN Representatives from the US and Russia to discuss AIMS's role in setting up a telemedicine outpost in Kabul, Afghanisthan.
{photo}

2 September 2006
- Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated in Amritapuri - {news}
video….

5September 2006
- "Forget All Differences and Make Life Joyful" - Amma's Onam Message  {news}video….

13 September 2006
- A baby girl is born to a woman who had lost her children in the Tsunami.{photo} 

14 September 2006
- Krishna Jayanthi is celebrated in Amritapuri - {news} (part 1)
video

20 September 2006
- Amma talks to students from Amrita University's Bangalore and Coimbatore campuses during darshan {photos} & {news}

21 September 2006
- "NGOs and UN have something to learn from the work of Amma" Former UN Under-Secretary-General and Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Olara A. Otunnu, came to Amritapuri to receive Amma's blessings, guidance and advice.
{photo} & {news}

23 September 2006
- Amma in Amritapuri for Navaratri.  {news}

26 September 2006
- Amma participating in building the approach road to the bridge. {photo}

27 September 2006
- Amma's 53rd Birthday is celebrated in Amritapuri - {news}

27 September 2006
- This year's Amrita Keerthi Puraskar, the Ashram's award to outstanding contributors to Vedic culture, went to Pratibha Ray {news}

October

2 October 2006
- Amma's message on Vijayadashami day on the importance and meaning of Navaratri festival {news}

6 October 2006
  - Amma begins her European Tour in Munich - Europe celebrates 20 years of  Amma's visit. {photo}

15 October 2006
- Finnish Government honors Amma with a replica of the "Women's Voice' jewelry collection in recognition of her compassion and love for everyone. - {news}

29 October 2006
- Ashram Tsunami documentary '"Pray & Serve: Amma’s Response to the Tsunami" won the Filmmaker’s Award at the prestigious Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival in Arkansas, USA. {news}

November

1 November 2006
.  The last phase of the concreting--concreting the arch-- of Amrita Setu was done today. {photo}

7 November 2006
- Sri Lanka homes progress - {photos}

12-14 November 2006
- Amma's message to the Middle East-Asia Inter-religious Dialogue "A Recommitment to Spirituality for Mutual Understanding and Peace" organized by the Interfaith Center of New York and held in Beirut, Lebanon {news} & {message}

December

20 December 2006
His Excellency, The President of India, Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam, came to Amritapuri and inaugurated the newly completed Amrita Setu connecting Alappad to the mainland. {news} & {photos}

24 December.  "Mahatmas never die" Christmas Eve is celebrated in Amrita Puri {news}