FOR quite some time I have known of Amma, the hugging Indian guru. She visited London a couple times while we were living there, but for one reason or other I never made it to one of her hug-fests.
While in Varkala her name kept popping up here and there. Her photo was also plastered in many of the places we frequented. I soon found out we were on Amma's home turf. Her ashram was only about 60km from Varkala.
After a little investigation, we found out we could have our own Amma experience by hopping on the train for a short jaunt and then taking a taxi the remainder of the way.
While waiting on the Varkala platform we met a Russian family also journeying to see Amma. They had been the week before and really felt something in her presence. We decided to join forces and continue the pilgrimage together.
When we arrived at Amma's ashram (getting off at Karunagappalli station) we were fortunate to have the Russian family as they acted as our guides, showing us around the extensive ashram and how things are done in order to get a hug from Amma.
The ashram itself is of a considerable size with several high-rise flats for residents (more being built, too), a swimming pool, post office, ayurvedic shop, clothing shop/tailors, souvenir stall, several food cafes, temple and so on. Some consider it a five-star ashram. No photos are permitted.
Around 10am a man sitting at a table began giving out international darshan tokens (darshan, or blessing, is what is recieved from Amma when she hugs you.) We had a 2pm slot, which meant that we were to return to the great hall at 1.30pm to start queueing up.
We mooched around the ashram and, interestingly, bumped into two seperate people from different countries that we had met on other travels. It felt slightly bizarre! Zenchai and Claude had a swim at the ashram pool (men and women must swim at separate times). We ate (disappointingly, there wasn't any indian food on offer for visitors) and before we knew it, it was time to join the line.
Everything around Amma is meticulously orderly. While sitting in the queue you can feel the flurry of her devotees as they move people to and fro. We sat in the snail-paced line, sweating it out in the heavily stagnant air for just under two hours before we recieved our darshan.
As you are moved along the line closer to Amma things become very serious. There are many hushes and stoney faces (and glances of dismay if you happen to have children that make the wrong squeak or movement). Just before we were a hug away from recieving our own family hug, one of Amma's assistants asked me something. With the continual loud sound of the kirtan in the hall, I thought she asked if we were there to recieve darshan. I of course answered yes and thought 'what a silly question'. Claude then turned to me and said "why did you tell her we were Russian?" I laughed at him and his obvious mistaken hearing.
So it was our turn. Zenchai was thrown in. I am not even sure what happened to him, but later he told me he recieved an Amma kiss not a hug. Kobra was then taken and sat on Amma's lap and I was thrust head-first into Amma's bossom. She or her assistant nuzzled my head a few different directions before it was in the optimal hugging position. Then I heard Kobra crying, but I couldn't move my head. She had been taken from Amma by a devotee and Claude was shoved into the other bossom.
Amma said something, but I couldn't focus because all I could think about was Kobra and getting her. I even murmered to Claude something about trying to get her, but it was lost in the tornado of movement and noise. Seconds later, after we were pulled off Amma, I retrieved Kobra and Zenchai and we were quickly ushered to sit down nearish to the hugging station.
Some people report amazing healings after recieivng darshan from Amma, some feel incredible love or burst into tears. I can't say I felt any of those things. I did feel slightly dizzy but that may have been due to all the head-diving and heat.
My experience was tainted by hearing Kobra cry and not being able to attend to her needs. Claude's experience was similiar to mine except he couldn't appreciate the moment as fully because of the rough handling of Zenchai.
Later, once reuntied with our Russian commrades, we swapped notes on our experiences. As it turns out, Claude hadn't misheard Amma's devotee. Amma was told we were Russian and she gave us our blessing - in Russian!
We asked Zenchai what he thought of the whole experience. He said "I felt really special." So it wasn't a total loss then!
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