Experiences with Amma
Dr. Y. S. Rao
Vice President - Technology
Qualcomm
San Diego, California
My family and I decided to have Amma’s darshan for the first time after receiving an email from Prof. Venkat, who had sent me Amma’s schedule in northern California. At that time we happened to be in San Ramon, while on a short visit to Los Altos. I had heard about Amma and had also read about her but had never received darshan. However, I vaguely remember that I had had an occasion to seek a darshan some 20 years ago when I was in Nottingham, UK but could never make it.
It was about 7 p.m. when we joined the line outside waiting to get Amma’s darshan. While waiting in line, we heard others talking about the hugging Amma. There might have been at least 10,000 people patiently waiting in the cold outside while scores of volunteer drivers were transporting passengers in their cars and vans up the hill nearer to the ashram.
We watched the line grow longer. There were more westerners than Indians, and many people were dressed in white and in traditional Indian clothes. Around 9 p.m. we had our dinner in the waiting hall and then rejoined the darshan line. As we reached nearer to the darshan hall, we happened to bump into Prof. Venkat. I had been hoping to meet him to see if we could get darshan early as we had heard that it could be well past midnight for the normal line to reach Amma. After we met with Prof Venkat, he and an Indian lady spoke with the people in charge; we were guided to front row seating and joined the group for early darshan.
The Indian lady, who I later found out was also from my native place in Andhra Pradesh, explained to us the process of getting Amma’s hug. We were to wait on our knees right by Amma’s feet and eventually we would receive the hug we were all waiting for, one by one.
Starting from me, my wife, son and daughter in law had the divine hug and as devotees and got the blessing in our mother tongue as she enquired about our language. The time just passed and it was mentally and emotionally overwhelming. This unique experience is one which I would never forget.
Starting with me, and then my wife, son and daughter-in-law, we all had the divine hug and as devotees received the blessing in our mother tongue as she enquired about our language. Time just passed by and it was mentally and emotionally overwhelming. This unique experience is one which I will never forget.
The hall filled up fast while we looked around to see the devotees… westerners, Indians, many in meditation. Although at that time, the temperature was very low, the coldness seemed to have suddenly vanished. Although I am not a terribly spiritual person, this was the first time some kind spirituality overtook me. Looking at Amma’s devotees, I could not help but get emotional, even though now I cannot explain what this means. I can only conclude that it is probably Amma’s influence on people.
We moved to the spiritual gift shop where memorabilia was sold. My wife picked up a few items including a CD of Amma’s devotional music. Finally we drove away wondering when we would again have her blessings.