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2006
Tour - Guru Purnima Sri Pada Puja
Portland, OR
Amma arrives at the Guru Purnima Celebration...
...in a beautiful horse-drawn carriage
Amma waves to everyone
Devotees perform a special dance known as
"Dandiya Ras" in honor of Amma's arrival
Amma watches the Dandiya Ras, which the devotees
have learned just for the occasion
Our beloved Amma
Our beloved Amma, wearing a beautiful garland of golden roses
The procession towards the hall begins, with ladies carrying
decorated pots on their heads leading the way
Amma pauses as a devotee takes the blessed
opportunity to touch Amma's lotus feet
Everyone enjoys the special darshan of Amma on the
auspicious occasion of Guru Purnima
Amma beams her nectarean smile at all the devotees
On Guru Purnima especially, all the holy people
shower their
disciples with immense love
The procession makes its way closer to the hall
The umbrella held over a guru's head signifies protecting them from rain
or bright sun -
when we offer this service to the guru, we are the ones who are
protected from every kind of spiritual illusion
Amma raises her hand in abhaya mudra,
giving her auspicious blessings
Ladies are waiting to welcome Amma, with auspicious
arati flames and
decorated kalasas on their heads
"Our heart should be a temple for Dharma - light a
sacred flame
for Dharma within the heart" ~ Amma
Amma passes underneath a beautiful archway
Our beloved, radiant Amma
The guru is the one who burns away all the darkness
in the heart
and gives us the pavana hasta sparsa, the purifying touch
of the guru's divine lotus hand
The full grace of the guru flows through the divine lotus feet
Amma seems to be floating in a sea of devotees
Amma pauses to give darshan and bless the devotees
Amma finally reaches her throne, having floated
down a river
of love and devotion
flowing
from all the devotees' hearts
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