In the relentless flow of time, we have lost yet another senior veteran among AMMA’S devotee children. His name is Y.V.Subrahmanyam, a member of the early batch of devotees, widely known as the Chirala fraternity. They were associated with AMMA from the very early beginnings, almost the late 1950s. To recall they were also instrumental in the dedication of ANNAPOORNALYAM by AMMA on the 15th of August, 1958, the very laudable and much cherished historic publicly. beginning.
Our brother is known as BUDDHIMANTHUDU as he is christened affectionately by AMMA addressed and called as such by one and all to the point that his worldly name given by the parents is nearly forgotten. Slight in form, frail in build, always soft spoken, he has been very near and close to AMMA ever from the early days. AMMA used to call him endearingly as, “Ara Buddhi”.
Two functions are always associated with Brother Buddhimanthudu in Jillellamudi. For Deepavali, the festival of lights, he used to bring some firecrackers along with some edibles. Likewise, on every New Year’s Day he performed puja to AMMA, bringing some eats and all.
He served Jillellamudi and AMMA in ever so many ways. Primarily, he alone used to mend AMMA’S sofas in which AMMA always gave darshan to the audience and graced her devotee children. For this purpose, the AMMA’S sofa was to be sent in an exclusive van trip to his residence in Chirala. After mending the same with some stitches and other minor jobs, the sofa was again sent back to Jillellamudi in another exclusive single van trip. This service he performed till AMMA’S consecration in June 1985 in the sanctum of ANASUYA SWARALAYAM.
In the early days of stringency, we used to run on extensive credits at various sources ably countering the issue of limited resources by AMMA’S boundless grace. Brother Buddhimanthudu was to have a modest business in the Chirala wholesale cloth market and serve us by providing credit for the clothes needed at Jillellamudi for regular use and forgiving others. In all this he has been ever humble and served with utmost humility that his services are discrete and never known
In the 1980s there was major financial restructuring and systemic change with related procedures. In this effort and exercise Brother Buddhimanthudu had a key role not known to the outsiders, serving as the Vice President of the Sri Viswajanani Parishat, while AMMA was the President of the Parishat which was a singular honor for him.
For some spell, he had a bout of neurosis in which he was staying here at Jillellamudi and was very close to AMMA. In due course he got over the problem, with his energies renewed and person strengthened, to the point that he could continue till now and mind all the other chores, as also keep up his regular, allotted appointments at Jillellamudi on the festive days.
It is not a hype to say, he served AMMA with all that he had. He neither spared his feeble person, frail energies, nor saved or cribbed his meager resource in cash and kind. Ever ready to serve AMMA and respond to the call of Jillellamudi.
The saga of Brother Buddhimanthudu is an ideal worthy of emulation for the contemporaries, equally so for the future generations, the endless posterity.
Pray AMMA grants him eternal peace and strength to the family members to forge ahead in life with all auspices.