Amma’s advent on the earth is a unique phenomenon. Her primary concern from the day of her advent was the food needs of everyone around her. She cared less for her own physical needs while serving countless numbers of people. Once, an Astrologer, anxious to prove his prowess before her, solicited a question from her. She immediately asked – “when will a day come when nobody on this earth feels the pangs of hunger!”
Thus born the great Institution Annapurnalayam on 15th August 1958. Here, serving food is not just confined to certain specific timing – nor catered according to one’s status. Anyone hungry is served food at any time of the day or night. All visitors, invitees, residents, irrespective of Caste, Creed, Religion or Social status, sit together and take food as Amma Prasadam. Truly a model worth emulating!! Actually this is being practiced at several pilgrimage centers in Andhra Pradesh now!
This unique Institution has completed 50 years of its establishment. A time for celebration for all the universal children of Amma. The year-long celebrations aimed at striking a balance between social and spiritual activities, which included distributing food as Amma prasadam in 50 centers particularly to old, infirm, physically challenged and orphan children. Reciting Lalita Sahasranamam by people in different places to make an aggregate total of 100 crores!!
There is no doubt in the concept that the idea that generates in our minds is given by Amma. However, the sincerity and intensity of commitment from our side is doubly rewarded by Amma. As a result, feeding was done in 60 centers as against the targeted 50 centers and parayana of Lalita Sahasram aggregated to 200 crores!!
The Golden jubilee celebrations were conducted for three days from 13th August to 15th August 2008 at Jillellamudi with special functions held and several dignitaries participating.
“Jayaho Matha Sree Anasuya Raja Rajeswari Sree Paratpari” – Amma namam reverberated round the clock with several bhajan groups from nearby Bapatla, Kakumanu, Bodipalem, Nanduru and Valluru participated in the program. Lalita Sahasram was recited right from dawn to dusk without break on 13th to mark the beginning of the celebrations. Several devotees from far off places like Sindhanur, Hindupur and Gauribidanur in Karnataka have also participated in the program. Brother Sri T.T.Apparao from Eluru, Convener and Coordinator for Lalita Sahasranama paaraayana submitted the collection of reports at the Lotus feet of Amma.
The three-day celebrations were marked by functional meetings in the morning with Conveners of different committees submitting their reports and cultural programs in the evening. First day meeting was presided over by Sri B.Ramabrahmam, President of SVJP. Sri N.Jayarami Reddy, D.I.G. Guntur range was the Chief Guest. Others present included Sri Mannava Dattatreya Sarma from Jillellamudi, Sri Dhulipala Mahadevamani from Rajahmundry, Sri D AV Raghava Murthy, Project Director, ISRO from Bangalore and Vice President of SVJP Sri K B G Krishna Murthy. The program was compeered by Sri PSR Anjaneya Prasad (affectionately called PSR) – a seasoned man for the task. Dr. Potturi Venkateswara Rao lit the lamp to mark the beginning of the program. While the President Sri Ramabrahmam reviewed the entire activity during the Golden Jubilee year, Sri N. Jayarami Reddy, D.I.G. unveiled Amma’s picture and talked about the value of practicing righteousness. Sri Dattatreya Sarma described the qualities like Universal Love, Sacrifice and selflessness that are extensively apparent in Amma. Sri D.A.V. Raghava Murthy narrated how he came into the fold of Amma’s Love and Her influence in his life. Sri K B G Krishna Murthy’s speech about his vision of Amma as the personification of this entire Universe is most inspiring. Dr. Potturi remembered the services of several devotees like Adharapurapu Seshagiri Rao, Bhaskara Rao Annayya, Vasundhara Akkayya and others. Other speakers included Sri Mahadeva Mani from Rajahmundry and Sri M.Siva Prasad from the popular Telugu news channel TV9.
Sri B. Venkatesham, Guntur District Collector who was to preside over the meeting of 13th August, could not make it owing to official preoccupations, but he made it a point to visit Jillellamudi. He was received at 5.30 p.m. and was guided through all the four temples. He presented mementos to the active participants of “Amma Prasada vitarana” program.
The cultural program in the evening was conducted by brother Sri Ravuri Prasad who made a niche for himself in singing Amma songs. Other participants were Dr.Jhansi of Matrusri Oriental College, Vijaya, daughter of Sri MSR Anjaneyulu and Vishali and Indira of Matrusri Medical Center.
On 14th August, Sri Tangirala Kesava Sarma and Dr.Potturi Venkateswara Rao presented at the Lotus feet of Amma in the sanctum sanctorum of Anasuya Swaralayam, a DTP copy and CD containing the entire Sanskrit literature produced on Amma during the last 50 years and composed in Devanagari script.
The man of letters Dr.Potturi initiated Chi.Sreehasa (daughter of Sweety and Charan – and great granddaughter of Amma) into the formal education in Amma’s presence in the temple (Aksharabhyasam)
Sri S. Mohana Krishna, Convener of “Amma Sandesa Vyapthi” (dissemination of Amma’s message) presented his report at a function on 14th August, presided over by Dr. D AV Raghava Murthy. During the last one year extensive exposure of the activities was done through the Electronic and Print media, including programs in TV Channels: Bhakti, Samskriti & Maa TV and pictorial book-lets on Amma in English, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Gujarati languages. Dr.Potturi was the Chief Guest of the meeting. Other speakers include Sri PSR, Sri K.S.Rama Rao, Dr.P.Venkata Narayana (both from Hyderabad) and a few others. The chief attraction of the day’s program was Sri Mallapragada Sreemannarayana Murty who ably conducted the proceedings in his inimitable style, with apt and adequate remarks, descriptions and comments.
A novel literary program was conducted in the evening by Sri PSR. Dr.Premkumar Bhargava enacted the role of Dr.Prasadaraya Kulapati, Sri Nishtala Subrahmanyeswara Sastry in the role of Dr. Pannala Radhakrishna Sarma, Sri Mallapragada Srimannarayana Murty enacted that of Late Dr.Naraparaju Sreedhara Rao, Sri Kondamudi Subbarao in the role of his Late father Kondamudi Ramakrishna, Sri Jandhyala Mahati Sankar in the role of the Telugu Poet Late Jandhyala Papaiah Sastry (Karunasri), Sri Ravuri Prasad assumed the role of Late Yarlagadda Raghavaiah, and Sri Movva Vrishadripati in the role of Late Kona Subbarao, representing some of the earliest devotees. In their assumed roles, they presented a few selected famous literary works of the respective celebrities. It was truly a novel program amply satisfying the intellectual faculties of the enlightened audience.
The last day of the celebrations was the 51st anniversary of Annapurnalayam. It also coincided with Varalakshmi Puja, being the second Friday of the lunar month Sravanam. All the women folk in Jillellamudi along with other visitors performed Varalakshmi Vratam in Hymalayam. Smt.U.Varalakshmi, past lecturer of Matrusri Oriental College, and presently working as Reader in Bapatla Arts & Science College, performed Amma Puja along with her husband Sri Koganti Satya Prasad, their son and daughter in-law.
A blood donation camp was conducted in the precincts of Matrusri Medical Center at Jillellamudi under the aegis of Red Cross Society of Repalle. The Secretary of Red Cross Society Dr. Vasantham Veera Raghavaiah lighted the lamp to mark the inauguration of the camp. Dr. Potturi Venkateswara Rao, Smt. Kusuma Chakravarthy, Sri I. Hanuma Babu and Sri B. Ramabrahmam spoke on the occasion. The most heartening feature of this camp was that the initiative was taken by the alumni of Matrusri Oriental College, Jillellamudi. That Sri P. Chaitanya Kumar, who was honored by the A.P.State Governor Sri N.D.Tiwari for his outstanding social work and Sri M. Jagannadham and a few other ex-students of Oriental College in Jillellamudi were behind this noble work is a matter of pride for all of us. More than 100 people donated their blood including this reporter.
The Golden Jubilee anniversary meeting was held in TTD Kalyana mandapam, presided over by Sri BLS Sastry, Vice President of SVJP. Sri V. Dharmasuri, Convener of the Food Distribution program held in 60 centers presented his detailed report and spoke about Amma’s philosophy. Dr.Suguna, who talked about her experiences with Amma, directly touched the hearts of the audience. Dr.Suguna holds the double distinction of having graduated from Matrusri Oriental College and holding Lecturer’s post in the same college. She also secured her doctorate by virtue of her research on Amma’s philosophy! Other speakers on the occasion include Sri S. Kumara Sarma, PSR, Mallapragada and Sri BLS Sastry. His Holiness Sri Sitaram of Mumukshu Peetham, Peda Muthevi was honored on the occasion with a citation. Senior citizens of over 75 years of age, who were in the service of Amma were also honored on the occasion.
In the evening, the tele-film Viswajanani directed by Sri Ram Kapil Sarma was exhibited in the campus of House of All. Sri Ram Kapil Sarma, who was specially invited for the function was honored on this occasion.
The entire celebrations were reminiscent of the golden period of Amma’s physical presence in Jillellamudi.
The staff of Sri Viswajanani Parishat, Matrusri Oriental College and residents of House of All, who have taken painstaking efforts in making the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Annapurnalayam a grand success, deserve all the appreciation and admiration. Sri Viswajanani Parishat prays to the Divine Mother to bless them all for their most invaluable contribution.