(AMMA’S INSPIRING VISIT TO A STRANGE VILLAGE)
Dear Sweet children!
We are now with Amma aged ten. Her father Seetapathi Karanam of Mannava, had his younger sister Subbamma in Garikapadu village. Her younger daughter fell sick. Subbamma therefore sent word to Seethapathi for help. He promptly rushed to her with wife Kameswaramma and Amma to serve Subbamma and her husband Seshagiri Rao. They had another daughter, Sundari by name, of Amma’s age.
The family required a lot of water for domestic use. They had to fetch the same from Krishna canal, about 2km away. Subbamma conveniently entrusted the job to Kameswramma and Amma. I fail to understand why she omitted her daughter Sundari from their company. The task was arduous for the two young frail women. They had to ferry pots of water daily from Krishna canal, a good 4km trip every time.
Thank heavens, Subbamma’s younger daughter gradually recovered in a fortnight. The purpose for which they were called was achieved.
With Buchamma – an exceptional Washerwoman
One evening Sundari and Amma ambled about the little village to enjoy its simple rural look.
In a cozy corner of the village, stood a neat tiny hut of a washerwoman by name, Buchamma. A woman of deep religious bent of mind, though unlettered, she maintained the hut as a ‘Matham’ of sorts. Her brother Yellamanda, collected local donations to meet incidental expenses. Amma and Sundaramma knew Buchamma quite well, as she was their family washerwoman
Buchamma was an ardent devotee of the famous saint of Kandimallayapalle, Sri Veerabrahmendra Swamy in Kadapa district. She would freely recite his hymns and repeat his teachings.
With this singular background, Buchamma was incidentally struck by flashes of divinity in Amma whenever she visited Subbamma to collect clothes. She lost no time in requesting Amma to grace her ‘Matham’ before she left Garikapadu. It now happened that Amma fulfilled her request. Buchamma was overjoyed at Amma’s quick response to her humble invitation.
Buchamma conversed with Amma that particular evening, paying her high compliments. But Sundari could not understand or tolerate Buchamma praising Amma in spite of their brief contact. The girl Sundari was by nature peevish and foolish. She was very much peeved how and why Buchamma chose to ignore her, failed to pay her similar compliments though they were of the same age and family. She even bluntly faulted Buchamma for being unreasonably partial to Amma.
It was then that Buchamma, a woman of noble character and spiritual stamina, rose to the occasion to clarify to Sundari that there was just no parity between her and Amma. Therefore there was no ground for her to grumble or grieve, if praise was deliberately and deservedly showered on Amma.
The fragrance from Amma’s clothes:
Buchamma continued to elaborate: “Listen! Whenever I wash her clothes, sweet odors emanate. Even the water in the tank turns fragrant. Several types of rare perfumes fill the air. I derive divine experiences when I sit in meditation and think of Amma. I see her dressed in Divine attire like a Goddess. I observe her tender hands and petal-soft feet. It is not possible for me to adequately describe the grandeur of her soft feet.”
Buchamma went on further:
“When I last visited your house, you were both sitting in a corner. I found Amma’s face shining in extraordinary brilliance. This was how She gave me ‘darshan’. This is the inspiring background which compelled me to particularly invite her to my ‘Matham’ and now seize the opportunity to offer glowing tributes”
Buchamma hoped that Sundari might at least then appreciate the real, tall, divine statue of Amma, which she failed to evaluate out of irresponsible ignorance.
Amma silently sat through Buchamma’s candid exposition.
But Sundari could not still follow the trend of the old woman’s plain talk. She continued to feel all the more piqued that she was not treated on par with Amma. Hatred and malice still miffed her thoughts.
Buchamma claimed that she earned Amma’s ‘darshan’ due to her Guru’s blessings.
At one stage of the conversation, Buchamma prostrated at Amma’s feet and did not get up for half an hour. Having got up, she sat up before Amma, gazing at her in awe, reverence and deep concentration.
All this very much tormented Sundari, a mediocre fool that she overwhelmingly was. It was gall and wormwood for her. Sundari’s annoyance and hatred trembled. She urged Amma to leave the place and return home. But there was no response from Amma. She appeared to be in no mood to leave Buchamma. This enraged Sundari all the more. At last she abruptly left the hut in a huff!!
Buchamma enjoyed Amma’s company for another hour. She added “All my doubts have been cleared in your presence. I have achieved in your company what I wanted to achieve by reciting ‘Mantras””. Buchamma respectfully escorted Amma and dropped her at Subbamma’s.
The ‘Galata’ (disturbance) Sundari created on Return Returning home, the little rascal painted a very painful picture carrying false reports against Amma. She complained that Amma had badly beaten her for no fault of hers, and even pulled apart her hair, refusing to come home from Buchamma. Subbamma, another fool, naturally believed her daughter’s version. Her husband, Seshagiri Rao, a bad bit of a ruffian, was even feared by womenfolk to lose his temper and not hesitate to give Amma an unwarranted thrashing.
Seethapathi, Amma’s father, was a passive type who would not care to defend his daughter, though he knew quite well that Amma was always noble in every context and beyond blame. Amma was a motherless child. Amma had none to defend her in this totally alien and hostile environment.
Maridamma tatamma and Chidambara Rao were the only duo who would always guard and defend her. They were now in distant Bapatla. The twosome were superbly dedicated to the safety of Amma, knowing who she really was, a born Jnani.
Kanakamma, elder sister of Subbamma however, intervened and spurned Sundari’s version as absolute nonsense. She said she knew Amma (Anasuya) in her son Lokam’s company and how he enjoyed her love. Amma knew not what it was to think ill of others. Kameswaramma, wife of Seethapathi, promptly rubbished Sundari’s story.
For all the pots and pots of water they ferried from Krishna canal, it now looked as though it all ended up as a thankless job, Kameswaramma felt, due to the wanton mischief played by Sundari.
Now that the sick girl had happily recovered, Kameswaramma concluded that their services were no longer needed. It was time they withdrew. By evening, however, a message was received from Mannava informing Seethapathi that a near relative died. It was a God-send for a much awaited riddance from an unholy family.
Seetapathi, Kameswaramma and Amma reached Mannava by next morning for funeral rites.
(to be continued)