AMMA’S Diamond Jubilee (Vajrotsavam) took place during the year 1983. On this occasion food was served to thousands of people on the then elevated ground adjacent to the village, now covered by the village dwellings created under the Govt, scheme for weaker sections. To facilitate this housing project, the grounds. were leveled and food was served in this area for all the visitors who came to participate in this function.
Subsequently AMMA desired that the cattle and livestock also shall be fed in fulfillment of HER universal motherhood for all species and the entire existence. In fact in AMMA’S reckoning there is no wastage of food as the other lesser organisms and water-borne species feed on the food wasted by us, the humans. Even during the Golden Jubilee some portions of food were immersed in the drain to feed the water-borne life. Such is the enormity and width of the motherly role of AMMA, covering all species and the entire existence.
Granting this, during these times, just before the Diamond Jubilee and in the immediate future, that is, prior to HER attaining eternity, AMMA was singularly concerned with DOLOTSAVAM (celebration of the cradles). SHE has been harping upon this and visualizing this.
Under such a grandiose scheme of motherhood, SHE conjured the vista of a one hundred thousand babies, along with their mothers participating in such cradle festivals for being graced by AMMA’S manifest motherhood. Often I used to listen to this description of this vision from AMMA. To me even the logistics of the event or the scale of the concept sounded stupendous and mind boggling. To elaborate such a huge number of cradles required, even the number of such infants being available and so on.
AMMA even thought that the infants shall be bathed, cared for, given or fed milk, with the respective mothers well attended to and so on. This was stupendous and sounded incredible for me. Yet, conveyed to the self within that the impossible may take place when grace wills. Possibility of the improbable in terms of human ingenuity, but otherwise could be an actualization with divine
Mother of All volition. I just thought like this often and shelved it in my mind.
In the year 2008, the Sri ViswaJanani Parishat, ever mindful of AMMA’S wish but hesitant at the daunting logistics of such an event on such a scale, felt deeply obliged to make a modest beginning in this direction within the current capability.
To begin with invited hundred and eight mothers with children and organized the cradle festival in the year 2008. As visualized by AMMA, the mothers were given saris, prasadam and the milk offered to their infants. The cradles were arranged by suspending the new saris from the ceiling which were rocked to the chanting of AMMA’S namam. After the function the feeding bottle, napkin and other accessories were gifted to the mothers along with the sari.
While viewing all this I was happy that a beginning, however small, was made in this direction for realizing AMMA’S vision and it is for grace to lead it further. In the subsequent year (s) too this is being followed with the celebrations made, in the very similar mode, possible.
In the very subsequent year, I was away from Jillellamudi, leaving for the United States. Delivery of my grandson more or less synchronized with this period in Jillellamudi. As is customary in every household, the cradle function was planned for the infant.
In line with the high-tech culture and the environs, one mechanical, electric operated swing was brought and tested the evening before to be used in the next day’s function. Everyone was satisfied with its operation, and put it aside for use the next day.
To our dismay, the electrical swing did not operate or function on the very eventful morning for placing the child in the same, to be rocked. As is said the hand that rocks the cradle moves the nation or more allegorically swings or tunes the destiny if the same takes place under AMMA’S BENIGN GRACE.
With this unexpected malfunctioning of the electric swing, we had to think of alternatives. We had to make do within our ingenuity or immediate availability.
Singular solution has come up through the timely response from our daughter-in-law, in fact a devotee of Shiridi Sai Baba. She picked up a silk sari of hers and tied on either side on the parallel wooden bars of the spacious wooden crib which was meant for the child. A cloth cradle was improvised in which the infant has been swung or rocked.
Well, one can dismiss this as a situational response. The fact is to meet this unexpected need, any silk or cloth sari could have been used. But the singular coincidence is that the sari she picked up for this purpose was the one given to her when she visited the temple at Jillellamudi.
When I observed this I could not but agree deep within the core aspect of AMMA’S DOLOTSAVAM has been fulfilled almost unawares on the part of any one. This could be thought of as an extension of DOLOTSAVAM at home in our family.
At this point of time, seeing the subsequent events and promptings at Jillellamudi and other places, I am inclined to believe that the divine volition of AMMA shall actualize and the festival of cradles is becoming a reality on a modestly possible scale as of now. These positive beginnings are the auspicious trail blazers for the mega vision conjured by AMMA, which the fortunate may witness.
It is necessary to interpret the concept here. When the child and the mother are brought into AMMA’S fold and rocked in a cradle, this becomes an early exposure to the Grace of AMMA and entry into HER protective fold. The crux of the matter is, the process does not cease with rocking of the cradle but leads to the molding of destiny by a divine will, though much difficult to visualize or comprehend for the lesser being and the ordinary minds.
This obviously amounts to the correction process begun early for the eventual life span of the infant. In our ancient tradition, such correction was contained in the astrological rituals styled ‘Jataka Karmas’ that are performed through holy persons and other elders.
That is, when the newborn enters the world, the horoscope is made and appropriate remedial measures also taken to appease any planets supposedly not well placed. In our grandson’s case some very minor procedure like sighting in an oil bath was indicated that was fulfilled.
Being at a very far off distance from Jillellamudi, I was feeling within, this could have been ideally taken care of by AMMA if I only were at Jillellamudi. From such a distance it is unthinkable, I was reckoning within, not telling anyone.
For in my view AMMA is the only force capable of dealing with such situations, just in a flicker. Lesser forces may find it far too difficult or not even capable of coping and meeting such situations. As I have seen in my experience with me, as with others, such meaningful acts of interference is only a matter of deft unseen touch for AMMA.
AMMA allayed all my misgivings, in HER abundant grace. Just a day before the function was planned in Irving, the very same evening prasadam reached home in the U.S. from Jillellamudi, with an absolute sense of timing, to the point of perfection. This put my mind at ease.
HER grace did not cease at this. The following morning, throughout the proceedings AMMA could be seen by me on the center stage in full form, in the Shirdi Sai Baba temple at Irving, U.S. till the completion. Thus AMMA comforted me in this aspect and allayed all apprehensions way beyond expectations.
As already conveyed for AMMA to reach HER children in need, geographical boundaries, nor far off distances hardly come in the way. As the truly caring mother, SHE ever rushes to the child.
Further the premise that AMMA’S cradle function is equivalent to or nothing but the ‘Jataka Karma’ cited in the ancient scriptures and even now practiced at times, has found its true meaning with this experience. In fact this thought was propounded in the year 2008 and expounded in the article ‘Festival of Cradles’ published in ‘VISHWA JANANI, January 2008.
This gives us an undoubted feeling that the placing of the infant in the cradle by AMMA or at AMMA, also imparts the benefit of correction in the birth chart whenever and wherever needed.
Granting this immense, abundant, boundless grace of AMMA, the concept of the ‘CRADLE FESTIVAL’ is yet another of AMMA’S bounteous boons bestowed on mankind.
After going through all this personally, and watching the process as a first hand direct experience and exposure, cannot find words to convey to AMMA cherishing the fact once again, SHE has chosen to shower HER mercy as the mother of all of us as also each one of us. We can do little but bow in abject surrender at AMMA’S feet.