August 30, 2011
Amritapuri Campus
“Many great souls have taken birth on this earth. But Sri Krishna was a master and guide for all times, places and people,” says Chancellor Amma.
“The words and actions of many mahatmas only influenced one country or were relevant only at a particular point in time or to one particular section of society. But Sri Krishna’s life and teachings are not like that. They transcend time and space.”
“Sri Krishna taught all to celebrate life and to face every situation, whether good or bad, with a smile.”
And smiles were abounding on Sri Krishna Jayanthi at Amritapuri as students and faculty members joined ashramites and international visitors to joyously celebrate Sri Krishna’s birth.
Students waited with devotional fervour to take part in the traditional pot breaking game Uriyadi.
An earthen pot containing milk and butter was hung high in the air. The students endeavoured to break the pot and release its sweet contents. Working together, the students elevated themselves high to easily shatter the pot with a stick.
“We climbed on each other’s shoulders so as to support each other,” shared Gautam E. Unni, student of Integrated M.Sc. at the Amritapuri campus.
“The game can be won only if we help each other as a team. And in the process, we really had lots of fun,” he added, explaining what it took to break the pot.
“I feel that celebrations like these give us a chance to interact with each other and understand the value of being together,” added V. Abhijeeth, second-year student of B.Tech. (EEE) at the same campus.
Other Amrita campuses celebrated the festival with similar vigor and enthusiasm.
A day full of festivities marked the celebrations at Coimbatore. The campus came alive with song and dance as students decorated floats depicting scenes from Sri Krishna’s life. Thousands of students, some dressed as Sri Krishna and gopikas, participated in the procession.
Along with these traditional festivities, students participated in dance, music, quiz, elocution, essay- writing, painting and rangoli competitions. It was late into the night when they finally dispersed after chanting Sanskrit prayers for the well-being of all.
Competitions that embodied Chancellor Amma’s vision of value based education were the hallmark of celebrations at the Mysore campus also where students enthusiastically participated in essay writing, drawing and quiz contests.
At the Kochi campus, Sunanada Muralidharan, Chairperson of the MBA program spoke, highlighting Amma’s words about Sri Krishna, even as her students staged a unique presentation on the life of the divine avatar.
Each year as we joyously rejoice in Sri Krishna’s birth, we are reminded that he was a living embodiment of the blissful Self. His message is the same today as it was during his life, celebrate and remember that life is filled with bliss.
