We've always felt that Siva Sakthi Ammaiyar was a benign presence in Tiruvannamalai ...
She doesn't bore anyone with Talking School and has always given darshan with no charge to all and sundry ... Plus she looks like Yoda's wife from Star Wars!
She doesn't bore anyone with Talking School and has always given darshan with no charge to all and sundry ... Plus she looks like Yoda's wife from Star Wars!
But since she broke her spell of silence and started to give private darshan, a vociferous furore of complaint has reached fever point in the chai shops of T.V.Malai. Punters are claiming that her son is demanding 5-10,000 rupees ($100-200) for these one-to-one sessions.
In her defence, we might add that she has been dishing it out free for numerous years since her arrival from Salem and the people who are whining the most are often those who are happy to give away their cash to the likes of Kalki, Premananda, Mark-Hans or Miranda (all the usual suspects!)
Is Siva Sakthi involved in the cash-for-a-cosy encounter scandal or is her son culpable? Is she really skint or are there grandiose ashram plans in the offing? We await events with baited breath!
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Well, I was a bit taken aback by this too as Sivasakthyamma had always been my shining beacon of integrity and free darshan here in Tiru. I talked to the son just two days back and asked whose idea it was. 'Mine' he confessed. But he also said that Amma had agreed to the sum of R3000 - 4000 for those people who 'have questions to ask.' When I asked if he wanted to build an ashram, his English deserted him!
ReplyDeleteI rather doubt that Amma has ANYTHING to do with this money scheme, as I also asked her son, and he said he was doing it.I would be stunned, actually. I think it has something to do with Indian culture in asking "donation" for Private Meetings. And donation in this case, appears to be fixed in some sense. And, I will interject something of my own here. I rather think that it's not a joke to have a "private meeting" with her or any enlightened being, for that matter. It should be something "pressing" to want to take that time with them. Amma has been and still does give FREE Darshan twice daily for over 5 years. Anyone is welcome to that Darshan and she gives each person direct attention and works with them there. So, I would say, to take private time, you have to be able to give something away... and money is the least... how about your ego, for that matter...and isn't most peoples egos tied up with money???
ReplyDeleteSiva Sakthi Amma can have an Ashram under a tree and be the same. And yes, her son would like to build an ashram. Don't forget, she is a sadhu/ sannyasan and they are renting the building where they are and it would be nice for them to have their own place to live and give Darshan and have people stay.
I am sure this will continue to unfold.
When a mother gives her baby milk, she asks for a buck? No mother on Earth would ask her baby for money!
ReplyDeleteSo what is the latest about this question of charging $100-200 for private darshan? Is it still going on? Are they building an ashram? Have there been any controversial things in general since this thread? How old approx is Ammaiyar now? Are Tiru folks generally in agreement that she is a genuine Jnani - or more like deeply Realized, or? Any feedback from people in the know would be appreciated.
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