Mar 6, 2014

Ashram an open book, says Amritanandamayi

Times of India


PALAKKAD: Mata Amritanandamayi on Saturday said that her Ashram was an open book, which was being run keeping transparency in all aspects.

Addressing her devotees during the Brahmasthana Maholsavam at the Mata Amritanandamayi Math(MAM) in Puthur, Palakkad on Saturday, Amritanandamayi sought to refute the charges of stashing black money and emphasized that all the Ashram's accounts get properly audited on an annual basis.

This was for the first time that the Mata reportedly reacted to the allegations levelled by Gail Tredwell, a former disciple of the saint in her book 'Holy Hell: A Memoir of Faith, Devotion and Pure Madness'. I do not insist on people serving me; instead, it is me who is serving them all. Canards are spread by those who fail to succeed in their evil designs, she told devotees.

"The ashram has not committed any lapses and I'm trying to forget the episode and forgive those who perpetrated it," Amritanandamayi said. On the same day, CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan termed that the allegations levelled by Tredwell in her book as 'serious' and demanded a probe into the flow of foreign funds into various ashrams.

At the same time, defending Amritanandamayi Mutt, chief minister Oommen Chandy said that the CPM state secretary is unaware about the Ashram's charity works.