Sunday, August 22, 2010

2010-11: the push for "Premyatra II"

One of the major initiatives in the 49th Congress, referenced in the Inaugural Address, is the call for a Premyatra (literally "pilgrimage of love") to India:
Now the conch summons us again. Not a call to battle but a call to be open to the positive possibilities of a new Premyatra. A call to take up non-violent arms in order to defeat the economic obstacles and social limitations preventing a second pilgrimage to the birthplace of Sanatan Dharma, particularly to the Amritapuri and Penusila ashrams and temple towns of Tamil Nadu.
While the 45th Congress Indian yatra of 1995 focused on North India, particularly the Kripalu lineage temple of Kayavarohan and the Malav ashram in Gujarat, the 49th Congress journey would be completely in South India, and would book-end Karunamayi's ashram in Penusila, Andhra Pradesh (or possibly Amma K.'s Bangalore ashram) and Amritapuri (Ammachi's home base in Kerala) with visits to Madurai, Rameshwaram and Kanyakumari in between, as well as a few days hanging out in Madras...ERRRR!!!..Chennai.

Can this happen? The debate, as well as the bill to authorize funding, will appear on the Order Paper when the First Session convenes in September. But at this point it seems like a pipe dream with too many obstacles to overcome. Maybe a more realistic possibility would be late 2011 or early 2012 rather than during the 2010-11 First Session of Congress.

If you think returning to India for about a month and spending some time at both Amma's ashrams is a worthwhile pursuit, and an expansive positive possibility to boot, e-mail your Congressman. That would be me!