I did not know that they discourage cameras or ANY recording equipment at these events until after I made the brief clips you will see below – when I made them, I kept them brief out of respect for the space, and then was told not to continue.
But after MUCH contemplation, I have chosen to post these… because I wanted you guys to get a sense of the sheer scope of this. It was mind-boggling.
In this first clip, you will see the booths that line the entry to the event. I kid you not, I lost count after over 20 booths – both to the right and to the left. ALL of them devoted each to a different aspect of Amma’s organization – if it wasn’t the different universities for girls, it was the different charitable arms, through to refreshment booths manned by her students, through to transportation – buses and bus loads of people being coordinated in and out of the event… We then enter the event itself, the singing of thousands – yes thousands who were gathered…
This next one is very brief… out of respect for those I was standing around. But it gives you more of an idea. It starts with Amma at the very front, leading everyone in song, and pans out to the thousands assembled.
This final one shows the wall of students – each in their respective uniforms designating which school they attend. There were so many, they surrounded a great deal of the perimeter of the event, assisting with cool drinks in the hot weather, through to giving directions to all who were attending, who needed assistance. You’ll see at the end, a capture of one of the monitor screens they had up all over the compound, translating what Amma was talking about, into English.