nail biting experience

9 feb, kannur, bharata yatra 2008

prasad giving is a big process in itself.

the volunteers will be placing 2 or 3 prasad packets at a time to amma which she gives to the devotees while giving darshan. the sevaks train the volunteers for this one minute that they get to sit with amma. how to hold the prasad, how to place it in amma's hand, how attentive you should be near amma... all this is given in instruction and with hands training. all this time you are slowly slowly moving towards amma in a line. if amma sits for 10 hours for darshan, 600 volunteers would have chance to give prasad to amma. (darshan is for 2 or 3 seconds in the pubic programs)

a teenage girl joined the prasad line in kannur. the sevak denied permission for her to join the line. the girl was wondering why. the sevak politely told her since she has long nails she would be hurting amma's hand. so it is not possible to go give prasad to Amma. So obviously the sevak was paying attention.

but the girl ignored her and moved forward in the line, asked another sevak for permission. she also looked at her fingers. the nails were at least 2 inches long. she was again denied permission to go forward. the girl started crying. her mother was sitting next in the prasad line. she tried to persuade the sevak. but the sevak was stubborn. "you may hurt amma's soft hand. so it is not possible."

the message was clear to them. to give prasad to amma is precious and a rare chance. she might have been caring, growing nails for at least one year. the girl was sobbing. now what to do. she turned around. hiding her face in her hands... should she started biting her nails off? She started removing her nails one by one from her fingers. her mother was crying and her little sister who also was in the line. in two or three minutes she had cut all her nails..

it was painful for her. no doubt. but she was courageous and had the discrimination. she sacrificed her nails, and she was allowed by the sevaks.

nearly at the end of darshan i saw her standing in front of amma. she was still blissful of being near amma.

i wish she had not cried for her sacrifice.. because any sacrifice is worth if it takes you to amma.