Shree Shree Ma Anandamayee
A commemorative postage stamp on Anandamayi Ma Nirmala Sundari Devi, an Indian Hindu spiritual leader :
Issued by India
Issued on May 1, 1987
Issued for : The Department of Posts is privileged to issue the commemorative stamp in honour of Shree Shree Ma Anandamayee.
Description of Designs : The 100p stamp has been designed by India Security Press, Nashik Road. The cancellation has been designed by Miss Nenu Bagga.
Type : Stamp, Postal Used
Colour : Single Colour
Denomination : 100 Paise
Overall size : 3.91 x 2.90 cms.
Printing size : 3.55 x 2.54 cms.
Perforation : 13 x 13
Paper : S.V.P.M.‘s unwatermarked P.G. Matt coated stamp paper
Number printed : 10,00,000
Number per issue sheet : 35
Printing Process : Photogravure
Printed at : India Security Press
Name : Nirmala Sundari
Born on Apr 30, 1896 at Kheora, Brahmanbaria District, Bengal, British India [now Bangladesh]
Died on Aug 27, 1982 at Kishanpur, Dehradun, Uttar Pradesh, India
About :
- Shree Shree Ma Anandamayee is a unique phenomenon in recent decades in the realm of Spiritualism. She was born on April 30, 1896 in a simple hamlet called Kheora (now in Bangladesh) in a pious brahmin family. She was then affectionately called Nirmala by her parents – father Bipin Bihari Bhattacharya and mother Mokshada Sundari Devi (later known as Swami Muktananda Giriji, after she took Sannyasa in 1938).
- The little Nirmala grew up to become an exceptionally beautiful and lovable girl and only at the age of 13, she was married to Remani Mohan Chakravarty on Feb. 7, 1909 who was later known as Bholanath Pitaji. He got initiation from Ma in December, 1922 and perhaps was her first devotee and disciple about whom Ma said, “he had an extra-ordinary life of self-denial and rigorous asceticism.“
- Though born in the remote corner of an unknown village (Kheora) in Comilla (now in Bangladesh) and literally unlettered, without having any formal schooling worth the name, she had surprisingly given, in course of time, all the indications of ever remaining immersed in self-knowledge, completely identified with Brahman, the unmanifest. She had always been fully self-conscious and her vision was beyond time and space.
- She ceaselessly travelled all over the country showering love and compassion upon all rich and poor – irrespective of caste, creed, colour and religion. Many top ranking political leaders, freedom fighters, thinkers, scientists, government officials and public men used to meet her from time to time only to renew their faith and receive the grace and healing touch of an affectionate mother. Perhaps, by her serene saintly living and special revelations, unknown to others, she had established a very high position of esteem amongst the various sects of sadhus in India.
- Shree Shree Ma Anandamayee did not seek to establish any special spiritual philosophy of her own. She, rather, affirmed the faith and convictions of all religious disciplines. She always emphasized the need to bring about perfect samyama (self-discipline) in one’s thought, speech and action with a view to living only in the sphere of Truth. These days, when the people are moving away from traditional values and are being pulled in different undesirable directions, Shree Shree Ma Anandamayee, by her firm upholding of the traditional values and endorsement of scriptural injunctions, stood at the cross-roads at a critical juncture enlightening the rudderless to tread courageously the correct path leading to self-knowledge.
- During the span of her sojourn in the country over two dozen beautiful Ashrams in her name and quite a few other charitable institutions (e.g. Vidyapeeth, Kanyapeeth, Hospitals, Puran & Ved Research Institute, Publications Divisions etc.) have been established in different places which are rendering yeoman service to the nation.
- Shree Shree Ma Anandamayee had left her physical frame on August 27, 1982. Her body was laid in Maha Samadhi at Shree Shree Anandamayee Ashram in Kankhal on August 29, 1982. A beautiful new shrine christened “Ananda Jyoti Peetham” has come up there which is being ceremonially inaugurated on the auspices Akshay Tritiya day – May 1, 1987. Shree Shree Ma‘s Murti (Statue) is also being installed there the same day.
ANANDAMAYI MA, TO ME, IS ONE OF THE MOST SPIRITUAL PERSON TO HAVE EVER COME TO THIS PLANET. SHE HAS CHANGED MY OUTLOOK ON LIFE COMPLETELY.
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