Mata Anandamayee
Varanasi has been a place of knowledge since time immemorial. Here only Panini wrote the grammar of Sanskrit. Great physician Susrut performed his difficult operations hard to think at that time. Great Lord Buddha gave his first sermon & discussed different aspects of a peaceful religion. Jain Tirthankar Pasarvanath was born here only. And our late prime minister used to cross river Ganga daily just to acquire knowledge here. One such figure luminous among them with his own light is Mata Anandamayee.
India has been a place of miracles & philosophical spirituality from very beginning of human existence on earth. It has been a place of actualisations of truth. Its very interesting to here it from a foreigner who spent few years in India & wrote each individual here knows something more about human than all of foreign countries put together. Its like living a life with all the odds accepting the other part of reality & this truth which is so unique guide them to life.
One ardent follower of this spiritual path is Mata Anandamayee. She was born in West Bengal. From childhood she showed inclination towards devotion to spiritualism. She started to practice Dhayana in early age & after a while she was able to see future. She shifted from Bengal to Varanasi & started to live near to Jai Ghat. At that time society was male dominant & of a female being alone was not a good stature in society.
Moreover being a saint was a taboo. But Mata lived a simple life & in no time numbers of people started to throng in her Asharam. She preached simple facts to follow humanity in each aspect of living with humility. One important event of Mata Anandamayee life was when she went just before of India's independence to meet Gandhi Ji in Ahmedabad. They discussed different things & ask Mata would she return Ahmedabad again to meet him.
She said I don't think so. When she was returning she told one attendant of Gandhi that please tell Mr. Gandhi that time is coming to meet me in peace. In no time after this event Gandhi died.