ABSTRACT
Mata Amritanandamayi’s self-definition as an avatar as well as her definition of her purpose or mission in the world are both set in a context of ‘modernity’. In this chapter I explore the way in which modernity is officially constructed in the Mata Amritanandamayi Mission. The modern world, in the Mata’s scheme of things, is a place of suffering. This suffering is brought about by certain crucial imbalances in modern world-views and lifestyles. The Mata’s aim is to redress these imbalances and thus alleviate suffering. She is in this sense a ‘modern’ avatar with a special relevance to the contemporary world. From a devotee’s point of view the Mata’s construction of modernity provides, most importantly, a conceptual framework within which to understand their problems and also to locate their selfhood as ‘modern’ individuals. Not only this, the Mata, through her ritual and other prescriptions, also provides them with a clearly defined course of action which, she promises, will help redress the ‘modern’ imbalances in their personalities and life experiences.
