The 63rd birthday of popular spiritual leader Mata Amritanandamayi was celebrated on Tuesday at her mutt near here with Amma, as she is popularly known, stressing the need of protecting the environment.
The event was attended by her devotees, from all across the globe, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi, greeting her through video conferencing, called her a "real maa" who nurtures her devotees through "visible and invisible hands".
In her speech, Amma said environmental protection is one of the greatest issues mankind faces today.
"In the past, our ancestors did not need to protect nature as their very lives themselves protected nature.
Reverence and respect towards all creatures and creation was an integral part of their life and nature was always protected.
But in today's world, we see humans taking from nature and their fellow human beings without any limit, " she said.
Touching on terrorism, Amma said it has now become one of humanity's foremost problems, robbing society of its peace.
"Statistics show that around 1, 200 large scale terrorist attacks have taken place in various parts of the world in 2016 alone.
Natural disasters may not be under our control but we do have some technology that can signal us as they are approaching.
However, science is yet to invent a device that can detect the disasters man carries in his mind, " she added.
In his message, Modi said: "I am not so lucky as to be present at the celebrations in person, (but) I am delighted to be able to greet her, through technology.
I have just returned from Kerala, and I was touched by the love and affection showered on me by the people of the state. "
"I am aware that even in her childhood, Amma was fond of giving her own food to others.
Serving the old and the aged, and helping the needy have been her childhood passions, " he said, praising Amritanandamayi for spreading her love and kindness among poor.
He thanked the spiritual leader for working in the fields of sanitation, water, housing, education and health and also for her contribution to "Swachch Bharat Abhiyaan".
"Amma's initiative on building toilets has been a great help in our Swachh Bharat Programme.
Amma has pledged to contribute 100 crore rupees towards sanitation efforts in Kerala.
This pledge includes the construction of 15, 000 toilets for the poor, " he said.
Modi also mentioned a donation of Rs 100 crore by her to the "Namami Gange" (Clean the Ganga) programme and lauded the work being done at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University, of which she is the Chancellor.
"It is also heartening to note that the researchers at Amrita University are innovating new approaches to solve some of the world's most pressing problems, " he said.
Soon after the PM's announcement of the completion of 2, 000 toilets, a video of RSS supremo Mohan Bhagwat was played, detailing the Mutt's history of environmental protection activities.
"Dharma has four components - truth, compassion, purity and tapas.
Whenever I meet Amma and have her darshan, I realize all these four components to be present in her, " he said.
While Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson P. J. Kurien asked the Government to honour Amma with the Bharat Ratna Award, Kerala Governor P. Sathasivam termed her India's greatest ambassador of peace and love.
Amma also conducted the wedding of 54 couples who could not afford a traditional wedding.
After the function, Amma sat to receive people who wanted a darshan of her.
Every year on this day, the darshan takes place all through the night.
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