<p>THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD Monday, November 23, 1998 Hindu lady of 11 million hugs ready for her next embrace by Jon Marsh- Ethnic Affairs writer</p><p>There is good news for the jaded, the faded, the frazzled and the forlorn. Help is at hand in the form of a hug from mother.</p><p>Mata Amritanandamayi, a Hindu spiritual leader affectionately known as Ammachi, or “Holy Mother”, brings her amazing hugging roadshow to Sydney today.</p><p>Ammachi, 45, who is said to have hugged more than 11 million people worldwide, will be adding to that total during a two-day stay.</p><p>People often burst into tears after her embrace, or darshan. Her followers believe she is the embodiment of love and compassion.</p><p>Mr. Narayan van der Graaf, who helped organize her visit, said most of her followers in Australia were “just like you and me”.</p><p>“She greets and hugs each person as if they were her own child. She feels there is a tremendous need for these maternal qualities. She is one of the most amazing human beings on the planet.”</p><p>Mr. Vijay Badhwar, a Sydney engineer, who went to see Ammachi two years ago, said: “I went as a sort of critic, but once you sit there you get into a different mood. When she hugs you, you forget about everything. You are absorbed. It is difficult to describe.</p><p>“You go in as a cynic but when you come out, the cynicism has gone down. Whatever she is doing, she does have some effect on your body, your mental make-up.”</p><p>Born in poverty in the backwaters of Kerala in southern India, Ammachi has risen to become a revered religious leader around the world. Voted Hindu of the Year in 1993, Ammachi has established a non-profit organization in India that funds an orphanage, a hospice for terminal cancer patients and vocational training centres.</p><p>Ammachi appears at Petersham Town hall at 7 pm tody and 9.30am and 6pm tomorrow. www.smh.com.au</p>