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April 14,2005
Trivandrum
On the Kerala New Year's day, April 14, AmritaTV, a new infotainment
television channel hit the air with an audio visual extravaganza.
The founders of AmritaTV envision promoting value-oriented,
responsible and socially conscious programs, without compromising
on the tastes and preferences of audiences.
 The
inauguration of this new audio visual media was done by the
lighting of the inaugural lamp by seven luminaries –
they were Padmashri Sonal Mansingh, odissi dancer of international
repute; Padma Bhushan Bhupen Hazarika, well known singer;
Shri. Ramesh Sippy most renowned director-producer in India;
Padmashri Mohan Lal and Padmashri Mammooty – the leading
superstars of Malayalam cinema; French film producer Monsieur
Manuel De La Roche and Pujya Swami Amritaswarupananda Puri,
Vice-Chairman of Mata Amritanandamayi Math.
Before the inauguration Amma's message of blessing was aired.
She mentioned that the role of entertainment should be to
promote values such as goodness, good conduct and righteousness
(please read her full message here).
She concluded by saying that the media should help enhance
the beauty in human life and nature. "We should not only
consider what people like, but also what is good for them.
The entertainment and enjoyment we provide should be based
on cultural values. This is the only way for us to perceive
truth and beauty. May Amrita TV be able to achieve this."
 The
program was conducted in M.I.College grounds in Trivandrum.
The grounds were filled to capacity as expectant people flocked
in to take part in a program, which they felt was the birth
of a transforming influence on society.
The channel will air a blend of entertainment and information
from talk shows to musicals, serials, feature films news and
current affairs, documentaries, and interviews for children
and elders. Currently all programs are in Malayalam and is
being broadcast via satellite to all of India, the Middle
East, and the rest of Asia, Australia, Europe, and later on
Canada and the United States.
-- Tulasi
Amma's
Inaugural Message
(Amma's pre-recorded message aired during the launch of AmritaTV
on 14 April 2005, Thiruvananthapuram.)
Amma bows down to everyone present, all of whom are the
very embodiments of Divine Love and the Self.
 Today,
TV and newspapers have become indispensable parts of our life.
There are already so many TV channels. We may question the
necessity of yet another. We see so many burning problems
all around us: starvation, unemployment, natural calamities,
increasing violence, etc. It would be natural for one to think
that alleviating the pain of those suffering from these myriad
afflictions is the need of the hour.
But we should remember one thing: we alone are the ones responsible
for many of these problems; we have created them. We can trace
the origin of all problems to the human mind. This is where
all problems start. Therefore, our primary duty (or dharma)
is to cultivate values in us. Media is one of the instruments
to achieve this.
We surely need entertainment and enjoyment. Without entertainment,
life is like a corpse. To awaken our creativity, entertainment
is necessary. But if we allow our entertainment to be devoid
of culture, it will only lead us to danger. On the other hand,
when culture and entertainment are blended together, life
becomes a true celebration. When Amma talks about culture,
she means goodness, values, correct conduct (sadachara)
and duty (dharma). To discriminate between truth
and untruth and bring out the reality, to point out the right
and the wrong—this is the responsibility of the media.
If it just voices one side, the truth will become diluted,
like milk to which water has been added.
Today, society is as if half asleep. The media should help
people to think and act with maturity. The goal of news and
entertainment should not be to lull society into deep sleep.
Just the opposite, it should be to rouse them to the eternal
state of awakening.
The allure of a city is not only in the stylish fashions
its residents wear or in the skyscrapers that mark its horizon.
It is in the culture that has been believed, practiced and
passed on there through generations.
Our land and the soil here has a unique smell. It is the
fragrance of sacrifice (tyaga), love, austerities
(tapas) and spirituality. The deep love between the
parents and the children, the reverence held towards teachers
and elders, the love between neighbors—these are our
true wealth. In the same way, all our art forms are ways of
worshipping God. Accordingly, we need entertainment and knowledge
that accepts this culture and lineage. This is the only way
for us to build a good society.
The media’s duty (dharma) is also in finding
and enhancing the beauty in human life and nature. Shivam,
sathyam, sundaram — what is true and auspicious
alone can lead us to real beauty. We should not only consider
what people like, but also what is good for them. The entertainment
and enjoyment we provide should be based on cultural values.
This is the only way for us to perceive truth and beauty.
May Amrita TV be able to achieve this. Amma offers this prayer
to the Supreme (Paramatman).
(Read the above message in Malayalam
as Amma spoke)
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