She is known throughout the world as the 'hugging saint from India.' Her devotees span the globe, bound to her by their abiding and unwavering faith in her. Many of them are now in India for the four-day long celebration of Mata Amritnandamayi Devi's 50th birthday at the International Stadium in Kochi, Kerala.

The celebration, which began on September 24, includes an inter-faith summit, a women's summit, a CEO summit, a youth summit, cultural programmes and the launch of various charity projects.