This year, at Amma's own wish, her 73rd birthday on September 27 is being observed as Vishwa Seva Dinam, a global day of selfless service. In place of a grand festival, the day is given back to the world: free surgeries and children's heart camps, relief for families struck by floods and loss, weddings for couples who could not otherwise afford them, cleanliness drives, and prayers for peace.
It is a wish Amma has expressed many times.