Women empowerment is extensively promoted on her websites and flyers. According to this video, the only Indian's UNESCO chair on gender equality and women empowerment belongs to Amrita university.
Amma's PR must deal with that subject because she is a Godwoman aiming at teaching us right from wrong so all eyes are wide opened on her to know what is best, especially for women in society.
The video says that she is proud of "ordaining women as priests with equal position" but Meena Kandasamy reminds us of a little detail :
"New age religious sects haven’t updated their views on menstruation either: Mata Amritanandamayi’s sect runs temples where two women are appointed as priests to a single temple “so that each can keep away for four days in a month, during their menstruation.” (I am unaware of what will happen when the two women’s cycles begin to sync.)"
Amma considers that women are equal to men as long as they don't menstruate. It seems like God hates the very bodily function that he has himself created to secure the reproduction of human species. At least that's what men say. They also say that menstruating age women are not allowed to set foot into the Sabarimala temple out of respect to the celibate nature of the deity. Yet menses are not a threat for celibacy, it's rather a factor of pregnancy. So keeping women away from the temple is a mean to avoid... Who knows?
Anyway in September 2018, a judgement of the Supreme Court of India ruled that all pilgrims should be allowed entrance to Sabarimala for any exception placed on women because of biological differences violates the Constitution. Crowds of believers held a protest as usual to oppose the verdict. Some women attempted to enter Sabarimala under the threats of physical assault. Two of them finally succeeded in entering the temple on 2 January 2019. The holy place was thus closed and reopened after purification rituals.
Crowds crippled with divine fear and holy anger can be dangerous. The ashram of reformist Kerala monk Swami Sandeepananda Giri faced an arson attack in October 2018. He was supporting the end of the ban on women of childbearing age from entering the Sabarimala temple. It seems to be the reason for the attack.
What about Mata Amritanandamayi. What does the champion of women empowerment think about this Sabarimala temple issue? She is a prominent Godwoman therefore journalists were eager to ask her the question. She answered :
"she was “not an authority” to say anything related to “rituals, customs and tradition”"She also said :
"“Let the people decide on matters like this”"Amazing. What happens when the spiritual guide follows the spiritual seekers? The guide is supposed to know the plan whereas the seeker is lost, trying to find his way. Nevertheless appointing priestesses in her own temple shows that she is an authority inside her own premises but not outside.
Things got worse in January 2019. She did a questionable move :
"the programme, put together by the Sabarimala Karma Samithi, was inaugurated by spiritual leader Mata Amritanandamayi. A rally taken out by hundreds of men and women across the city, joined the gathering. This is also the first time that sanyasis and spiritual leaders have come together in such a large number to support the fight against entry of women of all ages into Sabarimala"Let's put the stress under the fact that the authority that once failed her is fully re-established when she chooses to protect patriarchal traditions and to fight against women.
Some people consider this to be a mistake because mixing politics and religion is not such a good idea :
"On Sunday, Kodiyeri argued that there was no logic to the claim that Ayyappa's celibacy would be threatened by young women visiting the temple, an issue in which Amritanandamayi is supporting the Hindu right wing"Amma's devotees keep on saying that she has nothing to do with politics. Are they so blind that they cannot understand what anyone in this world can clearly see :
"Why did she participate in this event? Amritanada Matham should operate beyond political (be apolitical). There are people of different political beliefs who are followers of Amritanandamayi. There are many believers in Kerala who are her followers. But this RSS's Karma Samithi programme in which Amritanandamayi is participating is not one that respects the faith of even these followers."
Kerala Chief Minister goes a little further :
"Discussing the rally, Pinarayi Vijayan said that Mata Amritanandamayi or Amma’s participation in the right-wing rally had tainted her image.
“There are people inside and outside Kerala who believe and admire Amritanandamayi. Even they have not liked her sharing such a stage”"