The Last Walk for The Queen of Yoga: Singing, Roses, and Bare Feet

Explore this Article “The Last Walk for The Queen of Yoga: Singing, Roses and Bare Feet” dedicated to Shri Mataji’s last Days at Cabella as described by an Italian Journalist

Enjoy this translation of a great article that appeared in February 2011, in Italy, translated in English by a an Italian-American yogini friend, Anna Mancini. The article is “THE QUEEN OF YOGA” and it appeared in the Italian National Newspaper “La Stampa”.

Singing, Roses, and Bare Feet for the Last Walk of the Queen of Yoga 

In this  heartfelt article, Miriam Massone, a reporter for the national newspaper “La Stampa,” describes how thousands of people from all over Europe and other countries have come together to honor and pay homage to “The Queen  of Yoga,” In the article’s title,  the reporter describes Shri Mataji as the Queen of Yoga but in the article itself  she refers to Shri Mataji  as a Princess.


Her Holiness Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, the founder  of Sahaja Yoga,  passed away on February 23, 2011 in Cabella Ligure. She was  88 years old. Miss Massone states, “The princess of yoga has  left her white castle forever. Surrounded by many flowers, like a fairy tale from Bollywood, she has completed her last journey.” Shri Mataji called Cabella “my little Himalaya” and Palazzo Doria, – a castle which was turned into the home for  her, became a major meditation center where thousands of people from all over the world came together to meditate and practice Sahaja Yoga.


Miss Massone describes Shri Mataji as  the princess with  a great smile. Shri Mataji started Sahaja Yoga in 1970. This yoga meditation  awakens the spiritual powers within  every human being.  She was born in Chindwara, India. Both she and her family fought alongside  Gandhi for the independence of India from the British. Shri Mataji was also arrested and imprisoned by the English as she bravely fought alongside her family. In the 1940’s  she married C.P. Srivastava, a distinguished state official.  Mr. Srivastava continued to support Shri Mataji as she  traveled throughout the world preaching and teaching Sahaja Yoga.

Shri Mataji died in a clinic in Genova from coronary complications. The day of her death was supposed to be a day of mourning. Instead, armed with peace and love,  the disciples of Shri Mataji, arrived from Europe, the United States, the Philippines, Canada, and India. . They came from all over. Navdeep Brar, a Canadian-Indian truck driver stated, “Shri Mataji changed my life. It was a revolution which started from within.”  In the gardens of Palazzo Doria, many knelt, meditated, and prayed. Many shared sandwiches, email addresses, and embraced each other as they waited to pay homage to Shri Mataji. Her  body was placed in the large waiting room of her home where everyone could view her. “Just feel  the serenity! This is the miracle of Shri Mataji. This is the love she has taught us and that we need to share and spread throughout the world,” stated Annamaria, who arrived from Avellino.

Aldo Gandolfi, one of the directors of the Sahaja Yoga  World Foundation,  states that in 1991, as Shri Mataji passed by this area, she felt the same energy that is felt  the Himalayas. She decided to buy the castle of Palazzo Doria which overlooks the town of Cabella Ligure.  He also recalls another miracle. “Every  year over 15,000 people  come to Cabella to place their bare feet on the land of Cabella  and in the river Borbera.” Besides the castle there is an elementary school for young children, a hangar where sahaja yoga meditation international seminars are held, and an  agricultural company. Also a  farm is presently under construction. The mayor of Cabella, Manlio Garibaldi, states that the people who follow Shri Mataji are exquisite. He hopes that this virtuous society will  continue. Robert Hunter, one of the Sahaja Yogis,  is convinced that  there will be no spiritual heir. Everyone is the master of himself or herself. Less form and more spirit.   As the “small Himalaya”  rang out with the last farewell song, Paolo Romano pointed out, “What will be left of Shri Mataji is Her Love. Shri Mataji, you have given us more than we could ever ask for.”

Translated by Anna Mancini, New York, USA

**Thank you Anna for your hard work and we are looking fwd to receive the translations to the other newspaper articles. Thanks go as well to the various Sahaja Yogis that have sent these beautiful photos and images (Cythare and Surjeet) and to the most welcoming couple from Genoa: Daniela and her husband who stayed all night to scan and send out the articles. Among the many sahaja yogis from Canada that had traveled to Cabella suddenly following the news .., my daughter and I were there, but this time I did not feel to take any photo .. however how much we all long to have these memories captured. Thank you all. More articles are coming soon, thanks to Anna Mancini. Original Italian article is here.

(click!) “Cabella’s Farewell to The Great Saint” – Italian Tribute in “Il Secolo XIX” Newspaper, on February 25, 2011

(click) Whiter than Snow Silk Farewell Bow of The Queen of Yoga from Her Himalayas on February 23, 2011

A poem dedicated to Shri Mataji by a Canadian Yogini

(click!) How can I describe Shri Mataji?

A Poem by Shri Mataji

This Post Has 15 Comments

  1. Rabi Ghosh

    It is just pure bliss!!!. Thanks to Anna for the beautiful poem. Thanks to Ioana who has uplifted this poetry in a more profound presentation.

    Indeed Mother has given us more than we could ask for. It is the family and the sharing of love within the family that makes us so joyous . Pray may we be able to sustain this joy forver and forever…so that such beautiful feelings and sharing with in family may go a longway to make our most beloved and holy Mother live forever within our hearts.

    Shri Mataji says….

    “Meditation will help you a lot. Wherever you are together, I am with you but when you are away from each other, I am not with you.

    Only in difficulties, when you are pushed into some places where I am not there, where you think I am not there, I am there. But if you deliberately are keeping out of collectivity, I am not with you, so try to grow your collectivity otherwise you cannot go deep into your own depths, you cannot become a great Sahaja yogi, you cannot really be called a Sahaja yogi. Those who have a sense of collectivity can only become that”. (Shri Mataji, Virata Puja ,Melbourne Australia, 10 April 1991)

    Let this Joy of collective be be felt all around….. over our head like the ‘Niranada’ as Shri Mataji always used to say ‘that is that Joy , what a Sahaja Yogi must always desire for’.

    Thank you Ioana for this beautiful post. It drives me nostalgic while remembering Cabella.Also to go in meditation while reading this beautiful article

  2. K.Subbi Reddy

    It is highly vibrant and thankful for placing the Mount kailash and Palazo Doria. It is a feast to the eyes of all Truth seekers and their kundalini only will enjoy the picuturers and story.

  3. Rudy Kaiser

    Thank you, Miss Miriam Massone! Your deep capacity of feeling makes you an outstanding journalist!
    If one reads your writing, one may clearly see that you have found your vocation inlife!
    May God bless you!

  4. Kalpana Kaamt

    Thanks Anna,
    for sharing this translation. It’s amazing. It gave insight to this beautiful divine place where our mother resided for years. Looking at the pictures I could just feel the vibrations. Thanks once again……..

  5. anaic

    This is so touching, we all dreamt
    to have such an article in our newspapers…I will translate this wonderful article in French to let every one enjoy this. Thank you again Ioana and Anna !!!

  6. George DD

    Thank you Anna for translating this beautiful article. The Italians were indeed blessed that Mother spent so much time in their country and I think these articles are recognition of that. Look forward to seeing the other ones too!

  7. Antoinette Wells

    Beautiful article of someone very perceptive and sensitive to the beauty that Shri Mataji taught us to see in people, in nature and in art! Great to convey this to many readers through a news paper!

  8. Telkar S.BABA

    Shri Mataji has Awakened and activated the Parama chaitanya in thiw world. (world’s Kundalini.)

  9. Srilakshmi

    so many vibrations while reading it…. full body got coolllll

    thanks mother for giving us so many vibrations….

  10. Prakash Amin

    Mother we just to Say you have changed our life , You make us a common men to spiritual men. Mother you have given us second birth and this new birth dedicated to you ,,Mother give us the strength, power and balance so we can full fill your desire to give a self realisation to the seekers

    Mother we love you..we love you.

  11. Mary Iglesias de Legua

    Mother I fell you alwais in me.

  12. Pradip Gharpure

    I am extremely thankful for such a wonderful feast. We Indian were missing Mataji for a quite long time. You were fortunate to have her with you, have daily prayer and darshan. Now all sahajayogis will have to see Mataji in their own heart. She will come, she will shower her love, affection and back us on right path with holy spirit.The Kailash is there. But the Queen of Kailash – Adimaya, Adishakti has left the Kailash.

  13. Debbie

    Our dear and precious Shri Mataji – we love you. Thanks for taking care of your children and leading us on this path of Sahaja Yoga. You will live on in all of us and we will continue to spread this pure knowledge.

    Lots of love always.

  14. Colleen

    Beautiful beautiful article, thank you!! Love to you all!!

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