Jnana Jyothiamma returned from Swamimalai and Vedaranyam. While at Swamimalai she met up with Varadaraj of the Bronze Creative, the creator of Agathiyar at Agathiyar Vanam.
Here is her mail and accompanying photos and videos.
Just before she left for Swamimalai, Jnana Jyothiamma mailed me,
"Will be at Swamimalai on 17th Poosam day. Then from there will go to Vedaranyam and return the next day to .. (isolation). Spoke to Varadharaj now and he said that his place is only 2 kilometers from the temple. The secretary of Thirupuzhal trust who is also the direct lineage of Vallimalai Sachithananda Swamy will be accompany me. Program as of such. Will be making my reservations now. Going to see the daddy cool of your temple in it's original ABODE. We missed it last time. Me undertaking this for all of you."
Returning from Vedaranyam she sents me the photos and videos.
"Had just finished having a wonderful Dharshan of Lord Muruga and had descended the stairs. Just on top, is the Sanctum of the Lord. Wonderful Experience indeed!! Mr. Krishnan had arranged a couple of his aids to assist me. The people whom you see in the second pic, are the good souls arranged by Mr Krishnan. Krishnan is associated with the Thirupugazh Sangam and is on the lineage of Vallimalai Sachithananda Swamy. In the words of Dr. Sundaram, who,a very senior and enlightened soul and president of the Thirupuzal Sangam, Dr. Krishnan's WISDOM IS UNFATHOMABLE and it is only Lord Muruga's Blessings that you (me) were able to connect with him. Am yet to meet him, as he was busy those days, but he will be accompanying me to Vallimalai and Kathirgamam (Sri Lanka)."
At Varadharaj's factory ... Creative Bronze... Thimapalayam ... Swamimalai. 75% of the casting work has been done. Varadharaj says that everything will be completed in 5/6 months' time.
"I feel so blessed. Agathiyan has made me complete. To be able to touch the "Murthy of Lord Shiva. When I asked Varadharaj if he allowed the public inside to view this ... he replied that they do not and will not allow a single person to enter this place, apart from his assistants who work on this project. I was moved to tears when he said that he was waiting to show me this work."
"And Finally the SHOW STOPPERS. VARADHARAJ AND HIS BROTHER CHEENU ..... THE TWO CREATIVE GENIUSES OF 'CREATIVE BRONZE". The Architects/Artists/Sculptors behind the carving and making of Agathiyan at your temple, Shan. "AMAZING GRACE." Cheenu narrated to me, as to how he went to Agasthiyapalli, studied the Murthy of Agathiyan there. Sketched it as per the instructions given by you to Varadharaj .... AND HOW THEY WENT ABOUT FINISHING AGATHIYAR'S MURTHY WHICH NOW SITS MAJESTICALLY AT YOUR TEMPLE ... AGATHIYAR VANAM."
"On my right is Vadharaj and on my left is Cheenu. When I asked Vadharaj, what prompted him to carve out this huge Murthy of Lord Shiva, he replied that he wanted to enter the Guinness Book of World Records, of having carved and sculpted the largest Murthy of Lord Shiva IN THE WORLD. The Height of the Shiva is 17 ft and the Peedam is 6 ft which equals 23 ft. When I further questioned him, as to why 23 ft, he said ... Na... Ma.. Shi... Va... Ya... equals. Hence the idea of the number 23 struck him.Truly amazing. He then went on to narrate that, they had exported Bronze idols of Amma, Lord Shiva (smaller sizes), Vinayagan etc ..."
"So after finishing with Varadaraj, I started on my way to Vedaranyam, Agasthyapalli to meet OUR FATHER. It is around 150 Kilometers from Swamimalai. Cheenu gave directions to the driver."
"After traveling 150 kilometers, there was no sign of reaching Vedaranyam ... as we almost reached the border of Nagapattinam. Just 14 kilometers more to reach Nagapattinam border and after that there is no land .. then sea all around. Just 17 kilometers in the water ... one is on the Sri Lanka Shore."
"So he stopped the car at this point and he asked a guy who was sitting in a small shop near by, the directions to reach Vedaranyam. He told us that we had traveled/crossed past the road, that led to Vedaranyam. He told us that the easiest way to go to Vedaranyam was, through "Ettukudi Murugan Temple" which he said we had crossed."
"When I heard the name ETTUKUDI MURUGAN TEMPLE, I told him that this temple was near Nagapattinam, for which he answered, "Why Amma you want to go to Nagapattinam for this. Go 2 kilometers backwards, there will be a road on the right side of this main road with a board reading Ettukudi Murugan Temple."
"Get into that road and straight 5 kilometers you reach Vedaranyam and another 5 kilometers you reach Agasthyapalli. So we drove back and started to proceed towards Agasthyapalli."
"Shan, do you remember I had mentioned about "Ettukudi Murugan Temple" to you two months back and I also told you that I am planning to go there and then go to Nattadreeshwar temple? But mysterious circumstances made me cancel this and head towards Nattadreeshwar temple. You know about that. I cancelled my reservations to Nagapattinam and headed to Erode. But this was always at the back of my head. I knew that I needed to go there. Only the time factor was not correct that time, during Karthika Deepam."
"So we entered that road and within a few feet this Ettukudi Murugan Temple was there. It was around 1 pm. There was an Abhishekam that was being done to Lord Muruga that time. So I was there till the Abhishekam got over. At the back of Murugan's Sanctum is a small shrine of Lord Shiva and Lord Dakshinamoorthy faces Shiva."
"Vallalar has said that many saints had got the Vision of Lord Muruga in this place called Etukudi. Lord Muruga, who is residing in Ettu (8) in Tamil, was born with six head emitting form the eyes of Lord Shiva. Agathiyan had also mentioned to me. So before getting the Dharshan of Lord Shiva, we will get the Dharshan of Lord Muruga also known as the Lord with Six heads."
"In Arutperumjyothi Agaval, Vallalar had specifically mentioned that, 'Knowing and Realizing the 8 and 2 were the first step ... 8 and 2 .. stands for both our eyes. HE had also built the Sathya Gnana Sabha as a 8 sided or octagonal building resembling our head .. Vallalar .. adds up to number 8."
"Reached Agasthiyampalli around 3 pm. Temple was locked, but an old person saw me entering and asked me if I want to go inside. He said he was the caretaker. I said I want to see Agathiyar. He opened the temple and also told me that normally he opens it only at 5.30 pm coz the priest would come only at 6 pm. As Ambal Sannadhi is the first one to the right .. I worshiped HER and the went straight inside Shiva's Sanctum, worshiped HIM. It was very dark inside. Then went to Agathiyan's Shrine."
"Since there were oil smears on the floor, there was no proper place to leave my cam, as I did not want to take pics. I was getting an opportunity of a lifetime to be in HIS temple all alone with HIM, I wanted to chant HIS Potri and meditate there for at least an hour. So again I went near the entrance of the temple, where the caretaker was sitting and left my Bloggie Cam with him as I could not find my driver in the vicinity."
"So I went inside .... stood motionless in front of daddy ... dunno how long .. and was inside HIS sanctum for almost two hrs."
"When I opened my eyes, I saw this caretaker standing at the entrance of daddy's shrine and he handed over my Bloggie Cam to me and I thanked him for opening the temple doors and gave him a small token of gratitude and as I was nearing the gate, saw a van load of tourist come inside. I was all alone with daddy at Agasthiyampalli for two hours."
"While traveling, I opened my cam to browse through the pics what all had been taken during the course of the day at Swamimalai and Varadharaj's place .... I was thrown aback in surprise .. when I saw the following pics ... how did this elderly temple caretaker operate this camera ... I wonder and he did not breathe a word to me ..... Ram could not accompany me, as he fell very sick and went back to his home after the Purnima Pooja in Kallar. And I did not want to spend my time taking pics of daddy ... as I wanted to be with Agathiyan .... all alone and meditate there for at least an hour. HE had planned for me to be here all alone. Surely there must be a reason. Since I couldn't find my driver, I handed over my cam to this elderly caretaker. HE WILL BE NEARING HIS 80'S. See for yourself the pics."
