With my appointed driver, Prem behind the wheels of his white Ambassador, we turned into the small road at Thuripaalam off the Methupalaiyam – Ooty trunk road, and made our way through the row of stalls and houses lined up on both sides of the road, turning right again into an even narrower road that took us to the foot of a small hill on which was perched Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal’s ashram.
I got my luggage and headed towards the ashram, walking through a small path among bushes and shrubs to come upon a railway line that serviced the Nilgiri Express from Methupaliyam to Ooty. As I approached the steps of the ashram Tavayogi was on hand to greet me. We hugged each other and I touched his feet out of respect. He offered me a chair as he brought up another for himself. He had his boys cut up some fruits and served them to me.
That was in 2005.
Lately in October of 2013, I visited Tavayogi with my family. The scenario had not changed much, only this time I had Deventhiran drive us and had Jnana Jyothi Amma accompany us. Deva was the brother in law of my first guru Supramania Swami of Tiruvanamalai. Upon hearing that I was coming over to India with my family, Deva offered to drive all the way from Chennai to pick us up at the Trichy Airport and send us to Kallar.
As we alighted from the Toyota Inova and stood at the railway line, the Nilgiri Express passed us on its return journey from Ooty to Methupalaiyam denoting the time was 5.30pm. Jnana Jyothi Amma called out for Radha and Agatheeswari, daughter and grand daughter of Mataji Sarojini Ammaiyaar. Mataji was a comrade of Tavayogi during the days of their touring the nation staging Pattimandrams. They both used to take the stage, Tavayogi as the chair person and Mataji as a participant. Today she was his disciple and he was his guru. She serves Tavayogi unwaveringly and faithfully looking after Tavayogi’s needs so that she can become enlightened.
Agatheeswari ran out of the room built for Mataji followed by Mataji. Tavayogi who was seated at his bench rose up to great us immediately. There was an air of joy. We exchanged lots of hugs and smiles. Tavayogi and Mataji led us to the mat that was spread on the tiled floor. All the memories of my first visit to Kallar came back to me.
We exchanged a lot then, with Tavayogi pointing out to me, the numerous extensions and add on at the ashram currently. What was barren ground then had been raised and tiled. They had electricity and water now.
I noticed that the ashram had grown in size too. There were many amenities now that was not available back then. All these were possible through the generosity of the devotees of Agathiyar.The Kallar Ashram is continuously upgraded and renovated to provide a conducive environment for devotees to assemble and pray. Tavayogi's Peedham has seen vast improvements since day one.
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| Present day Ashram |
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| Ongoing renovations |
