I never knew about the existence of the Nattadreeswarar Temple, a unique temple right in the middle of the Kaveri river until Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal invited my family and me to tag along that day on 13 October 2013. We had just returned from our hike up the Kallar hill to have the darshan of Agathiyar in the form of a 3 feet granite statue tucked away among the boulders and jungles of Kallar.
When Mataji filled us in on the uniqueness of the temple sitting in the middle of Kaveri and one having to traverse to the temple by a coracle or parisal, we were doubly overjoyed. We had never taken a coracle ride and it would definitely be a wonderful first time experience for the family and me.
The proprietor of Gita Press had arrived at Kallar Ashram that morning as we were in the hills. He had invited to take Tavayogi and Mataji to the Nattadreeswarar Temple at Kangayapalaiyam near Erode. As I was in Kallar visiting Tavayogi with my family, Tavayogi invited us along.
We freshened up, took our lunch and set off for Erode in two vehicles. It was already late evening as we arrived at the banks of Kaveri. As the Seth had a very good relationship with the priests at this temple he set off to meet them at their home while we strolled down a path to the edge of the waters. It was a magnificent sight to behold. The temple stood atop a rock looking majestic as the Kaveri circled it, caressing and paying homage to the Lord within the temple walls.
The Seth returned with the priest, Saravanan Manikam Sivachariyar. We were told his father the senior priest was already at the temple. As we waited for a coracle to leave the island temple and fetch us on our side of the bank, we were disappointed to notice the senior priest board the coracle too to cross the river. He had locked up the temple for the day and was returning home! As the coracle reached our bank, his son offered to take us over. This brought joy to all of us gathered on the bank waiting anxiously to have a darshan of Lord Nattadreeswarar.
Two coracles were needed to ferry us across, as they were of the smaller size. We made our way across the calm waters of Mother Kaveri, with Mataji, Devanthiran, my family and me cruising with the Shivachariyar in one, while Tavayogi, the Seth, Prabakaran and several others followed us on the other coracle. I took the opportunity to request the Shivachariyar to explain about the significance of the temple. He gladly filled us in. It was a unique experience for the family and me taking the coracle to cross the river to the temple.
Once on the island rock, we had the opportunity to see Lord Shiva close-up, something we never dreamed off. The Shivalingam is also unique as it was formed/made by Agathiyar out of the river sand from the Kaveri river. Another uniqueness in this temple was that Agathiyar was directly facing Lord Shiva in the inner sanctum. Lord Muruga had greeted Agathiyar on arrival here and is depicted with his right foot forward. We were indeed blessed to be brought to this temple to have a darshan of Agathiyar, Lord Shiva and Lord Muruga too.
We place on record our gratitude to Tavayogi and Mataji Sarojini Ammaiyar, the Seth from Erode, Saravanan Manikam Shivachariyar and his father, and the kind souls who rowed us over to the temple in the coracle.
We place on record our gratitude to Tavayogi and Mataji Sarojini Ammaiyar, the Seth from Erode, Saravanan Manikam Shivachariyar and his father, and the kind souls who rowed us over to the temple in the coracle.
Jnana Jyothiamma too was called to this temple. Just as Agathiyar showed her a spectacle in the form of a play of lights at Kalyana Theertam, he choses to amaze us through his numerous lilas or plays again at Nattadreeswarar Temple. Here is an interesting turn of events that brought her to Nattadreeswarar Temple. Although I had posted her story earlier, I thought it would be appropriate to recap it here again.
On 24 October 2013 Jnana Jyothiamma sent me a mail on fb.
At about 10am she receives a call from an unknown number .. 111. As she does not entertain unknown callers she ignored this call too. But the phone kept ringing. On the third ring she picks it up. She heard a boy's voice on the other end. He said "Amma .... How is your leg pain?", referring to her long standing pain. When asked who he was he replied Kandhan. Thinking it was Kandhan Gurukal of Panchesti Agathiyar Temple she asked him from which number he was calling as the number seemed to be different. He laughed and it sounded like a boy's laugh. He asked, "When are you coming to my temple?" Still thinking it was Kandhan Gurukal, she explains she was not able to go over to the temple the week before as she was at Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia. When she told him that he replied that he knew and that he was aware and had even given her his darshan! He continued by reminding her, "You had come to Sangameshwarar Temple long back and done Tharpana at the Thriveni ... remember?" She told him that she could not remember that temple. He helped her recollect, "Bhavani .... with Maheswari", but she still could not recollect.
Kandhan gave her a mobile number, that of one Saravana. He tells that the priests at Nattadreeswarar Temple will return soon and asked her to call Saravana immediately. He stressed to Jnana Jyothiamma that he wanted her there and cut the call. She called that number. A man picked up the call. She tells him how she came about having his number and the reason for calling him. Without a moment of hesitation he tells her it must be Lord Muruga himself and speaks about Lord Muruga welcoming Agasthiyar, holding a parrot and would fill her in on its significance when they meet in person.
Jnana Jyothiamma queries him on the name of the temple and what it has got to do with Thriveni. He replies that it is Nattadresswarar Temple. Jnana Jyothiamma now taken aback on hearing this informs him that it was only a week back that Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal had visited the temple with his disciples referring to my family, me and others. He surprises her further that he was the person who ferried the group across (us). He invites her over too. He instructs her to be there by 8 am in the morning so that she could witness the libation rituals or Abhishekam. She finally asked him what his name was and he replied, "Saravana," This conversation took place between 10 - 10.30 am on 24 October 2013.
After receiving the invitation from Saravana, Jnana Jyothiamma was contemplating on going to this temple either in January or February of 2014, corresponding with the Tamil month of Thai, but suddenly it became apparent that there was an urgency that she should be there for the Karthigai Deepam festival on 17 November 2013!
She had called Saravana again but sensed it was a different person this time. The man on the other end addresses himself as Senthil. She asks for Saravana but he asks Jnana Jyothiamma why she had not come over yet. He continues relating to her his well laid out plan. He tells Jnana Jyothiamma to make her way to a particular hotel once she was in Erode. Someone will fetch her to Kangayampalaiyam the next day where all arrangements have been made for her to participate in the Abhisekam or libation ritual at Nattadreeswarar Temple. The caretakers of the temple will be attending the festivities. She can meet them. She can choose to either follow the temple priests over to the mainland during lunch break or she can have her lunch at the temple. She can participate in the prayers later that evening before she is sent to the Erode bus stand to board the bus back.
We were both amazed and puzzled. We could not make sense of the calls and the callers. It was all so mysterious.
Just before she leaves her home on the night before Karthigai Deepam on 16 October 2013, she gives me a call to say she was leaving. The next day I receive a call from her. She tells me she was already at Nattadreeswarar Temple in the company of Agathiyar. The Abhisekam had concluded earlier in the morning.
On arrival back at her home she messages me on fb on 18 October 2013.
... back just now .. time 23.40 ... Monday. Had to postpone my ticket, as I just couldn't make it back the same day. Will either send you a detailed message/ mail or will get on SKYPE after a day or two. I need to take some rest. Lord Muruga gave me his Darshan. Our coolest daddy too.
After having a brief rest she messages me again on 20 October 2013 recalling this extraordinary spate of events that took place at the Nattadresswarar temple. She mentions that it will take a week or so for her to recover completely from exhaustion due to the very intense experience at Nattadreeswarar Temple!
She goes on to clear the air about the confusion over the callers, Saravana and Senthil. Saravanan Manikam Shivachariyar, who accompanied Tavayogi and my family across Kaveri, says that he did not speak to Jnana Jyothiamma on the number she called the very first time, given to her by the mysterious caller, Kandhan and added that it was not his number. It was only the second time that she called, just two days prior to her going over there, he says he picked up her call and conveyed the plans for her to arrive early to participate in the Abhishekam and regarding what she had to do. When she showed him the number and time of the call, he just brushed it aside, gave a laugh and said, "It is Lord Muruga's game."
She takes us back to the moment of arrival at Erode earlier. On arrival at Erode at 9 pm, she was astonished to find Thiru Chandrashekar, President of the Temple Trust and its secretary, Thiru Gandhi waiting for her. They accompanied her to a hotel close by where reservations had already been made for her. They informed her that the senior Gurukal would accompany her to the temple and asked that she be on the river bank by 7 am the next day. The next morning she took a cab and got off at the river bank. A very senior priest and a lady were waiting for her. The priest and she got into a coracle while the lady remained behind. Just as the coracle started moving, the senior priest told her that he had been informed of her arrival, to perform some rituals, by Lord Murugan the previous night and was also instructed to accompany her.
After listening to what he had to say, she asked him, "Does Lord Muruga speak to you?" to which he replied that in his lifetime, this was the second time Lord Muruga had spoken to him where he heard his voice. He adds that Lord Muruga had revealed that she has had received Dheeksha from Agathiyar directly. Lord Muruga was obviously referring to Jnana Jyothiamma receiving Dheeksha at Kallar on 20 October 2011.
On reaching the temple shore the senior priest proceeded towards the temple where he immediately beckoned two priests along with his son Saravana Manikam Shivachariyar, and gave them instructions to start the Abhishekam for Lord Muruga first, then Agathiyar and followed by Lord Shiva. These rituals were over within an hour and a half. There were very few devotees in the temple besides the priests and two committee members. She was led downstairs where breakfast was served. After breakfast was over, the devotees left and Jnana Jothiamma was left with the priests. The senior priest told her that she could rest on a chair near Agathiyar's sannadhi, as it would be very calm and peaceful upstairs. It was around 10.30 am then. After she makes a call to me in Malaysia, and just as she thought she would close her eyes for awhile, suddenly out of nowhere, a squirrel jumps onto her lap and into Agathiyar's Sannadhi. That is when she hears a voice coming from inside Agathiyar's Shrine calling out to her "Magale Magale". Before she could open her eyes, she was instructed not to do so. Agathiyar gave her some messages!
At 4 pm, a huge congregation of people gathered as preparations were made for a massive Yagam or sacrificial fire pit a short distance away from Agathiyar's Sanctum. Saravanan Manikam Shivachariyar explained the significance of the massive Yagna. He said they conducted this Asthra Homam on Kartigai Deepam on Agathiyar's directive, where all the temple committee members and the owners/builders of this temple were the only ones allowed to witness.
Jnana Jyothiamma narrates the history of the erection of the temple.
I'll now tell you a brief history what was narrated to me later by SK Mayilswamy's grandson, Sarath, a cute lad of 15 years and looks exactly like Lord Muruga. SK Mayilswamy (SKM) is a leading cattle fodder businessman in Erode. His great great grandfather was the one who cut and carved the rocks and built a small temple and on the instructions of Agathiyar. Originally this entire premise where the current temple now stands was one huge massive rock in the middle of the river. Long before Agathiyar came here, Lord Muruga had been here doing Tavam. Agathiyar had made a Shivalinga using the sand from the river bed and had installed in this place and was worshiping this Linga. This was three Yugas back. Agathiyar gave instructions to SKM'S great great granfather to build the temple structure. He built the structure of Lord Shiva, renovated later by SKM'S grandfather. SKM built the current structure.
A few steps if you proceed towards the left from Lord Shiva's shrine, you can see a flight of steps leading down. At the basement of these steps is a huge rock, where Agathiyar had sat and meditated to attain the Siddhi "Mahima" in order to help him balance the earth on the south side of India as instructed by Lord Shiva. SKM while renovating the temple, did not cut down this rock but had instead built a huge room surrounding it. Both of us, Sarath and myself meditated there for a while. No one is allowed to go to this room downstairs near the rock. Just behind Lord Shiva's Shrine, there are three idols of Lord Balaji and his consorts made of juices extracted from herbs including extracts from the Aathi tree, treated and made into these idols. Everyday these idols are cleaned with oils that has been extracted from the Aathi tree, which is in the temple premises for more than 3000 years.
The Yagam performed by Saravana Manikam Shivachariyar started at 4.30 pm witness by about 30 people. Jnana Jyothiamma says she had never seen nor heard of such an intense and massive Yagam performed on such a grand a scale and magnitude and intensity as this. It ended at 6.30 pm, and was followed by Abhishekams to Lord Muruga, Goddess Amma and Lord Shivan. Here is when another miracle takes place. Jnana Jyothiamma explains in her words this mystical event.
It was during the end of Lord Muruga's Abhishekam that Lord Muruga gave me his "Kazchi" It is not a Darshan he gave me. It was his Kazchi. The Effulgence was BLINDING and I almost fainted. It was just a few seconds and the Effulgence disappeared. This Kazchi was right inside his "Karuvarai" and on top of his head. I couldn't stand nor even see anything clearly after that. Everything looked glazed.
Later she helped the other ladies light 1008 Deepams which was customary here before the main Deepam was lit at the Temple Gopuram.
She writes about that moment too.
What a magnificent sight to behold! The air was filled with the chants of Aum Nama Shivaya ... Hara Hara Mahadeva. This locale, the abode of the Gods ... glimmering with the Deepam Lights and the Beaming Gopuram with the Jyothi. In the stillness of the night, the only sounds heard were the high pitched tones of the people praising the Lord ... Nattat Ayya ... Nattat Ayya ... Arunachala Ayya ... Aum Nama Shivaya. The flow seems endless .... keeps going on and on ... Never in my life had I witnessed eight Abhishekams and a massive Yagam, all in one day. Four Abishekams of mine in the morning and four Abishekams of Sarath's in the evening.
This was followed by the day's last puja and all the rituals were over at 8 pm. Upadesam by the senior priest and Annadhanam followed. As Jnana Jyothiamma bid farewell and mentioned her gratitude to the senior priest for waiting on her at the river banks and escorting her over, the senior priest surprised her saying, "I came to the temple early today as it was Karthigai Deepam. Maybe Agathiyar came with you." He blessed her with the following parting words, "You can come here any time you want. This is your home. Your father is here."
He had Selvaraj Gurukal pack some food for Jnana Jyothiamma which he did promptly, and had him accompany her back to the mainland. She narrates what awaited her as she boarded the coracle again.
All I knew was I just entered the coracle and lay down as I felt extremely sick. After a couple of minutes, Selvaraj Gurukal woke me up and helped me to get out of the coracle and helped me to my car. All through the crossing of the river, I felt my head was placed on the lap of a woman. On alighting, I asked Selvaraj Gurukal where was the lady who was travelling with us. He replied that there was no lady who came along with us. He said, "Amma, only three of us were there. Me, you and the ferry man".
She later called Selvaraj Gurukal to thank him for all the services he had rendered to her while at Nattadreeswarar Temple and asked if the senior priests had accompanied her in the morning, as he (the senior priest) had mentioned earlier, that he did not. That is when she is met with another astonishing news. Selvaraj told her that she came alone. She asked him further, "But inside the temple he was giving you all the instructions for the pooja?" He replied, "Yes Guruswamy was giving us the instructions, but you entered the temple alone." Jnana Jyothiamma was bewilded! "Now who was the senior priest who came along with me in the morning? Who was the lady who was standing with him and she did not enter the coracle?"
A remarkable adventure indeed.
For more information on Nattadreeswarar Temple read Priya Baskaran's blog at http://aalayamkanden.blogspot.com/2013_11_01_archive.html