When I came to know about the existence of Agathiyar, the Siddhas and their path through a Nadi reading in 2002, I began my search to know more about them. Soon I was faced with adverse and negative remarks and opinions on the Siddhas and their path. Someone shunned from speaking about it as he said the Siddhas would confuse you. Someone else, hovered with the spirit of fear of the path, said that the Siddhas would refrain you from marrying. Another told me that existing marriages were broken and families were split apart as a result of following the path. I thought something ought to be wrong here. The prior dissipation of the Marga has to be wrong. Fear had been instilled in the hearts and the minds of its seekers.
Agathiyar in the very first Nadi reading asked me to come to his path. I took up the offer. When the existing organizations could not appease my hunger for information and knowledge, he sent Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal to my homeland on the pretext of opening an affiliated branch of his Sri Agathiyar Gnana Peedham. I went over to meet him for the sole reason that his name was mentioned in a leaflet seeking donation to build a temple for Agathiyar, that I had received from the Nadi Nool Aasan after my very first Nadi three years prior. Tavayogi told me that I had come to the right place and that his local chapter of the Peedham would help me progress on the chosen path.
But all this was to change when I went for my second Nadi reading about the time he was in Malaysia. Agathiyar instructed me to seek Tavayogi that night itself for a Teecha. I had an option here. I could have brushed off the directive and headed back home. But since I chose to heed his words, Tavayogi gave me a Teecha as directed. The irony of this whole episode is that my wife and I had already taken Teecha from him together with eight others the very day we met him. After the teecha, my recording on audio cassette of that particular Nadi reading was erased mysteriously just as in the Mission Impossible television series. There was no mention of the local chapter of the Peedham in a re-reading. Instead Agathiyar directed me to spent a couple of days at Tavayogi's ashram in Kallar.
Taking up Tavayogi's and Agathiyar's invitation, I headed for Kallar on the heels of Tavayogi to be shown the live of a Turavi and an ashramite. It was an entirely new experience stepping into a new world with minimum facilities, going back to nature and living one with nature. There was no electricity and piped water. A hurricane lamp was lighted up after dark and drinking water was fetched from a nearby housing supply. Bathing and washing of cloths was done at the refreshing river flowing nearby, that had its source in the mountains of Ooty.
Tavayogi took me on a pilgrimage of Siddha samadhis, temples and caves. Being a city dweller all this while, I had my very first taste of adventure in the jungles and caves of the Western Ghats. After returning with a gift of a breathing technique that Tavayogi showed me, I continued my prayers, and previously learnt (from Tavayogi) asana and pranayama practises. Tavayogi used to frequent Malaysia then and would fine tune the existing rituals and prayers and introduce new Yogic practises. Agathiyar too guided me with meditation techniques and rituals in the Nadi.
Tavayogi took me on a pilgrimage of Siddha samadhis, temples and caves. Being a city dweller all this while, I had my very first taste of adventure in the jungles and caves of the Western Ghats. After returning with a gift of a breathing technique that Tavayogi showed me, I continued my prayers, and previously learnt (from Tavayogi) asana and pranayama practises. Tavayogi used to frequent Malaysia then and would fine tune the existing rituals and prayers and introduce new Yogic practises. Agathiyar too guided me with meditation techniques and rituals in the Nadi.
I soon realized their was nothing to be feared in this Marga as originally painted by those who had ventured before me. Agathiyar was a compassionate father and so was Tavayogi. They patiently guided me with one thing at a time ensuring that I had put into practise the earlier instructions before they gave me new directives. Tavayogi had reminded me to bring my family into the path too. One could then ask why did Tavayogi leave his family to become a Turavi? One could question why he advocates something for others and does not follow himself. Tavayogi chose his path, wanting to adorn the robe of a Turavi, and to spread the Marga. Agathiyar too wanted Tavayogi for a bigger purpose and mission. Agathiyar consoles Tavayogi's daughter in a Nadi reading for her saying that rather than serve the family, Tavayogi was enlisted to serve the masses through his teachings of the Siddha path. When our desire and that of Erai match it happens. With our efforts and Erai's grace and blessing all undertakings become fruitful. In comparison, me and the numerous others at AVM were told to lead a married life and engage and continue on this path. Never did Agathiyar instruct any of us to leave the family at any stage. Several AVM family members settled down in life too taking fellow seekers as life partners. Some couples were match made by the divine father himself. Both Tavayogi and Mataji surprised us by flying over to Malaysia to witness and bless my daughter's marriage recently.
Soon Agathiyar brought many wonderful souls and fellow seekers on the path to my home. My home soon turned to become Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia (AVM) with the endorsement and blessings of Agathiyar, the Siddhas, Tavayogi and Mataji Sarojini Ammaiyar. AVM family members brought back the worship of the Siddhas to their homes too. I had never liked the idea of seekers gathering at a common place or Peedham once a week to carry out prayers only to forget about the Lord for the rests of the week and soon return the next week. I had never liked the idea of seekers totally dependant on another to give them Gnana, bliss or enlightenment. Instead of relying on a middleman to lead them with prayers I prefered they picked up the prayers and continued performing them daily in their homes. This became a reality at AVM. When Tavayogi was in Malaysia last June, we packed up AVM Agathiyar and headed for each AVM family member's home where they carried out the rituals with their family members. This is how the Marga should spread into every home and heart. The Marga is not a secretly guarded treasure with the key with any one particular person. It is available to all who seek it. It is easily accessible and most of all does not need a middleman. Devotion is between the atma and paramatma and does not need a channel, a medium or middleman. Paramatma can be reached directly. According to the extent of our yearning Erai comes down to us and leads us, burns all our karma, takes hold of us, and brings us back to his kingdom. Let's take the plunge now.