Friday 11 June 2021

THE SIDDHAS ARE FOR REAL 2

When Agathiyar called out to Tirumular to come by the gesture of his hand and indicated a space to his right and then called Bhogar to his left I stepped back giving way to the mighty forces. But the most compassionate father invited me to step into the circle too to complete it. I stood speechless. When he went into the intimate details of a relationship between a husband and wife couple I got up to leave as it was getting tight and personal he held me back asking me to sit and listen. He told me that I needed to know. When someone felt hurt by my words and showed some resistance Agathiyar asked me to leave giving him the space to open up. Later he filled me in. He wanted me to know. 

When I started on this path I had two wishes. I wanted to see Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal and I voiced out my wishes to Tavayogi. He told me that they would come but questioned me if that was what I wanted. I knew then that there was more to this relationship than having their darshan. Our conversation ended there. I never imagined that someday Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal would step into our homes and grant our wishes. It was not the sort of darshan or vision that we have seen depicted in the Tamil Puranam or devotional movies. They came through others. But their presence and energy were felt throughout their stay that were initially very brief but of late they stay back for some time sharing their thoughts and grievances too besides teaching us techniques, healing devotees, and guiding and advising us.

When I took up Tavayogi's invitation to visit his Kallar ashram and Agathiyar's directive in the Nadi to spend some three to four days at his ashram in 2005, the morning after my arrival as Tavayogi invited me to join him in his morning walk around the small settlement adjoining his ashram, he told me that Agathiyar had come the night before. I just listened not knowing whether to believe him or not. He continued that Agathiyar told him since his son has arrived what was Tavayogi going to do for him. Tavayogi asked Agathiyar what should he do? Agathiyar replied that he will let him know later. I was in a daze as Tavayogi had surprised me just as Agathiyar had surprised him the night before. After remaining silent while he shared their conversation with me, I finally broke my silence asking him how Agathiyar had come? In the form of light answered Tavayogi. Many years later when I visited him again in 2013 with my family, he had some devotees bring us up to the hill behind his ashram to worship Agathiyar. He told me that that was the spot Agathiyar came in the form of light and gave him darshan when he stepped into Agathiyar Vanam in Kallar after completing his twenty-plus years' tenure as a mendicant with his 8-year tapas in Sathuragiri.

When a veterinarian doctor Dr. Nanjan accompanied Tavayogi in his subsequent visits to Malaysia he shared his experience in visiting an elderly couple who worshipped Agathiyar. When they allowed him permission to step into their prayer room, as the Dr. pushed the door open he saw Agathiyar rise from a reclining pose and tie his long hair and vanish. 

When Jnana Jothiamma came to visit Agathiyar and us in 2013 she told me the morning after her arrival that she could not sleep the night through as there was "heavy traffic" in my home. She had sat and watched the Siddhas coming and going about at my home. We were surprised but happy to hear about her experience as we had never laid eyes on them all those years. It was also during this visit of hers that Agathiyar chose to open his eyes in his bronze statue and look at us.

When a devotee friend stopped over at my home bringing an Australian lady of Chinese origin to visit Agathiyar briefly before her flight back home, she came out of our prayer room in tears telling us that Agathiyar stood the ceiling height and gave her darshan. We were not caught by surprise this time around. We were happy for her.

I then wanted others to have these experiences in their homes. Hence I encouraged them to carry out the rituals that Agathiyar and Tavayogi set me out to do that opened up a portal and served to bridge both our worlds. After AVM, Agathiyar had shown his presence in many of the homes of his devotees too.  Lord Shiva, Lord Murugan, Ramalinga Adigal, and the Siddhas, graced their homes too. All these were possible through the years of their worship to the Siddhas. 

If individuals have a calling from the Siddhas to come to the path, those eager to know the Siddhas could also call out to them. The easiest and tested way is by worship to them. All it takes is 24 minutes or a Nazhigai, of your time. I had published a compilation of songs relevant to aiding in this simple home puja. Invite them into your homes and befriend them. Your life shall change. You shall know the difference.