Not everyone is cut for a particular job. Then among them, their approach would differ. Similarly, not everyone is a leader. Most just like to follow. The Siddhas were pioneers in many fields. The Siddhas of the past very often were radical in their approach. They took up challenges. They explored. They were explorers. They explored the marvels of creation both within and without. They studied every aspect of creation. They achieved. They departed their experiences and wisdom to others. They documented them for generations to come. They went to the extent of even recording the past, present, and future of select individuals besides the future of the world at large. Today they are still around working on those willing to take up the challenge. They have joined the ranks of the gods and goddesses of the Hindu pantheon and are worshiped by these select groups.
Although they left behind a tradition and a way of living these days they are seen as a cult where society kept them away from the mainstream paths of devotion. Now the path is only made available for those who dare to venture out of the mainstream devotion. I was called to the worship of the Siddhas in the Nadi. I took it up. Though the worship of the Siddhas and their path might seem alien to many out there, as it was to me too in the beginning, those who travel the path shall realize that it is very much aligned to and accommodates the core faiths and beliefs of others. The Siddhas only shun certain practices only after having traversed them and not before. I was asked to install a statue of Agathiyar and worship him. Today after perfecting the ritual, and having gained immense benefits from it Agathiyar tells us to drop the rituals. He got us to do charity and today he has asked us to drop that too. He got us off to a wonderful start in practicing Yoga and today has us do a select few poses of asanas. If we were forcefully trying to control the breath back then now he asks us to drop that and simply observe it. All efforts have come to a stop. The results of our past efforts like the river current or the wind shall propel us forward henceforth. I realized that the Siddhas make us learn a thing and later drop it. It goes the same for the desires too. The vasanas are brought to the forefront either to be exhausted or have us drop them. While Supramania Swami's dream of building a temple was shattered by them, they drove Tavayogi to build one. I was asked to build a temple too but the idea has since then been dropped.
As one progresses along the path and gains the experiences he can safely move on dropping his previous hold on rituals and practices. Eventually, he is told to sit still and do nothing. In carrying out all the activities that he desired, that was driven by his "I" he earns karma both good and bad according to the nature of the activities. To balance the sheet, one is sent to do remedies. Many do not realize that their lives are shaped by karma. Very few are privileged to know their past karma. Among those who come to know, most settle to carry out the remedies and move on with life gathering the latest editions of it. To the few who carry them out and decide to explore karma further, they are brought to the worship of the Siddhas. They are given tasks that would cleanse and wipe the karma the moment it appears. As we take each step, an invisible broom sweeps away any trace of our karma. As we walk on the sands of the beach the tide comes in to wipe any trace of it. If before coming to the path the Siddhas highlight one's karma, after taking hold of them, this subject too is dropped. The Siddhas settle the debts for those aspirants who hold on to their feet. They have us drop even the thoughts the moment it arises hence stopping the advent of action and all its outcomes.
The Siddhas are very much humane. They have feelings too. They are compassionate. They are concerned. They work to bring us out of delusion. Their only concern is to lead us back to the kingdom of God.
Take any book written about the Siddhas, it tries to convey their history and story. Most often it is a repetition of what we have read before. Although it is difficult to separate the myth from the history of the Siddhas, P.Karthigayan in his book the "History of Medical and Spiritual Sciences of Siddhas of Tamil Nadu", Notion Press, 2016, defines the former as "unconventional information about age-old history which survived as folklores and mystified as mythology" while the latter were accounts "substantiated by relics and records of archeological discoveries."
When Suren sat before a Nadi reader enquiring the origin of Agathiyar, Agathiyar was hesitant in revealing it. But since we at AVM had mooted Suren to ask the question Agathiyar obliged but was very brief in telling us his story. He did not divulge much. To the Siddhas, these are not important. At times they ask us what use is knowledge of their past. They are more concerned about dispersing the truth through their messages. The truth though it has been modified over the ages or buried survives time. They help us sieve through it or retrieve the truth respectively. Similarly, Tavayogi never spoke about his past except about a couple of moments in his life. These were rare moments when he opened up about himself. I only knew him after his arrival in Malaysia to officiate a Peedham in 2005. I only had very brief information about the years before we met. So I mooted the idea to Mataji Sarojini Ammaiyar that she should write about our guru for she knew him from their days of Pattimandram where Tavayogi would chair the debate and Mataji would take the stand with several others. In her times of trouble, Tavayogi brought Mataji to his guru Chitramuthu Adigal and she too became a disciple of him. Just before Tavayogi went into samadhi he appointed Mataji to take charge of the ashram. He made his last call to me to inform me that in the event he does not return to his ashram, as he was hospitalized then, that Mataji would take charge henceforth. So I told her she was the right candidate to write his biography. When I was wondering if she had begun to write, as there was no word about it, she calls me several days ago to inform me that the book should be ready for release during the upcoming annual Guru Puja for Agathiyar that is scheduled to take place on 23rd December 2021. I was filled with joy that finally I shall get to read his life story, his story, his history. Please place your orders if you want a copy with Mataji at +91 98425 50987. As the book is in Tamil, once it's out I shall try to translate portions of the book and post them in this blog. I think that is the least I could do for my guru too.
While awaiting the official account of his life story, let me share whatever little I know about Tavayogi as an introduction to the man. T.K Thangarajan as he was known was a successful businessperson managing his cotton industry in Tiruppur in Coimbatore. He indulged in politics and movies too. Tavayogi before becoming a mendicant or turavi, used to be a well-known orator often chairing the many talk shows or pattimandrams that were popular with the public. After he became a disciple of Chitramuthu Adigal he came to be known as Thaaiveedu Thangarasan. The talent he had as a proficient and convincing speaker was put to use and maximized in later years as he took the stage again but this time to preach and popularize the path of the Siddhas or Siddhar Margam.
Tavayogi had seen the worst of times when his business collapsed as a result of policies and politics in India at that period of time. He had to hit the streets with his family. He became blind overnight and was on the verge of committing suicide when he formed a determined resolve to believe in Agathiyar and let Agathiyar rule his life as he (Agathiyar) pleases. He regained his sight. His life picked up and he regained his lost treasures too only to leave them all behind voluntarily later as he adorned the saffron robe and became a mendicant. He handed over the responsibility of managing the company to his son and family and walked out of all the luxuries he had been accumulating until then.
His travels took him throughout India bringing him to Rishikesh, the hills of Uthiyore, Kolli, Sathuragiri, and Pothigai amongst many other sites of Siddhas. Tavayogi sought out a place known as Agathiyar Vanam on the instruction of Agathiyar and finally located it on the 9th km of the Ooty-Mettupalayam trunk route at Kallar. He pitched a hut that started out as his first ashram. He named it after his guru, the Sri Agathiyar Gnana Peedham Thirukovil.
In 2004, Tavayogi accompanied an Indian citizen working in Malaysia, to Malaysia only to be left stranded alone on the streets of Kuala Lumpur. He contacted the only reference he had in Malaysia, Soundarajan. Soundarajan took him in. Tavayogi found his way to Lord Perumal’s temple in Puchong where he gave his first talk in Malaysia, preaching the Siddha Margam as instructed by Agathiyar.
After meeting Appana Nagappan in Kallar, Tavayogi traveled again to Malaysia in 2005 at the invitation of Appana to officiate the opening of his movement the Sri Agathiyar Gnana Peedham at Wisma Keringat in Batu Caves. Tavayogi who had come to officiate the local chapter of his Sri Agathiyar Gnana Peedham in 2005, moved on to address the public in numerous venues; initiating numerous Peedhams; coming again in 2007 as the patron and officiating the First World Conference of Siddha Philosophy in Kuala Lumpur. Through him, many devotees came to the path of the Siddhas. I was one of them. I shall recap my journey with Tavayogi from the year 2005 when I met him in Malaysia till 2016 when we were at his new ashram for its inauguration.
I met Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal for the first time at the Sri Agathiyar Gnana Peedham at Wisma Keringat in Batu Caves. Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal’s name was mentioned to me four years prior to meeting him. Nadi Guru Senthilkumar handed me a leaflet in 2002 from Thaiveedu Thangarasan. He was sourcing funds towards the building of a temple for Agathiyar in Kallar, Tamilnadu. I had kept that leaflet with me. When the Tamil language newspapers carried news about the opening of the Agathiyar Nyana Peedham in Malaysia by Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal in 2005, I searched for the leaflet that I had stashed away. I took it with me to see Tavayogi. He confirmed the leaflet was his. Tavayogi accepted me as his disciple amongst many others. Thus began a beautiful relationship between a guru and a disciple.
Subsequently, Tavayogi invited me over to his ashram at Kallar.
I was shown the life he lived. I was taken on morning walks. We bathe in the nearby stream that had its source in the mineral and herb-rich mountains of Ooty. I was shown how to conduct prayers to the Siddhas. I was given an opportunity to do charity and feed the poor. Tavayogi did not have me sit in front of him and preach to me; rather I observed and learned from him. I was given an opportunity to watch how he lived. I saw the humbleness in him; the kindness in him; and the simplicity with which he lived. He used to sit and entertain all those who came to him. To those who came with problems he did not duel into the problems trying to find ways and suggests means to overcome it but instead asked that they pray to the Siddhas to help clear these problems. He avoided taking on the karma of people.
I was blessed to be taken on a pilgrimage by Tavayogi to Siddha samadhis, caves, and temples which included Agathiyar’s sannadhi at the Agneepureeswarar temple in Agasthiyampalli, Karuvurar’s sannadhi at the Breehadeshwarar temple in Tanjore, Punakeeswarar’s samadhi at Chennimalai, Sivavakiyar’s samadhi inside Lord Murugan's temple at Sivanmalai, Konganar’s cave in the hills of Uthiyore in Kanganam, Agathiyar’s cave in the hills of Courtalam, and Ramalinga Adigal’s cave and Dhakshanamurthi’s cave also in the hills of Courtalam. He took me to Agathiyar’s sannadhi at Kutraleshwarar temple in Courtalam, Agathiyar’s temple at the Agathiyar’s Fall in the Pothigai hills, and Bhogar’s samadhi at Palani too.
Tavayogi was not one who easily parted with the intricate workings of the spiritual world. He preached the basics of the Siddha path to the masses. He once told me I had to wait 12 years before he would part with this knowledge. His ever-faithful aid and disciple Mataji Sarojini Ammaiyaar too was waiting patiently for the day when he would reveal this knowledge. Just before his demise in 2017, he parted all his knowledge and wisdom to Mataji including reading the Jeeva Nadi in their possession.
I was given another initiation before I bid farewell. Back home in Malaysia, I accompanied Tavayogi to his Paramaguru Jeganatha Swamigal’s samadhi in Tapah in 2007. When Tavayogi visited Malaysia again in 2008 he taught us Yoga Asanas, which Agathiyar tells me in the Nadi, is to be treasured, cherished, and put into practice. He showed me how to perform rituals like Abhisegam (ablution of the idol) and lighting the sacrificial light or fire (Homam).
When Shiva Sri Muthu Kumara Sivachariar who was in the midst of building a Sakti temple at Bukit Rotan in Malaysia invited Tavayogi over to the temple grounds to identify if there was a samadhi or at least the presence of Siddhas at the location of the temple he was building I drove Tavayogi there. Before we left, Tavayogi wanted a branch from the Neem or Veppam tree that had to be in the shape of Y. He snapped the branch from the tree that I had planted at my home. I wondered why. On arrival at the temple grounds, Tavayogi surprised me by using the branch to locate energy spots. Although he held the branch firmly in both his hands, he was being dragged from one spot to another until the inner sanctum, which was still under construction, where the branch snapped into two. He told the Sivachariar the signs were there and that there was a samadhi at the exact spot where the Sivachariar had chosen to place the inner sanctum of Goddess Ma. Again, at the requests of Sivachariar, Tavayogi led us to a spot where a shrine will be built for Agathiyar. How did he identify this spot this time? Tavayogi placed lime paste that is eaten with betel leaf on the palm of Sivachariar and led him from one spot to another. Finally when at a particular spot outside the temple complex, the lime paste that was white turned red in color. Tavayogi told Sivachariar to put up the temple for Agathiyar at this spot.
Moving forward to 12 October 2013, as my family and I, Jnana Jyothiamma, Dr. Ram, and Deva, gathered around Tavayogi and Mataji, at Kallar Ashram, Tavayogi started narrating the many miracles that had taken place at Kallar since. We sat listening to him in awe, at the way the 1 1/2 feet tall mystical Rudraksham weighing 7 kg was delivered and the unbelievable visitations of Lobhamudra, Lord Murugan, and Konganar to Kallar. Upon my requests, Tavayogi went on to narrate again, on video, how he came to the Siddha path. This was the very first account of his life on video that was narrated in full by him, as all these while we used to get pieces of his life story. Jnana Jyothiamma and Dr. Ram left shortly while we stayed over. As morning dawned, Tavayogi adorned his cap and stocking and took us along on his usual morning walk. It made me recall the days I spent with him in 2005. We came down the ashram, walked along the railway line, cut across the small township and reached the Ooty-Methupalaiyam trunk road, and headed for Thuripaalam, a bridge built during British times. Then we got off the main road into the plantations. It was an educational tour for my family and me and Mataji's granddaughter who tagged along. Upon returning from the walk we freshened up and started for Ooty. Tavayogi and Mataji hitched a ride with us, while other devotees came in the ashram vehicle. We picked up Dr. Nanjan, a veterinarian, and his friend at Coonoor, and headed for the Sri Sargurunathar's Sevashram. While Tavayogi and his team adjoined to meet other devotees in Ooty to deliver the invitations for the upcoming Guru Puja celebrations, Mataji, Dr. Nanjan and his friend accompanied us to some tourist spots in Ooty starting with Doddabetta Peak. After Dr. Nanjan and his friend excused themselves, we headed for the Boat House situated on Ooty Lake to catch a boat ride.
14 October 2013
My wife had mentioned her desire earlier to me to conduct prayers with Tavayogi at his ashram. Tavayogi consented. He started the prayers with a couple of hymns. He gave way to my family and me to continue. It was a privilege to sing at Kallar Ashram before Agathiyar. After breakfast, we got ready to hike up the hills behind Tavayogi's ashram. Prabhakaran, Silambarasan, and Kartik led the way. At 12.15 noon we made our way down the hill back to the ashram. Just then Tavayogi and Mataji too returned from Methupalaiyam. The Seth who was to take us on the next leg of our pilgrimage too arrived at that moment.
Tavayogi had earlier wanted to take us to Uthiyur some distance from Kangeyam where Konganar had meditated in the caves, that afternoon. But as the Seth offered to bring Tavayogi to the Nattadreeswarar Temple at Kangeyampalayam near Erode, Tavayogi took us along too. After a quick lunch, we set off for Erode. It was already nearing dusk as we arrived at Kangeyampalayam on the banks of Kaveri. On our way back we stop over at a Goshala. Here my children have a field day feeding the cows. It was close to midnight as we arrived back at Kallar.
Tavayogi who was pretty much impressed by the singing of the hymns by my children and wife the day before, requested that they sing again the next morning. After breakfast, we bid farewell to Tavayogi and Mataji and make our way back to Trichy and Malaysia.
Tavayogi and Mataji arrived in Malaysia on 15 June 2016 to witness my daughter's marriage the following day. After the wedding, Tavayogi and Mataji were ferried to the Jegathguru Sri Raghavendra Mrithiga Brindavanam Kinta. They then stopped over at their Paramaguru's samadhi, the Sri Jaganatha Swamigal Sivalayam in Tapah, before returning to Kuala Lumpur. Later that evening, Sri Krishna of AUM arranged to perform a puja for Agathiyar at the Eco City Agathiyar temple. Over the next few days, there was a continuous stream of devotees and visitors seeking Tavayogi and Mataji's blessings.
We arranged to conduct Siddha puja in the homes of devotees. The first such puja was held in Bala Chandran Gunasekaran's. Just before arriving at Bala Chandran's home, Tavayogi and Mataji stopped over at an old folks' home where Bala Chandran's family was conducting a monthly annadhanam. AVM Agathiyar continued to travel to homes of AVM family members accompanied by Tavayogi and Mataji, blessing and bringing joy to the devotees, including the homes of Dyalen Muniandi, Rajah, Santosh, Devaranie, Surendaren Selvaratnam, Sri Krishna, and Mahindran. After having graced the homes of devotees in Malaysia, both Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal and Mataji Sarojini Ammaiyar crossed the causeway into Singapore to meet devotees of Agathiyar in the island republic. Surendran Selvaratnam of AVM accompanied them. Tavayogi and Mataji were brought to a couple of temples while in Singapore too. Returning from Singapore they joined my family in conducting a puja at AVM.
On 17 July 2016, AVM family members, AUM and Thondu Seivom headed for the Taiping Thanneermalai Sri Thandayuthapani Temple to join Tavayogi and Mataji in conducting the Siddhar Yagam and Puja at the temple premises. Yagam was conducted at the Eco City Agathiyar temple and the Sri Jaganatha Swamigal Sivalayam in Tapah.
Tavayogi and Mataji paid homage to Lord Muruga at Batu Caves and Mauna Samy's Samadhi on 27 July 2016. After 43 days in Malaysia and a couple of days in Singapore, Tavayogi and Mataji headed back to their homeland the next day. Tavayogi and Mataji had led the prayers in the homes of 12 devotees and in 3 temples, besides gracing the homes of many others. Many received the blessings of Agathiyar through the Jeeva Nadi readings that were read out by Tavayogi.
When Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal confirmed the date of the Kumbhabhisegam of his new Agathiyar temple/ meditation hall complex as on 16 December 2016 the AVM family made its way to Kallar Ashram. We were privileged to participate actively in their programs.
15 December 2016
Vastu Puja/ Muthal Kaala Velvi
வாஸ்து பூஜை /முதல் கால வேள்வி : மக்களை வாழவைக்கும் தமிழ்க் கடவுளுக்கும் முற்காலம் உணர்ந்த குருமுனிக்கும் 18 சித்தர்களுக்கும் வேள்வி வழிபாடு
16 December 2016
Erandam Kaala Velvi
இரண்டாம் கால வேள்வி / அருள்மிகு முருகப் பெருமானுக்கும் அருள்மிகு அகத்தியருக்கும் அருள்மிகு 18 சித்தர்களுக்கும் திருக்குட நன்னீராட்டு
17 December 2016
Book Release
நூல் வெளியீட்டு
18 December 2016
Kodi Yetram/ Sarva Dosa Nivarana Maha Yagam
கொடியேற்றம் / சர்வ தோஷ நிவாரண மஹா யாகம்
After Tavayogi's demise in 2017, Mataji continues to run and manage the Ashram. She continues the tradition set by Tavayogi. Yoga classes and talks, prayers for Agathiyar and the Siddhas, feeding the poor, and giving handouts in cash and kind with financial assistance from the public, and reading the Jeeva Nadi continues till this day. As I look back to the days when I got introduced to Tavayogi, it brings back fond memories. Agathiyar first brought me to the Nadi, so that he could reveal the reason for being here; and later brought me to my guru, so that I knew where I was heading. Agathiyar himself then came into our lives through a Murthy or bronze statue in 2010. Now he comes through devotees and guides us. We are indeed blessed.