In taking my first baby step onto the path of the Siddhas in 2002, it was a solo venture where armed with a book carrying the names of the Siddhas and a painting of Agathiyar I worshipped the Siddhas alone in my home. Later with the coming of Tavayogi in 2005, he had me include my family too. He introduced the Homam or fire ritual while Agathiyar introduced the Abhisegam or libation ritual with his coming into my home in the form of a statue in 2010. Agathiyar brought many strangers who became friends to watch and participate in my home puja since then. Tavayogi taught me and several others Vaasi or Pranayama and Asanas on a later visit in 2007. In a later Nadi reading he mentioned that what Tavayogi taught us was a treasure. But neither of them revealed that it had the potential to arose the Kundalini in us. Agathiyar in another Nadi reading on 13.10.2007 surprised me by saying that the Siddhas were delighted to see the kundalini sakti arise." உண்டாகும் குண்டலினி சக்தி உனக்கு உயர்வதைக் கண்டு நாங்கள் வியந்தோம் அப்பா. Only in 2012 when I had suffered some 3 years of lower back pain did Agathiyar reveal the cause as being the activation of my Muladhara chakra as a result of the practice of these techniques. He asked to stop the practice and lay off for a while. He healed and cured me of the pain subsequently in a mysterious manner. In giving us techniques and practice the Siddhas never spoke about its fruits or results. When trouble brews only then do they come to reveal the causes and bring us its solutions too.
If it took less than a year of following Tavayogi's techniques for the serpent to be raised, the serpent laid low for the next ten years. These energies began to pond at the second chakra since then. Only last year Agathiyar opened a door for the coiled serpent and its energies to make its way up. It made its way without any effort on my part and rested in the crown of my head within days. I was taken by surprise again. So I ask Agathiyar if there was anything else I needed to do and he says no and that it shall do its work. We learn further from the documentary "Inner Worlds Outer Worlds" that "Kundalini is a bridge from gross matter to the most subtle energies." We are told that we are that bridge. "Kundalini is not energy that can be forced by will, effort, and friction." " Hence the reason we are cautioned not to mess with it. "It is analogous to growing a flower. All we can do as good gardeners is prepare the soil and proper conditions and let nature takes its course." Tavayogi often gives this same analogy of preparing the field for the Siddhas to plant the seed in us. "If we force a flower to open prematurely you'll destroy it. It grows with its own intelligence with its own self-organizing direction." This is exactly what Agathiyar meant in asking me to lay off for now. I had placed some effort initially following certain practices given by them. The Siddhas had placed much effort after that. Now she shall take care of herself. It is pretty obvious now that as Tavayogi said our effort is till the second chakra and the rest is the effort on the part of the Siddhas. Agathiyar reminds me not to let him down though by letting down my guard for then all his hard work in seeing the flowering take place shall go to waste. By the grace of the Siddhas, I guess my Kundalini awakened naturally without my knowledge. This is the reason one needs either a living guru or the Siddhas to enlighten us if there was a change and tell us what is happening within.
The year 2019 was the time I had to wind down and let go, go within, and step into the next phase. Agathiyar had me dissolve the AVM Whatsapp group that brought an end to the exchange of news, schedules, programs, timings, and info on AVM's puja and charity. He told us others will come along and continue the charity. While Agathiyar gave all those who frequented the puja and charity programs at AVM, exposure and an opportunity to learn and at the same time put into practice, sending them off well-equipped with the knowledge and know-how, he told me to begin to go within giving me some Vaasi or breathing techniques to hasten the process of going within besides asking to continue the techniques I learned from Tavayogi that he asked to stop doing in 2012. The pandemic landed support for isolation and solitude. Though Agathiyar had brought an end to puja too, Lord Shiva and later Prapanjam requested us to carry out the Homam during this period of threat from the virus. Coming out alive we began to conduct rituals only when a need arose or when he instructs. After disbanding us and equipping everyone with the skills to carry out rituals associated with the Siddha puja recently he wants each home of theirs to turn into Agathiyar Vanam just like my home metamorphosized over the years. I understand that other potential venues are being scouted by Agathiyar to walk and reside in. I understand that there is a change of guard in the air as he prepares me to move on.
The reason Agathiyar made this move I believe is to bring those who previously conducted private home puja and solely thought about themselves and their immediate family, to invite and include others in their family homes, their home puja, and in sharing food too. If previously they had all congregated at AVM either as spectators or participants now it is time they turned host. It is a way to open their hearts and homes to others as Thondu Seivom Bala Chandran read out the text that was co-written by Vinthamaray in introducing me to take up the stage and address the audience gathered at the launching of our in-house audio album in cooperation with Raagawave in 2018, "Agathiyar Geetham" mentioning and thanking me for opening my doors to them to get to know Agathiyar and his worship.
So what is it and how is each home to become Agathiyar Vanam? Off course, it is obvious that worship of Agathiyar needs to be done within its walls by the family members. First, they need to believe in and have faith in the Siddhas. The names of these Siddhas have to be recited. The lighting of an oil lamp is a must. The lighting of a sacrificial fire or Homam is a choice that the host makes. If they have a statue of any Siddha libation or abhisegam can be done. This is the start. The rest shall follow in good time.