When Lord Murugan came in a Nadi reading in 2018 and told me to build a temple for him the first question that came to my mind was "Why another temple, Lord Muruga." He must have heard my inner voice for he replied in the Nadi that "Yes", he was aware of the numerous temples built for him. But he said that I shall do it differently. Why was there a need to show him differently, I began to ask myself. How was he to be shown differently now?
Looking back now I realize indeed we have been doing things differently. My family and I at AVM have always ushered and entertained our guests well I believe with a feast thrown in at times. I hear from others that they are given a stare when they make an entry into another's premises or centre. There is no Virunthu Upasarippu. If others only served food after the puja, here Agathiyar called us to fill our tummies first before beginning any puja. Their puja is long and elaborate not considering the young and old who have to sit through these long hours. We at AVM had shortened our puja over the years. This was endorsed by the deities who themselves came and performed the puja in a jiffy. From performing Homam in 2005 and libation or Abhisegam later in 2010 when Agathiyar came as the bronze statue - it all came to a standstill in 2019. We did not resist nor insist to carry on. We went with the flow. If others held on to the following expecting them to turn up at their centers each week, at AVM we encouraged them to carry out similar puja and rituals in the comfort of their own homes and, at their own pace and time. As for me and a handful of others, Agathiyar ended the pilgrimages and external worship and brought us to revisit yoga and worship the "holy space within" all of us. The room where it all took place is closed now except for meditation. He gave away his statue to another devotee. He gave away his holy sandals to yet another devotee. He now stays in the image of the staff or Vaasikol. We did not resist all these changes. We went with the flow. There was joy and bliss in giving away. We welcomed his move to move into the homes of others, hence bringing light into their lives too just as he had brought into our lives.