The Siddha comes into our lives in mysterious ways. Going through my life and the timeline and markers that stood out as teachings, experiences, and lessons, it is a wonder that all these took place in the life of a commoner. But there were pertinent points that Agathiyar and the other Siddhas, Lord Murugan, Lord Siva, Goddess Ma, Supramania Swami, and Tavayogi wanted to make known.
This timeline can be split into several phases.
1959 - 1976 was the period when I was with my family going about what every kid would do in those days when technology was in its infancy too. Besides going to a missionary school, I picked up some Thevaram songs from a teacher from Ceylon who home-tutored me and my pals. I attended the class partly because my friend's parents had arranged for it and I joined them wanting to spend more time together. We had more fun than paying attention to the master then. I picked up learning to read and write Tamil from my cousin sister Miss Indrani who was a Tamil teacher in my school and several other masters, namely Mr Arasu, and Mr V. Raman, later. I followed what my parents did when it came to worship, going to temples, and praying at our home altar. But a near-death episode in my life as an infant prompted my parents to bring me to my neighbor's home. He was a Chinese Shaman. Having lost two children to diarrhea earlier they sought divine help to save me. I was saved on condition that my parents gave me in adoption to the Chinese Gods. A deal was sealed for life that day and I am still alive to write this piece today.
1977 - 1979 were days when I went to college, learning to step into the shoes of a man, and making my own decisions. Nothing much changed with regard to my faith and worship. But the timid and shy boy who did everything others said to please them learned to say "No" after reading a book from his college library. I cannot remember the book nor its title but it did change me henceforth. This boy now had a mind of his own.
1980 - 1988 were the days when I joined the service in the coastal town of Lumut and aggressively took up home puja at dawn and dusk, singing tons of songs praising the Gods. I began to read a lot too. But what was mentioned in the scriptures and what I saw in real life differed. God did not seem compassionate and loving to his devotees and instead made them suffer, nay was the very cause of their sufferings too, I deduced from what I saw. Why did God make people suffer? I needed answers. I needed to know the truth. This is when Lord Shiva comes in a dream asking me to put off my questions to a later date. I left it all behind and was transferred back to Kuala Lumpur to help me forget everything.
1989 - 2000 I married and raised a family. My knowledge bank was wiped clean in these years. There was no input either. It was a phase of clearing the house of all read, and seen.
2001 Something unusual took place. My nephew dropped in one Saturday afternoon telling me that he had a message for me and not to question the source. I receive the Vasudeva mantra. He tells me that it shall pave the way for me to meet my guru.
2002 - 2004 Something happened out of the blue. My colleague Murali Saminathan shares his experience in reading the Nadi two years back in 2000. It rekindled the Nadi being mentioned by Dr. Krishnan, a medical astrologer, and Siddha physician with whom I became acquainted through another colleague Mr Sethu. Dr. Krishnan who had charted my horoscope had mentioned the Siddhas, their Nadi, and the curses that complicate matters and prevent one from reaping the benefits as foretold in the stars. But it did not create a wave in me to seek the Siddhas and their Nadi then in 1996. But when Murali brought up the subject I asked if any readers were around. He did a quick check and I found myself standing before Senthilkumar of Avinashi who was then in Malaysia. Agathiyar came into my life that day or so I thought. It was only later that I came to know from my nephew that the Vasudeva mantra I received a year earlier was from him. Agathiyar called me to the path and the worship of the Siddhas in the Nadi. A new journey began that took me to places, hungry to know more about Siddha worship. But since none satisfied my hunger pangs I took it upon myself to continue with whatever little I knew and had on hand. If Senthilkumar gave me a booklet containing the names of Siddhas to be recited published by Sri Agathiyar Gnana Peedham in Kallar, India, (which I would come to know later), a leaflet sourcing donations to build a temple for Agathiyar by Thaiveedu Thangarasan M.A in this place (who would turn out to be my guru later), and Sivabalan who brought the Nadi readers passing me a painting of Agathiyar to be worshiped, I had my start-up kit and was ready to go. Dr. Krishnan gave me a Yantra and the Mantra to worship and chant after I shared with him that Agathiyar had asked me to come to the worship of the Siddhas. I soon expanded my worship with materials that I sourced from books and the net.
2005 - 2024 I took the leaflet that was given to me by Senthilkumar which I had kept in a safe place to meet Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal who was in Malaysia to officiate a local chapter of his Sri Agathiyar Gnana Peedham asking if the name on the leaflet Thaiveedu Thangarasan M.A and him were the same. I hit the jackpot that day. I found another guru besides Supramania Swami of Tiruvannamalai who took me in as his disciple and son on my earlier visit to India in 2003.
There was no turning back after that. The tsunami that was set in motion after taking up the call to come to the Siddhas and their worship washed away the past and cleared the way for a new future. The Siddhas slowly took possession of me, my family, and my home. Agathiyar came in the form of a bronze statue commissioned and made to order in Swamimalai as per his instructions in the Nadi in 2010. Life was given to it by chanting his name some 45,000 times. He opened his eyes in this statue in 2013 just as he did in his granite statue at Agasthiyampalli in 2005. He brought youths over, the same year and we carried on puja and charity. My home took on the name Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia (AVM). At the peak of its glory, Agathiyar pulled the rug off our feet. He had me go within. The pandemic that raised its hood did the rest freezing all our activities and having each one of us care for himself and his family's safety. When things were back to normal Agathiyar moved us into the next phase, bringing us out of Sariyai and Kriyai into Yogam, and having me teach Pranayama and Asana techniques that Tavayogi had shown me back then in 2007 to Mahindren who taught the rest. There was no turning back after that. The tsunami that was set in motion after taking up the Yogic practice in 2007 washed away the rubbish and cleared the way for a new journey of transformation within. In 2022 he showed me the flowering, a result of this Yoga practice, that was in full bloom. Agathiyar and Lord Murugan told me that it was time to let go of all practices and efforts and watch the magic in me take place. Coming to us through his devotees subsequently, there was rapid fire from him that created chaos and confusion for many. When he seized fire some days ago it slowly dawned on me that he had churned the Ocean and stirred up the underlying Maya in all things, consumed its poison, bringing on and delivering the Amirtham or clarity to us distilled and pure. Like a shadow cabinet, Maya is in all of creation. Agathiyar and Lord Murugan told me to be on the watch-out and to learn to look through it and differentiate. They kept reminding me during these numerous moments of turmoil not to fall for the beauty and magnificence of Maya. Maya is akin to Genie in the Magic Lamp. They prevented me from falling into its grip. I remembered then that all saints had to battle with Maya eventually before becoming Enlightened. I tend to understand the songs of the Siddhas better now after having these experiences. The Siddhas helped me see through Maya something that Tavayogi had already mentioned the day he set foot in my home in 2005.