My recent visit to India and Kallar, in particular, has made me reflect on the Sidhas and the workings of the Sidhas again. How amazing the Sidhas work on their disciples. I had no intention to return to India after 2005 because I saw myself complete and satisfied.
I had the opportunity to meet two beautiful masters or gurus namely Sri Supramania Swami in 2003 and Sri Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal in 2005. Both this gurus made me complete. What more could I ask for?
Supramania Swami was a devout disciple of Lord Murugan and Lord Shiva while Tavayogi was a devout disciple of Sidha Agathiyar. I was blessed to come in close proximity to them.
Supramania Swami kindled the fire of devotion in me while Tavayogi nurtured the said fire in me.
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| Supramania Swami and his guru Yogi Ramsuratkumar in a digitally edited photo |
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| Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal |
After six years I have fulfilled Supramania Swami's last wish of performing/conducting a massive Annadhaanam or feeding the public with the aid and assistance of Jnana Jyothiamma, Dr. Ram Supramaniam, Deva and his family and friends, recently on 11 October 2013.
What is the significance of providing food to the masses? Why did Supramania Swami ask me to carrying out this noble deed? Why does Ramalinga Adigal expound the greatness of feeding? Why does Tavayogi and Rengaraja Desigar carry out this noble feat on a regular basis at the Sri Agathiyar Sri Thava Murugar Gnana Peedham in Kallar and Ongkarakudil in Turaiyur respectively?
I thank Jnana Jyothiamma, Dr. Ram, Deva, and his family for helping me fulfill Supramania Swami's last wish. I still remember clearly the last conversation I had with Supramania Swami. I knew he was upholding his tapas of remaining silent for 48 days but yet I called him after a few days of him informing about his upcoming feat. Swami answered the phone. I apologized to him for having made him break his fast, but he graciously carried on speaking to me, saying, "I shall speak to you, Shiva (He lovingly calls me Shiva at times and Raja at other times)". Then he told me he had extended the duration of the tapas to sixty days. He gently reminded me of his earlier requests to send him money so that he could carry out the Annadhanam to feed 1000 persons at the end of his tapas.
Later after Swami went into samadhi on 7 February 2007 after only a few days into the tapas, Agathiyar in the Nadi reading spoke about Supramania Swami and asks that when I get the opportunity to travel to India again, I need to offer a garland, pray at his (Supramania Swami) samadhi, and feed the people. Although I was in India recently, I could not include Thiruvanamalai in my itinerary because of time constraints. I had only four days beginning 12 October 2013 till 15 October 2013 and I had promised Tavayogi I shall spend all four days with him. As I was planning my journey, Jnana Jyothiamma tells me Deva had been calling her over to Thiruvanamalai and Supramania Swami's samadhi. I took the opportunity to ask if she could carry out this massive task on my behalf which she readily agreed.
When at the start of the Annadhanam at Thiruvanamalai on 11 October 2013, Jnana Jyothiamma is visited by a sadhu who asks her if she was feeding him, she is taken aback. So was I when she narrated the happenings that day. Jnana Jyothiamma had earlier prayed at Easanya Lingam asking the Lord that the day's Annadhanam should go well without any hitches. Later at Supramania Swami's samadhi, she prays that Vasistar, Seshadri and Swami should come forward and partake the food and bless all souls. And so she waited in the shade of the Sri Adhi Parashakti Temple on the Girivalam route for the food to be brought over by Deva and family. So how did the sadhu know of our intention to feed the public?
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| The '1000 Rudraksham clad' Sadhu who appeared at the Sri Adhi Parashakti Temple in Thiruvannamalai asking Jnana Jyothiamma for food as if he knew we were serving food later that day |
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| The '1000 Rudraksham clad' Sadhu having food at the Sri Adhi Parashakti Temple in Thiruvannamalai |
The sadhu adorns a massive rudraksha rosary garland or maalai around his neck. Jnana Jyothiamma guesses it should amount to a 1000 pieces of rudraksha. She questions him as to how he is wearing such a huge garland and if it doesn't hurt him. He replies that he was not this body and that he was not walking around (normally) like us. This puzzles Jnana Jyothiamma further. She knew then that this was no ordinary man she was dealing with. The sadhu hands over a book in Tamil and asks the Dr to read from the book, on the greatness of wearing the rudraksha. In it is mentioned the auspiciousness of wearing a 1000 rudraksha rosary.
Jnana Jyothiamma served him first as soon as Deva brought over the food. He blessed all those present after he adorned a turban on his head looking very much alike Supramania Swami's guru Yogi Ramsuratkumar. He left shortly after he directed Jnana Jyothiamma to her next destination, Neer Annamalai.
Now, why did the sadhu appear wearing 1000 rudraksha rosary, and asks to read a portion from a book that dealt with the significance of a 1000 rudraksha rosary? Supramania Swami too had requested to feed 1000 people! How did the sadhu know we were doing Annadhanam? Is it to indicate to us that they have taken note of our intention to feed the public.
After distributing the food at the Adhi Parashakti Temple, Jnana Jyothiamma and her entourage moved along the Girivalam path passing on the food to all those along the way. Finally, at Neer Annamalai, a man calls Jnana Jyothiamma over, asking if she wants to meet Ramalinga Adigal. On hearing the name Jnana Jyothiamma dashes towards him blindly and is led to Ramalinga Adigal's Temple. She is invited into Shiva's sannadhi and then taken over to Ramalinga Adigal's sannadhi. Here Jnana Jyothiamma is given a beautiful darshan and hears Ramalinga Adigal mention, that the Annadhanam was received and the wish fulfilled! Ramalinga Adigal who had advocated feeding the masses all his life and where that great endeavor is still carried out at the Sathya Dharma Salai at Vadalur even today had graciously accepted and blessed our undertaking!
When Jnana Jyothiamma joined my family and me upon, our arrival at Trichy later that day, she brought us some of the food they had served that morning. The next morning we had planned to climb up to Uchipillaiyaar Temple on Rock Fort but decided to go to Thiruvanaikaaval Temple instead. We had a beautiful darshan at Dhakshanamurthy's samadhi again.
En route to Kallar, we stopped at Sivanmalai Temple at Kangeyam where we were treated with another beautiful darshan. We had more darshans at Tavayogi's peedham and later in the hills of Kallar too thanks to Tavayogi, Prabhakaran, Silambarasan, and Kartik. After coming down from the hills, Tavayogi had initially planned to take us to Uthiyur Hills to have a darshan of Konganar in his caves, but Tavayogi instead took up the offer made by a Seth to bring us to the Nattadresswarar Temple in Kangayampalaiyam. Here we had yet another beautiful darshan thanks to Tavayogi and Seth.
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| Jnana Jyothiamma with my wife climbing the stairs to Shivanmalai Temple |
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| Left to Right : Kartik, Simbu, Agathiyar, me, Prabha and Agatheeswari sit precariously on a ledge at the Mulasthaanam in the jungles of Kallar |
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| On the banks of the Kaveri river. The Nattadreeswarar Temple is in the background on an 'island' in the middle of Kaveri |
These events bring me back to the days when I was in the presence of Supramania Swami and Tavayogi. I remember the day Supramania Swami made his guru Yogi Ramsuratkumar who had gone into samadhi join us in chanting his (the Guru) name. I also remember clearly the day Supramania Swami came to my home in Malaysia after he had gone into samadhi performing the same feat as his guru, the Yogi, did.
I remember the days where I followed closely behind Tavayogi, least I should lose him, on the way through the jungles of Courtallam. I remember the cold nights we had spent together in these caves. I remember the day when Agathiyar opened his left eye in the granite statue of his at the Agneepureeswarar Temple in Agasthiyampalli, Vedaranyam after Tavayogi passes me his shawl to lay on the floor of the temple. I remember the day Konganar blessed us with the sacred ash in his caves at Uthiyur near Kangeyam. I remember the beautiful moments when I tried to keep up with him on the path to the ashrams in Ooty, the temples in the hills of Coimbatore, the caves at Kangeyam and Courtallam, and the long journeys we made to Palani and Vedaranyam. I was shown many darshans. I knew then who Tavayogi was. All these darshans were only possible because of Tavayogi's presence and he accompanying me.
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| The author at Agasthiyampalli |
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| Tavayogi at Agasthiyampalli |
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| With Karuvurar at the Breehadeshwarar Temple, Tanjore |
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| At the entrance to Punakeeswarar's Cave at Chennimalai near Kangeyam |
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| Tavayogi at the entrance to the cave he occupied at Uthiyur |
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| Tavayogi squeezing his way through an opening to Konganar's Cave at Uthiyur |
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| Inside Konganar's Cave at Uthiyur |
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| Agathiyar Temple at Courtallam |
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| At Agathiyar's Temple at Kalyana Theertam. |
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| Outside Konganar's Cave at Uthiyur |
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| Inside Agathiyar's Cave at Courtallam |
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| Inside Agathiyar's Cave at Courtallam |
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| Inside Dhakshanamurthy's Cave at Courtallam |
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| Inside Dhakshanamurthy's Cave at Courtallam |
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| The author with Tavayogi inside Ramalinga Adigal's Cave at Courtallam |
Coming back to Malaysia, I did not need any further convincing or miracle to take place. I was fully rooted in their path. But yet Agathiyar chose to show more miracles in Malaysia.
Again we got to see even greater miracles and the workings of the Sidhas through their beloved child Jnana Jyothiamma. I have been following her spiritual advancement closely and she has shared many moments with me. I believe we are witnessing a saint in the making and I am happy to be associated closely with her. Her wish to know more about Agathiyar brought her to Tavayogi only to be sent away back to her home in the USA after Agathiyar blesses her with his initiation or teecha. After a year and a half she is back in India, visiting Tavayogi again, spending time in the ashrams around Karamadai, Kothaiyar, the Pothigai Hills, Kalyana Theertam, Papanasam and Tiruvanamalai She visits many temples including the many famed temples in Coimbatore, Ambasamudram, Palani, and Tiruvannamalai too where she is given darshan. The miracle that made us all take notice of her was the one Agathiyar showed at Kalyana Theertam. Then the Jhoti materializes again at Ramalinga Adigal sannadhi in Tiruvannamalai. We thought the Jhoti started following her in Kalyana Theertam, but more recently Dr. Ram points out that the Jhoti was with her ever since even in the days she stayed in the USA. She is a gifted child, one very dear to Agathiyar. My family and I are gifted to make her acquaintance.
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| Jnana Jyothiamma performing Abhisegam to Agathiyar |
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| Jnana Jyothiamma performing Arti to Agathiyar at the author's home |
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| At the Scotts Road Kandasamy Temple |
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| At the Karpaga Vinayagar Temple |
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| Agathiyar at the Karpaga Vinayagar Temple in Brickfields |
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| Agathiyar at the author's home |
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| Mayuranathar Temple |
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| Paamban Swamigal flanked by Arunagirinathar on his right and Agathiyar on his left amongst the bronze statues of other deities at the Mayuranathar Temple in Dengkil |
I am glad to be of service to this soul or Atma. One day with the grace of Agathiyar she would turn out to be a great Guru, which she would fit in perfectly. Then I might not be permitted near her by her disciples as did happen to Supramania Swami. When the great Yogi Ramsuratkumar was nearing his end, Supramania Swami had to wait it out with the others in the open. The Yogi's aids did not allow him in. But the Yogi called for Supramania Swami and passed away in the presence of his disciple, Supramania Swami. I am equally blessed to know Tavayogi too and have this close proximity. When he goes into samadhi, as he is always seeking, I might not be around or allowed near him too.
I have returned to Malaysia satisfied and fulfilled too (again). I have Agathiyar with us in the form of a bronze idol made to specific specifications by Agathiyar himself. He is in the form of meditation or tavam, a replica of his form in Agasthiyampalli. He was created and brought in to be installed in the Sri Raghavendra Mritiga Brindavanam in Ipoh, but there was a change in their (Sidhas) plans, which only the Sidhas can explain.
Although a friend of mine had taken up the task to install Agathiyar in the said Brindavanam, surprisingly the rigid specifications that Agathiyar had spelled out earlier to me were not mentioned to her.
Even before Agathiyar came to my home in the form of the bronze statue Tavayogi had started us off with performing the homam or lighting of the sacrificial fire. I bought the Homa Kundam (a copper vessel to hold the fire) in Klang. Then I wanted to get a pair of Pathugai or Patharatchagai or a replica of the footwear of Siddhas. I purchased it in Leboh Ampang. Later Tavayogi instructed me to get the Vaasikol (the stick to aid switching the breath by Siddhas) which I purchased in Klang. On my recent visit to Kallar, I was blessed to receive both a pair of Pathugai and Vaasikol made from the Stala Vrusham at the Sri Agathiyar Sri Thava Murugar Gnana Peedham known as Nunaa Maram or tree; these Tavayogi gifts me.
"A Sthala Vriksha or Sthala Vruksham (Tamil:ஸ்தல வ்ருக்ஷம்), is a monumental tree that is indigenous to every historical Hindu temple. This forms a prominent feature of Koils, Hindu temples of the Dravidian style. Besides the dominant feature of a temple's architecture comprising the Gopuram, Vimanam and the sanctum, the temple tree is also considered holy. Some of the temples and historical places derive their names from such trees." Source: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
During our stay at Kallar, Tavayogi gave my family and me the privilege to sing the praise of Agathiyar and the Siddhas for two consecutive days. It was an honor indeed to be called upon to lead the bhajan at the ashram. I am indebted to Agathiyar for being with us every moment of our lives, guiding us, guarding us, showering gifts, and grooming us into a better person. I patiently await his next task for me to perform.
