When Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal confirmed the date of the Kumbhabhisegam of his new Agathiyar temple/ meditation hall complex as on 16 December 2016 we at AVM began to book our flight tickets to India. Bala Chandran Gunasekaran and myself began to draw up the itinerary while Shanga Manickam coordinated the transport with the travel agency in Trichy.
All nine of us boarded the plane amidst many uncertainties: the political scenario in Tamilnadu after the demise of its Chief Minister; the demonetization of certain Indian currencies; the lethal weather predicted in certain parts of Tamilnadu and the efforts of certain quarters to sabotage the fests at Kallar.
Holding on to Agathiyar's words or Arul Vakku through a Nadi reading just before we left for India, we began the journey. True to his words Agathiyar held on and took our hands on our nine day journey throughout Tamilnadu and eventually led us to Kallar to participate in the four day festivity.
Based on our many previous experiences we pretty well understood that any itinerary that we drew up was only tentative as we knew Agathiyar would change our program eventually. However as we needed to have a schedule to move around we came up with the following:
Itinerary-Guru Poojai Vizha Yaathirai (11/12/2016 - 19/12/2016)
Arrival date : 11/12/2016
Trichy
1. Utchi Pillaiyar, Trichy
2. Sri Renggam, Trichy
3. Thiruvanaikaval - Shivan Panjabootha stalam (neer), Trichy
4. Thiruppatoor, Bhramapureeswarar temple. (Pathanjali Munivar Jeeva Samaathi) [37km from Trichy airport]
5. Temple near by Thiruppatoor ( Pulikaal Siddhas Jeeva samaathi ) [2km from Thiruppatoor]
Tanjavur
6. Tanjai Periya Kovil and Karuvurar Samadhi
Kumbakonam
7. Swamimalai murugan temple, Kumbakonam [from Trichy 101km] – evening
8. Thirukarukkaavor, Kumbakonam
9. Suriyanar temple, Kumbakonam ,
Halt near by Thirumanancheri temple 11/12/2016
12/12/2016
Thirumanacheri
10. Kalyanasundareswarar temple, Thiruvelvikudi, Thirumanancheri [33km from Swamimalai]
11. Vadakku Poigainallur - Korakkar Jeeva Samaathi [73km from Thirumanancheri]
Stay overnight at Korakkar Samaathi
13/12/2016
Vedharanyam
12. Vedharanyam temple
13. Agasthiyampalli, Agathiyar Appa Temple.
Madurai
14. Madurai Meenakshmi Amman Temple [247km from Korakkar samaathi]
15. Pazhamudhircholai, Madurai .
16. Palani Murugan Temple & Bhogar (will climb up in the evening) [118km from Madurai]
Halt at Palani
14/12/2016
Erode
17. Nattrateeswarar temple, Erode [118km from Palani]
Kovai
18. Sivanmalai Murugan Temple [46km from Nattrateeswarar temple]
19. Chennimalai Murugan Temple [20km from Sivanmalai]
20. Anuvaavi Agathiyar Ashramam, [110km from Chennimalai]
Halt at Kallar Agathiyar Ashramam
15/12/2016 - 18/12/2016
Kallar
17/12/2016 - Othimalai Murugan Temple .
21. Sri Agathiar Gnanapeedam, Kallar - Kudamuzhukku Vizha & Agathiyar Guru Poojai Vizha.
*Departure : 19/12/2016
(Will move from Kallar at 18/12/2016 night)*
Sure enough our plans did change!