One of my relatives, a Professor at a local university, after hearing that I was into the worship of Agathiyar immediately asked me to comment and confirm certain things that he had read about Agathiyar. I replied to him sincerely that I did not know Agathiyar! I did not know if he was short or tall; if he was fair or dark etc. All we have of him is somebody else's vision, somebody else's picturisation of him and somebody else's story about him. I needed to see him for myself; I have to have my own experience with him and finally my own story to tell. I added that although I did not know a single thing about Agathiyar, but I have realised his presence; I sense when he is around us; I have seen him perform miracles. That is the simple truth. That is the only truth I know. So how was I to speak about him?
Similarly a friend wanted me to write about Agathiyar for his publication. I told him that if I agreed to write then it would be another compilation of material that is already available in the books and on the net. This was what I came across too when I began my search on any possible material about Agathiyar and the Siddhas. As I was hungry for knowledge on the worship of Agathiyar and the Siddhas, it was rather disappointing that all the sites carried the same text on them. Seeing the lack of information available, for a start I took it upon myself to compile whatever hymns on the Siddhas for my personal rendition during my prayers.
Similarly a friend wanted me to write about Agathiyar for his publication. I told him that if I agreed to write then it would be another compilation of material that is already available in the books and on the net. This was what I came across too when I began my search on any possible material about Agathiyar and the Siddhas. As I was hungry for knowledge on the worship of Agathiyar and the Siddhas, it was rather disappointing that all the sites carried the same text on them. Seeing the lack of information available, for a start I took it upon myself to compile whatever hymns on the Siddhas for my personal rendition during my prayers.
For the same reason I never drew Agathiyar. I used to draw well having drawn portraits of my parents, my children, Tavayogi, film stars, dancers etc. I told Agathiyar that if I were to draw him it would still be based on the already existing pictures, paintings, sculptures and statues of him. If my art was to be authentic he should show himself, only then I could draw him as he is. He has yet to show himself.
Agathiyar has reminded me in the Nadi that he takes any form in which we would like to see him. He says he is in the Universe and the Universe is in him. He has proven beyond doubt that this is so when he took manifestations in various forms in the bronze figurine of his at AVM, presenting himself in innumerable number of forms of deities to the eyes of the many beholders and devotees. Similarly he has taken several manifestations in the physical form and met his devotees often without revealing his identity at that moment. He only revealed his presence later, mentioning these incidents in his Nadi readings. "Ayya" too has attested to Agathiyar's Divine Play or Leela. Amazing.
Agathiyar has shown so many instances of his presence. He has appeared on numerous counts during our recent pilgrimage to India. At the very first destination itself, Sri Rangam temple in Trichy, he came as a lady and held out his hands towards us. At Bhoganathar's Sannadhi at Palani he sat together with us, again as a lady, to hear us sing the Siddhar Potri. At Palamuthircholai Dyalen comes out of meditation to reveal that Vaalai came to bless us as we sang the Siddhar Potri. At Konganar's cave in Uthiyur, Agathiyar comes with Konganar as a gentle drift to bless all. At his home ground in Adhi Kumbeswarar Temple in Kumbakonam again he appears as a gust of wind and causes the buntings and dust to swirl up.
Agathiyar has shown so many instances of his presence. He has appeared on numerous counts during our recent pilgrimage to India. At the very first destination itself, Sri Rangam temple in Trichy, he came as a lady and held out his hands towards us. At Bhoganathar's Sannadhi at Palani he sat together with us, again as a lady, to hear us sing the Siddhar Potri. At Palamuthircholai Dyalen comes out of meditation to reveal that Vaalai came to bless us as we sang the Siddhar Potri. At Konganar's cave in Uthiyur, Agathiyar comes with Konganar as a gentle drift to bless all. At his home ground in Adhi Kumbeswarar Temple in Kumbakonam again he appears as a gust of wind and causes the buntings and dust to swirl up.
When a dear friend's mother was hospitalised and the doctor's were on the verge of letting her go, he prayed so hard that Father should spare her, that Agathiyar came again but as a strong surge of wind and blew the curtains and several other things away inside the hospital ward! She survived the very next minute. When my daughter was warded in the general hospital for dengue, he came with Thirumular to heal her, raising her platelet count which he specifically mentioned in a Nadi reading for Surendaran Selvaratnam in Kallar later. I have no idea here as to how and in what form they came.
It's amazing how Agathiyar held our hands and has taken us on this remarkable and amazing journey one step at a time without any hurry or urgency. He had instructed me to worship Lord Ganapathy, Lord Shiva, the Siddhas and him in the very first Nadi reading for me way back in 2002. Even before this initial reading, Agathiyar through Gopal Pillai who in turn came on a medium, passed Lord Vishnu's mantra meant for me, in 2001. This mantra was conveyed to me by my nephew following which after a few days, a painting of Lord Dhakshanamurthy was delivered by him to be kept and worshipped at my altar. Prayers to Goddess Dewi followed during this period of Navarathri celebrations - all courtesy and with the blessings of Agathiyar which I only came to know of after a couple of years later when my nephew decided to reveal its source. Amazing.
When I finally went over to India in 2003 to fulfill my atonement or parikaram, I met my very first guru in physical form - Supramania Swami of Thiruvannamalai. He gave me a mantra as a parting gift. It was a Shiva mantra. Two years later I met Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal of Kallar ashram in Malaysia. He initiated my wife and me into the path of the Siddhas with Agathiyar's mantra.
As I was asked to come in for a Nadi reading each time there was a message from the Divine Father, Agathiyar gave me more mantras to chant and contemplate on including his Moola Mantra "Aum Srim Aum Sathguru Pathame ...", the Arutperunjhothi Maha Mantra and the very name Muruga as a mantra too.
In a recent Nadi reading for Surendaran Selvaratnam in Chennai, Agathiyar has instructed us to include hymns for Vaalai Thaai too during our prayers. It is amazing that he has brought us to the worship of Vaalai too. All this is only possible through our Father the most compassionate Agathiyar.