When Tavayogi was in Malaysia in June of last year, my wife and I spent some private moments with him at Sri & Srimathi Balachander Aiya's home where he was staying. That is when I asked him what was our next course of action, for me, us and AVM. As he was our guru I expected him to say something towards that but he surprised me by saying, "Naan yenna magane direction kaaturathu, athaan Agathiyar ungalai direct seiyuraare", meaning "What am I to give direction my son, Agathiyar is already directing you!" with a broad smile in his own style. I realised that he was detached even from the act of guiding his disciple. If I was in his shoes I would have said a thing or two to my student and taken credit for it, but he passed that responsibility to Agathiyar. That was Tavayogi.
I came to Tavayogi after seeing an advert in the papers. He was in Malaysia to officiate a local chapter of his Agathiyar Gnana Peedham. Meanwhile he was going places accepting invitations to homes of devotees of Agathiyar. When I invited him over to my home for the very first time and he accepted, I was on cloud nine. My nephew and I fetched him from Batu Caves at 10.4am on 31 July 2005. We had gathered family and friends at my home. Tavayogi spoke a few words and I invited him to conduct a short puja which he did. Lunch was served and Tavayogi had to leave. As I accompanied him back to Batu Caves with my nephew at the wheel, I began to thank him for coming over. I asked him if he was pleased with us. He nodded his head and smiled. I told him that that was the very first time I had a holy man in my home. I was deeply grateful to him for coming over. Immediately he turned to me and said that I was living in Maya (Illusion). "You think I have something hidden beneath this kavi (his saffron-coloured clothing). I have nothing on me. Pray to Agathiyar." That shut me up. I was taken by surprise. I did not expect that answer in response to my gratitude. We remained quiet the rest of the way.
Initially I felt hurt at his response but today I can proudly say that he had done me a great favour. If he had not blasted me that day, I would have returned home and placed a large portrait of him in my living room and garlanded and worshipped him. What he taught me was to worship the spirit within him that is also within all of us immaterial what we want to call it or by whatever name we address it. He chose to call it Agathiyan.
He led us on the worship of Agathiyar and the Siddhas. He preached the Siddha path. He officiated many Peedhams for Agathiyar in Malaysia on the requests of devotees. He spoke about his guru Chitramuthu Adigal and his Paramaguru Jagannatha Swamigal, whom we were unaware of until then. Both these gurus, having arrived from India, had lived in Malaya, practising their tavam.
I took after his heels to his Kallar Ashram on 18 September 2005 when he invited me over. I had my very first experience of an Ashram life. He only had a small dwelling. There was no water nor electricity. We went down to the river flowing nearby to wash our clothes and take a bath. Latrine was in the outdoors under the open sky. Mataji who was then a housewife traveled to the ashram from her hometown to serve and cook for us. Since Agathiyar had asked me to visit several temples in the Gnana Kandam, Tavayogi volunteered to take me. Besides Agasthiyampalli and Agathiyar's sannadhi; Palani and Bhogar's sannadhi; that came in the Nadi, Tavayogi brought me to Sivanmalai and Sivavakiyar's cave; Uthiyur and Konganar's cave; Chennimalai and Pinnakeesar's cave; Thanjavur and Karuvurar's sannadhi; Saraswathi Mahal Library; the hills and caves of Kalyana Theertam and Kutrallam; Pavanasam and Kutralanathar; Marudamalai and Pambatti Siddhar's sannadhi and other ashrams in and around Ooty. It was a fulfilling journey getting to travel with the guru to all these spiritual places. I was blessed in a way because Tavayogi was fit and was able to travel the distance.
Each place he took me, a miracle happened. But he did not dwell into it ; neither did he allow me to dwell into it for more than a moment. He whisked me off saying that they will show (the miracles) only for a moment. These were out of the norm worldly experiences. He did not stay to explain these occurrences. If I did miss out something though, he would point it to me, asking me to observe. It was mystical in nature and beyond logic. Here was a city dweller who had no previous experience and knowledge about the Siddhas, taken on a magical walk through the kingdom of the Siddhas and shown amazing things and stuffs related to them. I learnt many things by just observing him. I am deeply grateful to Tavayogi for all these wonderful moments. I am deeply grateful to Agathiyar for making it all possible.
Tavayogi never approved adulation of him. He was down to earth and easily approachable. His only wish was to spread the word of the Siddhas. After extensive travels throughout India, upon leaving his family to become a turavi, he finally came to Kallar to go into samadhi. That was in 2002. He came to Malaysia in 2004 for the very first time on the direction of Agathiyar. After a short stay he returned in 2005 upon the invitation from devotees to officiate a branch of his Peedham in Batu Caves. He came again in 2007 as patron to the 1st World Conference of Siddha Philosophy held in Malaysia. He then came again several times with Mataji to spread the teachings of the Siddhas and officiate even more branches.
In 2002 after my very first Nadi reading, Nadi Nool Aasan Sentilkumar from Avinash passed me a leaflet announcing Thaaiveedu Thangarasan's intention to build a temple for Agathiyar in Kallar hills. Today his desire has been fulfilled. A beautiful ashram/ temple cum meditation hall and other facilities like lodging and dining stands on a 2 acre piece of land where Agathiyar had meditated many years ago. The beauty and ambience of the surrounding Nilgiri hills adds a picturistic flavor and a sense of tranquility bringing peace immediately upon arrival.
In 2002 after my very first Nadi reading, Nadi Nool Aasan Sentilkumar from Avinash passed me a leaflet announcing Thaaiveedu Thangarasan's intention to build a temple for Agathiyar in Kallar hills. Today his desire has been fulfilled. A beautiful ashram/ temple cum meditation hall and other facilities like lodging and dining stands on a 2 acre piece of land where Agathiyar had meditated many years ago. The beauty and ambience of the surrounding Nilgiri hills adds a picturistic flavor and a sense of tranquility bringing peace immediately upon arrival.
