Tuesday 30 October 2018

A MIRACULOUS JOURNEY

My mother used to tell me stories of Gods and Goddesses having walked the earth at some time in the very long past. But they decided to leave at one time. Then the animals could still see and communicate with them. The household pets would reveal these divine visitations to their owners, hence the Gods put a stop to animals talking. Now they bark and howl, snort, growl, screech, buzz, roar, boom, hiss, cluck, scream, squeak, chirp, caw, moo, pipe, bleat and bellow, click, bray, quack, screech, trumpet, bugle, dook, croak, honk, neigh, laugh, chuckle, chatter, bellow, whine, squawk, coo, trill, tweet, cry, gobble and sing.

Just as this world is full of mystery and wonder, the realm of the Siddhas too is equally fascinating. We are only getting to explore it a bit at a time.

When on opening the door to the prayer room of a couple who were staunch devotees of Agathiyar, Dr. Nanjan, a retired veterinarian, from Ooty saw the form of Agathiyar rise from the floor on which he had slept on, tied his long sprawling hair, took a glance at the Dr. and vanish! He narrated to me this miracle and sighting when he followed Tavayogi to Malaysia many years ago in 2007. I could only look at him with wide eyes and opened mouth, in disbelief!

In the later years Gnana Jhotiamma who visited AVM revealed that she saw the Siddhas walk in and out.

Today we are witness to the numerous mind blowing miracles in our own courtyard thanks to the grace and blessings of Erai and the Siddhas.

What started as a home puja of an individual soon turn to accommodate devotees sent by Agathiyar. The home became to be known as Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia (AVM) following the parent ashram or Thaai Veedu in Agathiyar Vanam Kallar, India. The Siddhas gave it names, Gnana Kottam, and Agathiyar Tapovanam later. We are grateful for these recognition and endorsements from the Siddhas. 

Soon the youngsters from AVM got together to start a team to chip in funds and serve in distributing cooked food, pastries, groceries, clothing and toiletries to the homes of the abandoned, unfortunate and poor, and to the homeless on the streets. 

AVM started a Whatsapp group Amudha Surabhi (AS) to keep its members informed of these activities and accept contributions towards these charitable activities. 

Then the move to register and legalize the team and its activities with the Registrar of Societies of Malaysia (ROS) was made. We took on a new name Persatuan Teman Setia (PTS) that went well with the ROS.

While PTS took the cue from Pothihai Tharmanyaana Chakkram (PTC), Thedal Ulla Thenikalaai (TUT) based in Chennai were driven to help alleviate hunger and poverty, following us. The youths, all geared up, have served the less fortunate well.

On a personal note although we have kept to the dictates of Agathiyar to feed and serve the poor, it brings sadness to me to see fellow humans go hungry and without a home and family. I do not rejoice at having to increase the quantity of food distributed, for it only means more are ending up on the pavement. My prayer is "Let there not be any single man on the street, dear Lord!", that there should not be even a single soul on the streets. Everyone deserves a roof over their heads, a job that brings them some income and food on their table. Would Agathiyar who has given us so much, also help take these poor souls off the street? 

Meanwhile we being the fortunate ones would continue to care for the unfortunate.