1994
I never dreamed that my life would change tremendously. I received Yogananda Paramhansa's "Autobiography of a Yogi" from my colleague Sekaran and a picture of Lord Shiva when he resigned and left to join as a monk in Yogananda's ashram in Ranchi, India. The book opened up a new world to me, the world of sadhus and holy man.
2001
I was minding my business as usual when my nephew dropped in with the Vasudeva mantra and a picture of Lord Dhakshanamurthy. Worship of Lord Dhakshanamurthy and the chanting of the Vasudeva mantra was to prepare me to meet my guru, I was told. All these was a mystery.
2002
My colleague Murali started to talk about the Nadi. It was something new and truly amazing. It reminded me of Dr Krishnan who had told me that his prediction might not come true if there was a curse and that the only way to find out was go for a Nadi reading. These were all totally new and sounded alien to me. Murali arranged to have me read my Nadi. It was amazing and mind boggling. I followed every word said. The Nadi reader started me with off with the puja and worship of the Siddhas. I was brought to the worship of the Siddhas, whom I had no knowledge about.
2003
Agathiyar drove me to make my very first trip overseas and to India, to carry out my remedies or parikaram. He made me meet my very first Guru in the physical form, Supramania Swami of Tiruvannamalai. Supramania Swami constantly reminded me to sit in Tavam, initiating me into mantras and chants. All these were new and sounded exciting. Agathiyar made me contribute towards building a temple through Supramania Swami which was halted by them too.
2005
Agathiyar brought me to yet another guru Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal of Kallar Ashram. Agathiyar gave me my first experience of life in an ashram. Both Agathiyar and Tavayogi brought me on a journey to places associated with Agathiyar and the Siddhas; caves and hills; jungles and rivers, my first excursion into the wild.
Back home now, equipped with Agathiyar's picture, the Siddhar Potri, and the Homa Kundam I began my puja, worship and homam for the Siddhas. Tavayogi guided me, giving a set of asanas and pranayama practices and threw in several mantras over the years. My home became a temple and I ended up becoming a priest, a profession that I neglected in one of my past lives.
2010
Agathiyar came in the form of a statue and started me on performing libation for him. Over the years, I began to realize the truth in the statements and remarks that Tavayogi used to make as we went on more trips or as we sat and while away the time at the ashram. When his daughter questioned the need for him to leave the family and become a monk, Agathiyar tells her that they wanted him to do service to humanity. Hence Agathiyar instructed him to Agathiyar Vanam in the Kallar hills and set up an ashram; feed the natives in the area; and make numerous trips to Malaysia to preach about the Siddhas in the footsteps of his guru Chitramuthu Adigal and Paramaguru Jeganatha Swamigal. When I asked him why he wanted to engage in building a temple, he told me it was for the devotees of Agathiyar. When I asked him why he was doing the Yagna or Yagam, he told me it was to save nature and mankind from natural disasters, fires, floods and famine; to prevent bad fortune and ill health among people, and to subdue curses and karma of theirs. He made me follow all these rituals and activities in Malaysia too. Thus I was brought further into the fold of the Siddhas. AVM practically became a shadow ashram of Kallar.
2013
Agathiyar soon brought many seekers and devotees of his from past lives to my home, Agathiyar Vanam Malaysia (AVM), a name I took from my thaai veedu Kallar Ashram. He provided an opportunity for his devotees to serve and worship him, carry out rituals and sing his praise.
Present
Today after 16 years of worship to the Siddhas, Lord Muruga acknowledged our dedication and promoted our home to the status of Agathiyar Tapovanam Malaysia (ATM) while Agathiyar regarded it as Gnana Kottam.
When I succumbed to a sudden back pain in 2011, Agathiyar asked me to stop all forms of yogic practices immediately. When the energies could not be contained any further both in us and the home, I thought I should tone down on our worship. Slowly we began to reduce the duration of the worship. Recently when Lord Muruga crippled me with back pain and told me to start going within, I thought I should stop doing rituals entirely. When I thought that I shall replace existing rituals with meditation devotees of Agathiyar asked to carry on with the rituals for they said they needed it. Similarly when I had on numerous occasions thought of winding up my writings and stop blogging, I would receive a mail telling me how the readers have benefited from my writings. This kept me writing.
Just days ago I was told to continue what I was doing and only stop when they tell me to do so. Looks like I am here to stay and bore you readers. Looks like the rituals will continue too.
If I was amazed at the constant monitoring from my gurus in the physical form over the years, I was equally amazed and overjoyed by the constant guidance of Agathiyar through the Nadi, 54 readings to date and numerous readings for AVM through members of the AVM family. I felt so blessed that I could only thank him and show my gratitude by being obedient and listening and following his commands.
Lord Muruga's latest assignment for us is to build a temple for him. As is a massive task and a costly one I chose to remain silent not committing. But he was not to give up on me so easily. He sent Agathiyar to talk me into it too.
Pondering our it all this while, today I am prepared to do it. He has to start and complete it for me.