Dr Janartana was first introduced to me by Mr and Mrs Balachander when they happened to cross paths at the airport. Since then the dear doctor has dropped in at AVM often. He has given much of his time in the devotion and service to Agathiyar. He has adviced us well each time we consult him for further clarifications regarding our ailments and medications.
He then took to serving fellow mankind by joining up with fellow doctors in conducting medical camps. He has pioneered several medical camps bringing us along too. Finally, he took upon himself to go down to the ground and feed the desolate and homeless too. He reminds us of Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh who served as a medical doctor in then Malaya before becoming a monk.
Besides being a medical doctor who attends to his patients, he is a multi-talented person. He has composed several musical pieces for my YouTube videos too as in the opening sequence of his interview below.
He has lent his voice to our in-house album in collaboration with Raagawave Production, Agathiyar Geetham.
Besides being a medical doctor who attends to his patients, he is a multi-talented person. He has composed several musical pieces for my YouTube videos too as in the opening sequence of his interview below.
Siddha Heartbeat is proud to bring his travels to India and the accompanying mystical happenings that surrounded his travels, penned in his own words.
I shall give way to him now.
I had been to South India since 2008. This trip is the 7th time I set foot in Chola Mandala Desam (Tamil Nadu) but this is my first trip to Tiruvannamalai. A trip and mystical experience that has redefined me.
I
Thana Anna had attonements to be done at Tiruvannamalai. Performing Girivalam was one of the main ones. We arrived one day earlier to the receiving of Janagiraman Sadhu from Vallalar Mission, Tiruvannamalai. He was very hospitable preparing a comfortable place to stay and warm food to eat after our long exhausting drive. Thana Anna decided to start Girivalam 4.30am the following dawn. I joined him as well.
We stayed at a homestay 100 meters away from Varuna Lingam. We planned to start Girivalam at Annamalayar Temple. At 4.30am, the roads were brightly lit and clean. The cold wind blowing at our direction, indeed a blessing from Vayu Bhagawan. The feeling of fresh air on my face, fresh smell of the trees and plants completely got myself immersed into the roots of God’s creation. Instantly I felt very far away from the cosmopolitan existence back home. I felt a strong sense of belonging here.
We couldn’t get an Auto to Annamalayar temple, hence decided to start Girivalam from Varuna Lingam shrine. We started walking, enjoying the ambience. Tea stall owners were boiling milk to start their business. Slowly one by one sadhus in slumberland by the streets started waking up to reality. Most were still attaining moksha in deep sleep on the street pavement.
We arrived at Annamalayar temple about ½ hour later. This was Thana Anna’s first trip to Tiruvannamalai in this life as well, though he was born here in his previous one. Peddlers and beggars were freshening up to start the day. They were cleaning their slate. The view of the huge Gopuram from outside left us amazed. We entered the East Gopuram (Raja Gopuram). The day was getting bright, the temple was less crowded. We first prostrated Muruga, the exact place he appeared to Arunagirinathar before walking further to visit Shiva and Amma.
We decided to follow the free darshan row since there weren’t many around. As we walked towards the row, a well dressed gentleman called upon us. He gestured to follow him instead. He was decently dressed and appeared to look like an educated man from a middle class family. I asked him where was he taking us, to which he didn’t reply. He kept gesturing us to follow him without saying a word throughout. We followed him in curiosity. He took us into the Shiva’s sannidhi. The energy was tremendous. It was peaceful. Sadhus clad in Kaavi Veshti (Saffron Dhoti) with stripes of Vibuthi over their forehead, thick malas around their neck were there seated lost in deep meditation. I wondered, could Khailash in the presence of Shiva emulate the same ambience? The image of Dakshinamurthy seated below a tree with 4 saints at his foot came to my mind. I don’t know why that image appeared, but I could certainly relate to the divine energy present there. One of the 4 saints at the foot of Dakshinamurthy is Janathanar. I don’t know if it is connected to my soul in any way.
As we walked further following the gentleman, he surprisingly brought us to the main platform before Shiva. This was way beyond the free darshan platform. Thana Anna and I were shocked. We looked at each other in awe. We both understood what we wanted to say even though no words could come out.
II
Annamalayane…!! Annamalayane….!! He was brimming with love and compassion. My heart began to melt receiving his love. My chest was getting heavy. The energy was very intense. Tears were welling up. Shiva in the form of Lingam with jothis all around was so magnetic and powerful. I wish I could just take him back home with me. I was lost. No matter how hard I try, no words could best describe the feeling standing before him. The priest was kind enough to let us both stand there and further melt our hearts with Shiva’s love and compassion. In relieve to our heavy hearts, tears kept flowing unconditionally.
We got down from the platform, I asked Thana Anna, ‘Yenna Anna nadakethe? Yeneke unnume puriyale’. ( What’s happening Anna? I cant comprehend what just happened). He answered my question with a child-like smile, less did we realise another big wave was coming in shortly.
As we walked out from Shivan’s sanidhi heading to Amma’s sannidhi, I bumped into a very saintly looking elderly gentleman. He was wearing a white jippa and white veshti. He had a deep curved spine which resulted being a hunchback. He was sitting at the corridor of Shivan’s sannidhi before the exit. There was something about him. His appearance was very compelling. I looked at him. He looked at me back. His eyes were divinely magnetic. It was sharp and penetrating. I smiled at him and he returned a very delightful smile and nod. I gestured Thana Anna to look at him. We approached him and fell at his feet. He compassionately blessed us. There is something unusual about him and his presence. My heartbeat was getting faster.
He slowly stood up and picked his cute little walking stick. It appeared to be tailor made for him. The height of the walking stick covered the short distance between his palm and the floor. ‘Yenkude vange’ (Come with me), he gently ushered us to follow him. We followed him slowly. Small baby steps. I was getting more curious about this person. So many questions started building up in my mind. Who is he? Where does he live? How could he have came into this huge temple complex without any assistance? How is he going to go back? Should we call an Auto for him? So many question started piling up in my monkey mind.
As we were walking out, we bumped into a passer by who greeted this gentleman. I looked at the passer by as he walked pass and asked him softly. 'Aiya, intha periyavar yaaru?' He said, 'Ivaru periya Sivan Adiyar. Rombe kaalama intha kovilke varuvaru.' (The elder gentleman was a staunch devotee of Shiva and he visited the temple quite often) 'Ah, appadiya. Seri aiya. Rombe nandri.' I replied. Thana Anna was looking at me restless understood my curiosity.
The gentleman paused for a moment, and said ‘Ambal sannidhike pogum munne, kovil pragaratha suthi varanum. Vange.’ (Before going to Amma’s Shrine we should circumambulate along the temple courtyard first). Lucky thing, presence of mind struck in. I wanted to capture him. I reached my pocket to grab my phone. I didn’t want to miss taking a photo of him or with him. I took few brisk steps ahead to take a snap of him. He immediately stopped walking. He said, ‘Kovil-le methuva nadakanum. Ippadi oda kudathe. Unga vegathiku naan vara mudiyathe. Neenge muthal Ambal Sannathiku ponge. Na methuva varen.’ (You shouldn’t run in temples. Walk slowly. I cant keep up to your speed.) His tone was soft, yet words were straight and sharp. Thana Anna replied, ‘llai Aiya. Naanga unga kude varom. Manichirunge.’
I kept quiet. I was getting even anxious. I wanted to know who he was so badly. His divine appearance were very compelling. I was not prepared to leave without an answer. I tried starting little conversation with him. I asked where he stayed. How does he come to the temple everyday, to which he replied silence. Not a single word or gesture from him. I didn’t push any further. We just followed him leaving him to take us where he pleased.
There is a big Mandabam (open hall) at the temple courtyard between Shiva’s sannidhi and Amma’s Sannidhi. It was a large platform with a small shrine below. We arrived there. Aiya, pointed at the mandabam and instructed us both to fall and pray. As we got on the ground, The small shrine at the base of he platform was more visible with the sign, Arunagirinathar Mandabam.
Ah, here we are… Arunagirinathaaa… You were blessed here by the ever merciful and compassionate Murugaa. You were given Nyanam (Wisdom) by HIM. Yengelayum Nyana paathaiyil kutikitte po Arunagirinathaa… Nee petra inbam, naangalum peranum. We stood up, and the gentleman was right in front pointing his walking stick to us. He started walking and we followed. He took a few steps forward and stopped. He started saying something softly. ‘Neenge Ambal Sannadhiku ponge. Na onnuke poitu varen.’ (Start walking to Amma’s shrine. I need to take a leak and will join u later). ‘Seri Aiya.’ We replied.
He started walking towards a huge tree behind the mandabam. We headed to Amma’s shrine. I took about 5 steps and suddenly I felt something wasn’t right. I wondered, how is this aiya going to manage alone. Shouldn’t we help him out, at least follow him to the nearest toilet. I immediately turned around to ask him if we can assist him.
III
I felt a strong jolt at my chest. I was speechless. I couldn’t utter anything. I was literally paralysed. My heart was racing. I looked at Thana Anna and he was stunned as I was. Aiya was missing. He was not there or anywhere visible at the open courtyard. He walked with a walking stick and coudn’t have gone faster than us. We just took 5 steps forward and turned. How could he have disappeared?
Arunagirinathaa….Arunagirinatha….It was you.. I know…. I broke down! I couldn’t take the mixed emotion of pain and pleasure any longer. Arunagirinathar appeared. I finally got my answer of who the Aiya was. Why couldn’t have you taken me along with you, Arunagirinatha!!!! You were compassionate enough to appear, what stopped you from taking me along with you?
I stood there long enough to reconfirm what happened. I couldn’t believe it. I kept thinking of other possibilities logically. Humans are constantly battling with the left logical brain and right emotional brain. Divine incidents like this are always probed by the left logical brain, literally creating more doubts rather than beautifully accepting what happen as a blessing. I was almost caught in the tug-of-war between the left and right brain, that I immediately dismissed. Compassion and love is something that we feel from inside.
We walked towards Amma, prayed to her and continued Girivalam in a state of shock. Even at this moment, penning out this incident, I re-live each and everything that happened that day. The same feeling, the tears and the yearnings..
To be cont………