Following in the footsteps of my parents and ancestors, I was praying to the popular forms of the deities in the Hindu pantheon of Gods and Goddesses in my bachelor home and visiting their temples before there was a long period of abstinence and hibernation forced on me, asking me to take a break, through a vision and message from Lord Siva in a dream. I did as told.
After 14 years I am brought back on the track through a mysterious initiation that came from Agathiyar, although I did not know of the source then, through his network of saints and finally reached me through a transmission of a Vasudeva mantra by my nephew in my home. Following the delivery of the mantra, came a painting of Lord Dhakshanamurthy and instructions to observe the Navarathri prayers that was around the corner. I did as told.
The following year in 2002, I am brought to a Nadi reading. The subject was brought up mysteriously by my colleague and an appointment fixed. Agathiyar spoke about my present, my past and the future. He gave me a long list of chores to do. I did as told.
Agathiyar called me to his path. I took up the call. But what was it all about? Who are the Siddhas? What is this mysterious Nadi that could peek into the past and map out a person's future? Before these questions could crop up in my mind, Agathiyar who called me to the path showed me the means and the way too. I learned that the Siddha puja is one of reciting the names of the Siddhas, while sitting with Nadi Guru to pay homage to the Nadi that was read to me. I received a painting of Agathiyar from Sivabalan who housed the reader in Malaysia. Armed with a picture and a long list of names I began reciting the Siddha names and placing flower petals at Agathiyar's feet. A year later he showed me to my very first guru in the physical form, Supramania Swami of Tiruvannamalai. Swami showed me to the discipleship to a guru, having had 5 gurus himself. Swami would pass on certain practices over the phone throughout the 3 years I got to know him, before his samadhi. I did as told.
So what was all this about the Siddhas? I began to seek out organizations close to my home that were registered under Agathiyar's name. I arrived at the local chapter of Thavathiru Rengaraja Desigar's Ongarakudil. Anbarasan handed me literature and VCD's of talks by the Swami. I followed these talks and did as told.
Three years after coming to the path, Agathiyar shows me Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal. I meet him in Malaysia and soon see myself going over to his ashram in Kallar a month after his return to India. Agathiyar wanted me to spend several days at the ashram. I had my very first exposure to ashram life then. I carried out my very first annadhanam or feeding the hungry at his ashram. Tavayogi volunteered to take me to the abodes of the Siddhas in the jungles and caves beside those in prominent temples and also hidden in other hidden places. I learned from him many things by just observing him. Occasionally he would say a thing or two that I did as told. I realized since then that the path of the Siddhas is not for someone who talks the talk but instead is actually of walking the walk, getting on the ground, soiling the hands and feet, toiling, on an external journey first before embarking on an inner journey. These days Agathiyar comes and has me sit beside him, to learn how he handles mankind and their problems. I did as told.
Looking back, the majority who came to know about the Siddhas, would ask for or purchase a painting of the Siddhas and place it at their altars with the existing pictures of the deities and raise their hands in prayers. Very few took the time to recite the names of the Siddhas. Even less are those who took up the ritual of performing the homam or lighting the fire pit in their homes. They rather preferred to attend to these rituals in other venues. Only a handful came back, again and again, to carry out the activities lined up including the dispensing of charity. Many were hibernating or silent. In a timely manner, he broke the group too.
It was he who sent many to my home that I named Agathiyar Vanam for ease of sending locations, to aspirants and seekers whom he sent over to know, see and learn the worship of the Siddhas. The rituals soon were carried out in temples too with the support and encouragement of the Siddhas, Tavayogi and the temple managements. Agathiyar Vanam branched out as Amudha Surabhi to serve food, distribute groceries and extend aid to the unfortunate. Seeing our dedication towards these causes, Lord Muruga blessed us with a new identification, Agathiyar Tapovanam Malaysia that came to be known as Agathiyar Kudumbam before Agathiyar broke it up. He used me as his tool. I did as told. He did share the reasons for doing so.
It was he who sent many to my home that I named Agathiyar Vanam for ease of sending locations, to aspirants and seekers whom he sent over to know, see and learn the worship of the Siddhas. The rituals soon were carried out in temples too with the support and encouragement of the Siddhas, Tavayogi and the temple managements. Agathiyar Vanam branched out as Amudha Surabhi to serve food, distribute groceries and extend aid to the unfortunate. Seeing our dedication towards these causes, Lord Muruga blessed us with a new identification, Agathiyar Tapovanam Malaysia that came to be known as Agathiyar Kudumbam before Agathiyar broke it up. He used me as his tool. I did as told. He did share the reasons for doing so.
The Siddha path is not for the masses says Agathiyar. It is not the path of devotion or Bhakti but that of Gnana. A new journey has to begin, a journey of travel within. He has mooted me to start a new group Gnanakottam, a name he called my home when he began to frequent the place and sit in meditation. He has brought us to revisit the Asanas and Pranayama techniques taught by Tavayogi. For this purpose, Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal have come to guide us together with our gurus and other Siddhas in the subtle form. He enlightens us on the inner journey and comes back to check on us if we are doing it. Only a handful have shown interest in this phase of the journey, something he had pointed out too to us. Gnanakottam shall cater only for those keen in Yogam, as instructed by Agathiyar, having moved away from Sariyai and Kriyai.
We have seen a gradual transition take place in us as Agathiyar brought us through the 4 steps on this path. As we stand at the gate to Yogam and Gnanam, we are yet to gain another form of experience and learning from this journey within, after having gained numerous lessons from the experiences as we traveled on the external road in the footsteps of the Siddhas. The Siddhas want us to engage directly rather than be spectators. If we could gain equal benefits from serving others and conducting rituals by being mere bystanders or spectators, in Yogam and Gnanam one has no other choice than to practice the postures and techniques to enter the next phase of his/her spiritual life.
We have seen a gradual transition take place in us as Agathiyar brought us through the 4 steps on this path. As we stand at the gate to Yogam and Gnanam, we are yet to gain another form of experience and learning from this journey within, after having gained numerous lessons from the experiences as we traveled on the external road in the footsteps of the Siddhas. The Siddhas want us to engage directly rather than be spectators. If we could gain equal benefits from serving others and conducting rituals by being mere bystanders or spectators, in Yogam and Gnanam one has no other choice than to practice the postures and techniques to enter the next phase of his/her spiritual life.