What is the use of learning up about the Siddhas and writing on them if we do not attempt to become one? But sadly, we take it up as a hobby or an interest that stops with the letter. The Siddha path is a way of life that does not intrude into living a meaningful life on earth but in fact enhances the quality of life not with technology and comfort, but with a subtle transformation in what is commonly termed as body, mind and spirit or what we understood to be body (Udal), breath (Uyir) and Soul (Atma).
P.Karthigayan in his concise book of the "History of Medical and Spiritual Sciences of Siddhas of Tamil Nadu", Notion Press, 2016, covers many aspects of the Siddhas. He was born to a family of Siddha medicine practitioners. Just as Periyava told poet Kannadasan to write "Arthamulla Hindu Matham" it is apt for Karthigayan to delve into the subject and come out with this wonderful book. I wonder why I was brought to write. I took up a certificate course in civil engineering in college in 1977, not out of desire but since it was offered to me. Taking it up as an occupation I begun to like the field. In the nineties when I frequented astrologer and Siddha medicine practitioner Dr. Krishnan, he told me that I shall write some day. I guess it started on my maiden travel to India in 2002 where I began to take notes of the places I visited and the events that took place. I posted it on websites that were made available for free like https://indianheartbeat.wix.com/, http://www.indianheartbeat.fws1.com, http://www.indianheartbeat.20m.com, http://www.tavayogi.webs.com, http://www.wix.com/tavayogi/agathiyan, http://sidha-heartbeat.webnode.com. Over the years as I wanted to include videos on these websites it needed a bit of knowledge on HTML and was time consuming. I opted to blog instead that had all the tools laid out for me. Hence Siddha Heartbeat came to be. I had a YouTube channel too to visually accompany the blog. I had written several books that are available online for download. Then Agathiyar came along to pep up my spirits asking me to continue writing. In 2022 he asked that I share the transformations taking place within me as I practiced the Siddha path.
As P.Karthigayan writes that the time of the Siddha cult in history can be posted back to the Kredha Yugam dating 3.9 million years ago, that was the time Siva stood as the mentor of all Siddhas, it is no surprise that much of the teachings could have been lost over time and the path eroded. Much could have been added on much later and corrupted the original teachings. Though Siddhantham is the filtered truth that has been sieved out from the huge pile of jargon out there, we have to walk numerous paths and take numerous births to arrive at the truth. Without knowing the dark we would never recognize the light. Upon knowing both we should then wade across the turbid waters and reach for the beacon that brings us to safety. Taking my hand Agathiyar has brought me to his path and way. I am humbled that he has given me an opportunity to attempt at scoring my way and achieving the desired results in the Siddha path. Often, he reminds me not to let my anger pull me down from my standing. I know that he is working hard to see me gain a standing among them, hence the concern and care that they show. Often, I ask myself what I did to gain their confidence in me and to gain their compassion and love. I guess I have to owe to my parents who showed me Sariyai, my gurus who showed me Kriyai and Yogam and the Siddhas for showing me what Gnanam was all about. It will not be worth their while if I was to keep these teachings to myself. They would be overjoyed to have many come to learn the Siddha way.