Agathiyar promised to show me miracles in my very first Nadi reading way back in 2002. And thus the miracles were shown on my very first maiden pilgrimage the following year.
When I had darshan of Lord Vengadasalapathy in 1 1/2 hours, I saw it as a blessing for many have stood for hours and days to get his darshan and his blessing. But he was worth waiting. Lord Narayana was so beautiful that day at Tirupathy.
When a young priest ushered me into Lord Nadarajah's chamber at Egambeshwarar temple in Kanchipuram, I stepped into a portal. As the main sanctum was occupied with a family doing a special prayer, and the temple priests were engaged with them, I did not know how I was going to get an archanai done at the sanctum. As I came round along the corridors of the temple, I stood in front of a huge chamber on my left with a young priest waiting in attendance. A majestic hugh statue of Lord Nadarajah in that chamber caught my attention. The priest ushered me in. As I stepped into the chamber, I could only stop and watch in awe and amazement at the magnificent sight of the Lord. By the time I came to my senses the priest was already waiting to show the arti. As I began taking a few more steps towards him I felt as though I had stepped into another time zone; another place; another space. His space. I had him all to myself. I took in the sights and sounds as the young priest started chanting mantras and showing the arati. I stood before the Lord engrossed in his beauty. That is when I broke down in tears, crying my heart out. There was not a single exchange of words between the priest and me as I gave him a glance of thanks and gratitude and a token, and turned around and walked out of my Lord's home. An amazing darshan.
When I was at Mayiladuthurai temple in 2003, nothing significant happened. But during my visit again this time with the AVM family in 2016, we could imbibe the presence of the Siddhas here and in several other places. More on that later.
I arrived at the Suryanar temple in Mayil Aduthurai in the scorching heat of the afternoon, at exactly 12 noon. I had been advised against giving alms to the poor on this pilgrimage by my brother who had the bitter experience of having to ward off large groups of beggars who turned up once they saw a foreigner or visitor giving donations. Sivabalan too had particularly mentioned to me to be wary of beggars in the guise of sadhu’s especially at this temple. Just as they mentioned there were many kaavi clad beggars sitting on both sides of the walkway all the way to the temple entrance. So taking heed of their advice, I left the grounds of the temple hurriedly when a woman came after me reaching out her hands, asking for alms followed by a disfigured man. She, as if could read my mind, called out after me, “There is only two of us - please donate”. True enough no one was around in the immediate grounds of the temple. I dipped my hands into my pockets and handed whatever cash I had then, to the woman who happily turned around and left with her partner. A miracle indeed.
On arriving at the Uttamar temple Deva left me in the car as he went into the temple to see if there was a priest who could be of assistance in advising me on how to go about doing my parikaaram at this temple as the Nadi did not stipulate in detail as to what I was to do and offer here. All Agathiyar said was that I had to donate to three Brahmin priests at this temple. Then Deva appears with a priest willing to help. The priest offered to bring me to the Thiruvanaikaval temple too where I had a parikaram too. He suggested we head for Thiruvanaikaval temple first and fast before they close for lunch break. We decided to come back to Utamar temple at night for the parikaaram.
At Thiruvanaikaval temple, the priest advised me on what was required to be purchased, pointing them out and I quickly purchased them. What was magical was that he used his contacts at the temple to open doors that were closed! He had Lord Vinayagar’s chamber opened for me. He had Lord Muruga's chamber open for me. At the main Shiva sannadhi, he looked around and approached an old Brahmin priest who was sitting with others in a corner, having his break, to show the arati. “You are the one to do the prayer,” he told him. I had the privilege to enter the main sanctum. The old priest dipped his hands into the water around the lingam showing me that it was partially submerged in water.
After the arati, I was driven to fall at the feet of the elderly priest for his blessings. As I picked myself up, I noticed the priest from Utamar temple, the temple caretaker and Deva, were all lying face down in front of the priest too just as I did. Next the accompanying priest from Utamar temple insisted this elderly priest should conduct the prayers at the Dhakshana Murthi sanctum too. Here I broke down. I supposed I must have cried aloud here, for the caretaker of the temple began to console me. The priest from Utamar temple asked him to let me be, “Let him be, let him cry.” They all waited for me to release all the pent up emotions before the Guru. I finally picked myself up and we all adjourned to buy food parcels from the temple management and fed the poor, the temple cow and elephant on the advice of this priest.
What did take place at Thiruvanaikaval? I was literally teleported from one shrine to another, with the priest from Uttamar temple leading me on, performing each prayer to the utmost satisfaction. On leaving the temple, the priest whom we picked up at Utamar temple insisted that I dropped him off at a location that he indicated. He did not want me to send him back to the Utamar temple saying he had other errands to run. We dropped him at the location where he wanted to get off. After asking him for his consent and handing over to him one of the three tokens that I was to give as parikaram, we drove off. I turned to look back at him and suddenly realized that we had in fact dropped him off at a Hanuman temple! An amazing turn of events.
After worshiping at the famed Sri Rangam temple, as I got into the back seat of the car and tugged at the car door to close it, a holy man stood right next to the open car door. Where did he come from? He practically materialized from thin air. He was very fair, of average height, had a long white beard, long hair that was tied up neatly, and dressed in a clean white vesti. He looked merry and cheerful. He began to bless me, “You shall be fine.” He spoke fine English and Tamil. He kept on repeating this. I bent to touch his feet, asked if he had eaten, and dipped my hand into my pockets and handed him whatever amount that came along with it. I bid farewell to him, shut the door and glanced back. He was gone! Another miracle.
After prayers at Thiruavinankudi temple, I bought prayer items for the abhisegam or libation of Lord Muruga and started my climb up to the hill temple. On taking my first step, my feet suddenly froze. I just could not move my legs. They felt extremely heavy as if rooted to the ground. I tugged on my legs. It did not budge. Finally I had to lift my legs one at a time with both my hands. This is how I began to climb the stairs all the way to the top. The heart was pumping hard. I was gasping for air. I pushed myself determined to scale the hill, whatever may come. I had to break the climb though, stopping every few minutes. I eventually reached the top of the hill. On reaching the top, I was dizzy and on the verge of collapse. I had to sit. I looked around. I saw some stalls lined up in the open. I walked towards the row of stalls. I dropped my purchases and dropped myself to the ground, leaning against the wall of the stall. I closed my eyes. I was sweating profusely on the brink of fainting. The throat was extremely parched and dry. As I opened my eyes all was bright and white. I could hear the crowd and see silhouettes of people moving along in front of me. Having regained my composure after some time, I picked up my stuff and stood up to enter the temple. I stood in a line that brought me to Lord Muruga’s chambers. A priest walked up to me and practically snatched my offerings from my hands. "This is for archanai right?" saying thus he returned to the chambers. Shortly he reappeared again and stashed unto my hands some prasad, sandalwood paste that adorned the Lord and my purchases.
I have no recollection of seeing the Lord's image till this day. Although I was at his sannadhi physically but I have no recollection whatsoever of those moments where I stood before him. I turned to walk out of his sannadhi. I walked through a door into a dark corridor. On just taking a few steps I was brought before another chamber on my right. I looked in. There were four Brahmin priests in attendance. I asked the one closest to the door if it was Bhogar’s Samadhi and he nodded. I entered the room and stood in prayer while he showed the flame or arati. The priest pointed out the opening where Bhogar is believed to be in samadhi. He pointed out the yantra, the jade lingam and others items of worship that Bhogar had with him. As I looked over my shoulders I was surprise to see nobody else behind me standing in queue. I had Bhogar all to myself. I chose to sit for a while and walked across the room and seated myself next to the exit. None of the priests objected.
After a while I opened my eyes to see one of the priests, a young man, lean towards me with prasad in his hands. I received it. He then walked across the room and reached out for a tumbler on top of a closet and handed it to me saying, "It's abhisegam milk." I took it and drank the milk. I took leave thanking him silently.
I walked out the door into yet another corridor and come into the outdoors. That is when I fell into a state of daze but I kept walking. I walked around the temple grounds still in a daze but with a heart that was full, brimming with joy and bliss. It was as if I had partaken the ambrosia of the Gods, a mystical portion. I kept on walking till I told myself that I had to return. I finally left the premises and found my way to the car. I traveled in silence not knowing what had transpired back there.
As if that miracle was not enough Lord Muruga performed a similar miracle the second time I stepped into his temple this time with Tavayogi and my brother.
