SIDDHA HEARTBEAT: AGATHIYAR JAYANTHI & GURU PUJA IN MALAYSIA AND KALLAR

How would you take delivery of a newborn child? That was the same feeling we had when we took delivery of Agathiyar in Malaysia. There was so much anticipation on our part.

I recall the events leading to Agathiyar arriving safely on our shores.

Agathiyar in one of the many Nadi readings asked that I worship him as the form in Vedharanyam. He gave detailed specifications and instructions. Even prior to that when I went for the first Nadi reading in 2002, Agathiyar had asked that I donate towards the construction of temples. He asked that I build one for him. Sivabalan who brought in Nadi Guru Senthilkumar from Avinasi told me Agathiyar had mentioned this to as many as fifty people before me. But no one did it. Sivabalan advised me to take up the offer.

Considering that it would not be an easy task to build a new temple for Agathiyar in Malaysia, I scouted around to see if it was possible to install Agathiyar in existing temples. I did not make any headway as the existing temple committees had plans of their own. This was about the same time that I made my maiden pilgrimage to India in 2003. I met my first guru Supramania Swami in Tiruvannamalai. Thus started a beautiful guru-disciple relationship.

Supramania Swami. Photo courtesy of Molly Menon

Supramania Swami who had cherished a forty-year-old wish to build a Murugan temple spoke his intention to me. I immediately told him to go ahead while I looked for funds. We had collected sufficient funds to buy a piece of land in Tiruvanamalai adjacent to Supramania Swami's Guru's Ashram (Yogi Ramsuratkumar). While work on the foundation for the temple was on the way, a kudil was constructed for Supramania Swami too.

Molly Menon with Supramania Swami's wife at the present day Kudil. Photo courtesy of Dr. Ram Supramaniam

Then along came a 'stranger' who questioned Supramania Swami as to why he (Swami) was stepping back from the Gnana Margam to Bakthi Margam. Supramania Swami abandoned the idea as he saw it was divine intervention.

In 2009, two years after Supramania Swami went into samadhi, Agathiyar raises the matter again in the Nadi reading.

Sundara Arumugam was planning to build the Jegathguru Sri Raghavendra Mritiga Brindavanam in Ipoh and was working towards this goal. But the Brindavanam was delayed, as the movement had to be registered with the Registrar of Societies and approval obtained from the various government agencies; the land had to be applied and sanctioned by the state government to the movement; the plans had to be prepared and again approval had to be obtained from the various government agencies and finally the local authority. When all these had been done there were insufficient funds and various events had to be carried out to generate more funds towards the building fund.

When Arumugam was in the midst of getting his organization registered, Agathiyar asked Sundara Arumugam for space at the Brindavanam to house him. Arumugam readily agreed. That is when Agathiyar requests that I have his bronze statue, a replica of his form in Vedharanyam, made to be placed at the Brindavanam once it was completed. Agathiyar mentioned that meanwhile, he was staying in my home while awaiting completion of the Brindavanam.

I immediately started finding out the means of having Agathiyar made in Swamimalai and bringing him over to Malaysia. If it was any Agathiyar statue I could have 'bought' him over the shelf although not many dealers stock Agathiyar's statue. As I was given a 'Schedule of Compliance' and specific instructions, I had no choice but to get someone from Swamimalai to have it made for me. I asked temple committees and friends in these committees if they could help me out but to no avail.

That is when I remembered how a relative of my wife had ordered his daughter's wedding saree online and was parading them to us, telling us how easy and convenient it was to order online and how satisfied he was. The goods were delivered to his doorstep by courier in good condition and with lots of goodies added on free of charge.

It strikes me then to go online and look for someone willing to do the job for me. Ssrashtaa Varadaraj from the Bronze Creative in Swamimalai got back to me saying he would take up the job. And so Varadaraj made a trip to Vedharanyan in early 2009 to see for himself how Agathiyar looked before starting on the wax model.

Agathiyar at Vedharanyam. Photo courtesy of Varadaraj

Even as I wanted to go ahead with my part of the deal as had an obligation to have Agathiyar's statue made, I was told it was too soon to start work on the statue by my nephew Thayalan and Nadi Guru Ramesh. And so I pulled the brake.

But as there was further delay in the groundbreaking ceremony and launch of the building works, I decided to go ahead to complete Agathiyar's statue.

And so Varadaraj sents me the good news that he has completed making the bronze statue of Agathiyar by e-mail. You can imagine my joy when I received his mail.

Dear Sir, I have attached the photo (of Agathiyar) to you. It is in the packing now. tmrw it will be go to chennai. Kind regards, ssrashtaa varadaraj.

He sent me the very first image of Agathiyar. We were all excited to know how he looked until then. Varadaraj did not let us down.

The very first photo of Agathiyar, ready to be shipped to Malaysia. Photo courtesy of Varadaraj

Agathiyar was supposed to be shipped to Port Klang in Malaysia.

But my joy was short-lived. Varadaraj was still waiting for the Certification from the Tourism Agency endorsing that it was a new statue. He calls me on Friday night informing me that Agathiyar will only reach Malaysia after Agathiyar's Jayanthi and Guru Puja slated for Sunday 3rd January 2010.

I told Varadaraj that it would be embarrassing if Agathiyar does not arrive before Sunday for, me and my big mouth, I had advertised to all out of excitement and joy that the years Jayanthi and Guru Puja was extraordinary because Agathiyar was arriving in the form of a statue. I told Varadaraj Agathiyar had to be here for the Puja.

Although we have been conducting the Jayanthi celebrations annually, this year would be special since Agathiyar was in the form of a statue and we shall be conducting abhisegam. I had sent out invitations to family and friends to participate in this inaugural prayers and abhisegam to Agathiyar via e-mail as follows.

Greetings, as you well know Agathiyar's Jayanthi falls on Ahilya Natchathiram in the month of Margazhi. This year it coincides with 3rd January 2010. Tavayogi Thangarasan Adigal will be conducting the Yagam at 2pm on the 3rd at his ashram in Kallar. Similarly I shall hold prayers too on that day at my home.

This year would be extra special. The statue of Agathiyar that was commissioned with Varadaraj of The Bronze Creative in Swamimalai, India has been completed. See attachment of a photo of the Agathiyar's statue. Agathiyar's statue will be shipped to Malaysia in the next few days.

On the 3rd, an abhisegam for Agathiyar's statue will be done between 10am and 12pm, with chanting of Agathiyar's nanam 100,000.00 times. Please participate in chanting Agathiyar's name and get his blessing.

After lunch and tea, we shall continue with the homam at 4.30pm to coincide with the Yagam at Kallar at 2pm IST.
I await your participation eagerly. Please confirm if you are available.

Just slightly after 9.30pm the same night (Friday) Varadaraj surprises me saying Agathiyar had already boarded the plane! My joy knew no bounds. He told me Agathiyar was sent by Mas Kargo and I could take possession of him the next morning at 11am at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). He told me he would e-mail me a copy of the Delivery Order (D.O) as below.

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Muthu c.s. <muthu_csnarendar@yahoo.co.in>
To: thebronzecreative@yahoo.com
Sent: Fri, 1 January, 2010 7:25:05 PM
Subject: air way bill - kul

DEAR SIR,PLS FIND THE ATTACHMENTS KUL AWB COPY.
WITH REGARDS.
MUTHU
GAERISH LOGISTICS PVT LTD
CHENNAI

The next morning, Varadaraj tells me the above mail (with the attachment of the D.O) could not go through. It was another anxious wait for my family and me.

I was not sure if the Cargo Section would be open and whether the Airport authorities would release Agathiyar as it was a Saturday.

Just about then I received a call from Nadi Guru Ramesh asking me over for a Nadi reading!

I am at his place at 12 noon. Agathiyar assures me he will be here for the Puja!

I head home to find a copy of the D.O in my inbox. I print a copy of the D.O and with the family head for KLIA.

Here's the e-mail and the D.O

From: Muthu c.s. <muthu_csnarendar@yahoo.co.in>To: shanmugam.avadaiyappa@yahoo.comCc: krishnan@gaerishlogistics.com; thebronzecreative@yahoo.comSent: Sat, January 2, 2010 12:33:09 PMSubject: Fw: air way bill - kul

dear sir, i'm forwarding the air waybill copy for your refernce.WISH YOU HAPPY NEW YEARthanks n regards,muthu,

A forwarding agent who was a regular at KLIA killed my joy when he told me the transaction could take 2 1/2 days. If what he said was true, the next day being a Sunday, I would only be able to bring Agathiyar back earliest on Tuesday.

But as the ever compassionate father Agathiyar would have it, he kept to his word and all the procedures and paperwork was done in a mere 2 1/2 hours.

Agathiyar was on our shores! We reached home at 5.30pm. We started unpacking him and there was a long photography session!

Agathiyar arrives at our home. Photo courtesy of Praba

Agathiyar well packaged. Photo courtesy of Praba

I wrote to convey thanks to Varadaraj, Muthu, Krishnan and all who had a hand in helping Agathiyar arrive safely in Malaysia in time for his Jayanthi and Guru Puja of the year 2010.

My note of thanks to them as below.

---- Original Message -----
From: Shanmugam Avadaiyappa
To: krishnan@gaerishlogistics.com
Sent: Saturday, January 02, 2010 7:50 PM
Subject: Agasthiyar's Statue

Thank you very much. I have already collected the statue. Thank you for the effort in ensuring I receive the statue on time.
Shanmugam Avadaiyappa
Malaysia

Their reply.

Krishnan
To Me, Ganesan, Muthu

Dear Sir,You are Welcome! We are glad that we could deliver in time.
In case of any further assistance, please feel free to contact us.
Wish You a Happy & Prosperous New Year!

Thanks & Best Regards,
G. Krishnan
Gaerish Logistics Pvt. Ltd.,
87/23, Kamarajapuram West
Karur - 639 001. India
Tel: (O) + 91 4324 233312
Res: + 91 4324 248916
Mobile: + 91 98946 33626
Visit us at: www.gaerishlogistics.com

Agathiyar has been picked up over the social network by devotees and portrayed extensively with variations. He has gone viral!