SithamalliOnMyMind03
Sakthi Vikatan - 01 Sep, 2015
சித்தமெல்லாம் சித்தமல்லி - 3
Nivethika
Sundaranarayanan (SN), on appeal from his wife and children, left the
unearthed holy idols in place as they were on the day of discovery. He
never thought of doing Piratiṣṭai (Consecration) and worship of the
idols.
But, his wife performed Naivēttiyam (Offerings to a deity) and worship
of the idols with ceremonial lights. She also supplicated to the deities
on behalf of her
children for good grades in examinations, competitive sports… She
performed all her ritual duties with pure heart, mind, soul and
devotion. The wife and children considered the idols as part of the
family and showed devotion and love to them.
Sundaranarayanan though seeing the goings-on acted as if he did not
notice the rituals. He let his wife and children do what pleased them
and never once intervened in their devotional acts. Despite their
persistent imploration, SN had neither the will nor the inclination to
build a palm leaf shed for the sacred idols.
Inexorable time passed. The children completed their studies with
excellence and joined the workforce and SN and his wife had to stay in
Chennai off and on (with them). Perumāḷ and Thāyār (the idols) remained
in the house in Sithamalli cared for by no one. How long can the Divine
Couple remain in that neglected state?
Should not the Divine Couple dispense grace and prosperity on
people from their rightful place at the temple, having been worshipped
in the past by Mahāṉ noted for his Tapas?
That auspicious time came in 2012 bearing fruits.
Ramamurthy’s (inset) ancestral home was Sithamalli. He moved to Chennai
as a child with his parents. He had fond memories of Sithamalli, the
place of his birth. He went to his ancestral village before or after
festival occasions as a matter of spiritual duty for the customary
anointment and worship of Sundaranarayana Perumal, Kailāsanāthar,
Aiyanār…in the temples. He bought the necessary accouterments and
clothes for the ritual Pūja.
Before his departure to his village, he met with a woman, he regarded as
his spiritual guide. It is noteworthy that the Mahāṉ, whose servitor is
the woman, foretold her in gracious words that Sithamalli soon would
become world-famous.
Ramamurthy and his spouse Chitra went to the woman’s house with the
clothes and other paraphernalia meant for the deities.
They placed the puja
accouterments in the Pūja room and sought for the woman’s blessings.
The night before, in the woman’s dream, there was a wonderful vision.
The Mahāṉ appeared in her dream and showed her the holy idols in
Sithamalli, exposed to the effects of the sun, rain and other natural
elements under the open sky with no overhead roof. “Make sure you make
ritual clothes available for the deities. People belonging to Sithamalli
will be with you tomorrow.”
The Ramamurthy couple arrived at the woman’s house as she envisioned in
her dream. The woman narrated the dream sequence to the couple: “Thāthā
(the Mahāṉ) came in my dream and told me that the Divine couple in
Sithamalli are with no clothes. You take clothes for the deities.” She
further said that the clothes they had with them were not long enough
and they should buy longer clothes for the donning of the holy idols.
Ramamurthy did not know of any deity in Sithamalli Temples needing
extra-long clothes. Despite that thought, they bought two extra-long
clothes and prepared to leave for Sithamalli.
Ramamurthy’s father contacted Sithamalli Sundaranarayanan (SN) and asked
him to receive a group of 15 devotees to stay overnight in the village
and arrange for conducting Pūjais in the temples next day. He arranged
for their stay and Pūjais. Two days before the appointed day, he
received a message that his (SN) sister-in-law in Chennai was ill and
therefore, he came to Chennai. He informed Ramamurthy’s father on the
phone explaining his sudden departure to Chennai and assuring that he
left the house keys with a
responsible party and the visitors can use his house for overnight stay.
SN left for Chennai.
Ramamurthy’s family came to Sithamalli Friday evening. The men stayed in
the choultry and the woman in SN’s house.
Dawn broke through the night. That was Saturday, the day of Tiruvōṇa
Star.
Chitra woke up, opened the rear door and landed in the backyard. The
sight she saw…
Horripilation of the mind.
Images: K. Satishkumar
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