Episode 1/Chapter 3: What, If Our Dreams Come True! An Uncommon Meeting with Lord Siva

Chapter 3

During the next several days, I felt as though that sadhu was trailing me everywhere. Every time he passed me at various places, he reminded me, with the same stern look, to meet him at Chithira Sabhai. ‘Why are you ignoring me?’ he seemed to be asking me.

Somehow, I was not sure whether I should go to Chithira Sabhai.

The sadhu had bulging eyes, bore a menacing look and appeared to be in a trance all the time.  I was scared of him; but I was also apprehensive of leaving Courtallam. The voice in the temple had already stopped me from leaving Courtallam. For how long do I need to stay on here? I knew no one in the town and could consult none. The one rupee coin that I had when I reached this place was still there safely in my pocket. I idled my days and avoided going to Chithira Sabhai.

I learnt subsequently that Chithira Sabhai (Hall of Artistic Work and Painting) was one of the five important abodes of Lord Nataraja – The Lord of Dancing or the Cosmic Dancer, the dancing form of Lord Siva; the other abodes were Kanaga Sabhai (Hall of Gold) at Chidambaram, Rajatha Sabhai (Hall of Silver) at Madurai, Tamira Sabhai (Hall of Copper) at Tirunelveli and Rathna Sabhai (Hall of Ruby) at Tiruvalangadu.                                                       

 I also learnt that the cosmic dance was known as Dance of Bliss – Anandha Thandavam. Lord Siva performs five most important functions – creation, protection, destruction, embodiment and saving with grace - to keep the world alive and Lord Nataraja’s cosmic dance pose represents all these functions.

The hourglass shaped drum held by the Lord in his upper right hand represents ‘creation’; the second right hand gesture symbolizes ‘protection’; the fire held in the upper left hand represents ‘destruction’; the second left hand points towards raised foot signifies liberation from successive birth; the foot planted on the earth represents Lord’s ‘embodiment’ function; and finally the foot held aloft also symbolizes the ‘grace’. The dwarf demon lies at the bottom of the planted foot signifies ignorance. The flames surrounding the lord represent the universe. The snake found around the Lord’s waist signifies the yogic energy (kundalini or prana-sakthi). The cosmic dance form of Lord Nataraja represents the continuous cycle of creation, protection, destruction, embodiment and liberation of the soul from successive births. Lord Nataraja dances with his consort Devi Sivakami. The annual dance festival takes place in these five important places on the day marked for Aarudra Star during the Tamil Margazhi month.

People also told me that Chithira Sabhai is a beautiful small temple above a small hillock nearby Kutralanadar temple and one got a better view of the temple, the waterfalls and the surroundings from the higher elevation there.  Everyone I met, encouraged me to visit the place.

*****

Episode 1/Chapter 2 What, If our Dreams Come True! An Uncommon Meeting with Lord Siva

Chapter 2

Next morning, I began my trek once again and reached Courtallam before mid-afternoon. God had blessed Courtallam with a number of waterfalls. The water from monsoon rains in Kerala on the other side of the Western Ghats provided a steady supply of water to the falls. Courtallam is one of the very few places in India where people can find waterfalls to take bath at ground levels. I went straight to the main waterfalls. I saw many people massaging their head and body liberally with ‘gingili’ oil, before they had their bath. The crowd was not much. I went straight and stood under the mighty waterfall for a long time. The water was quite cold and I shivered. I folded my hands in reverence in the cool waters and prayed. Suddenly I felt lost for some time. After the bath, I felt invigorated.

The Kutralanathar temple was just at the foot of the hills close to the waterfalls and was closed after the midmorning offerings to Lord Siva. I had to wait till four in the evening to have my first meeting with HIM.

Suddenly, I found a small crowd of people rushing somewhere and, on inquiry, I learnt that annadhan was taking place in a nearby hall. Offering food to the poor (annadhan) was practiced by many, either as part of their way to salvation or as reparation for their sins. Feeling rather fortunate, I helped myself generously with the delicious meal.

After a small nap in the temple corridor, I was ready to meet the Lord, when the main gates of the temple opened for the evening. I went straight to Siva. I was in no mood to look at or appreciate the temple architecture. There was hardly any soul inside the temple. The priest had not arrived yet. Everything was still and quiet. The air was thick, humid, and smelled pungent. Barring a few oil lamps shimmering in front of the idols, the temple was mostly dark.

I closed my eyes and stood silently before the Lord.

“I have never travelled outside my small village, but YOU have brought me here. I am now before you now, as you wanted. This is the first leg of my seven meetings with you, as you ordained. What next?”

It didn’t even occur to me that I should thank Lord Siva for what he did for me. He healed me miraculously from my pain. I was too immature to not realize the magnitude of my mystical experience. After all, I thought it was just a dream. But how was I healed instantly? It was a reality. I continued to ponder over the question without any answer. The astrologer had told me, “God has a strange and miraculous ways of saving His devotees.” That must be true. 

‘Was I a devotee?’ I wasn’t sure. But, HE also left me as an orphan. Why did he do that? What was my mistake?

I stayed before HIM standing and closing my eyes for a long time. Thoughts were pouring out, waves after waves. Suddenly I opened my eyes and I saw hazily a Sadhu entering the sanctum Sanctorum. I continued to stand there for no reason. After some time passed, the Sadhu turned around, came out of the sanctum Sanctorum and seemed to be approaching me, his eyes fixed on me. I recollected immediately that he was the same sadhu whom I had seen the previous evening in the congregation under the banyan tree on my way to Shencottai. As he passed by my side, he looked straight into my eyes for a moment.  His look was penetrating and it blinded me for a moment. He didn’t stop by me, but I heard him, saying, ‘Meet me at Chithra Sabhai’ as he passed by.

I was puzzled. ‘Did I hear him right?’ But he had gone and disappeared.

I continued to stand there as though my feet were clamped to the ground; I felt stuck. I had no inclination to move too.

When some more time passed, I was confused and I decided to get out.

When I took the first heavy step, I heard the sudden sound of a thunder inside the rock solid temple and along with the sound of the thunder, came the voice, ‘No, you can’t go!’

Where did the voice  come from? Was it my own imagination? Was I hallucinating?

Suddenly I felt very weak. My knees caved in. My whole body buckled and everything blacked out for me. I felt I was sinking and lost all consciousness, even as I collapsed to the floor

I would never know how much time passed by and I opened my eyes when someone sprinkled water on my face. I saw a temple priest and he was trying to gently lift me up. He gave me some water to drink and some energy returned to me. When I felt better, I told the priest about the thunder and the celestial voice I heard.

The priest hesitated for a moment and then said, ‘Strange are HIS powers! Who knows, maybe Lord Kutralanathar want you to be here for some more time? Are you planning to go somewhere else, my dear son?”

I briefly told him my story - about the acute stomach pain I had, about my dream where Lord Siva appeared and offered to cure me on the condition that I met with him in seven of his places. I told him that Courtallam was my first destination and that I was planning to visit other places of Lord Siva. I also told him about the sadhu who ordered me to meet him in Chithra Sabhai.

The priest looked bewildered, but soon recovered his composure. He then gently told me, “You seem to be an innocent village boy. What do I tell you about Lord Siva appearing in your dreams? Strange are the ways, things happen on earth. Hearing thunder inside the temple was bizarre and incredible. The sky is very clear outside. There is no possibility of a thunder or lightning. I suggest you don’t unnecessarily tell anyone outside, about your experiences. They will think you are out of your mind. But, if that was what happened to you really, ……. Why don’t you stay here in Courtallam for some more time and see what happens? This is a lovely place. But be careful with sadhus. I am born and brought up here. I have also heard lot of stories about sadhus. There had been unique sadhus here in the past in this place and elsewhere. Courtallam is known for ‘Siddhars’ who had siddhic (mystical) powers. There is historical proof that many siddhas had mystical powers. Sage Agasthya was known to have lived in this place Courtallam and sanctified the whole hill. He had also written several books, and many of them were medical books. There are fakes too. One needs to be careful with the sadhus.”

With that, not wanting to have to do anything more with me, he abruptly turned back and went inside the temple to tend to his work.

I circumambulated along the inner and the outer walls of the sanctum Sanctorum of the temple. I had a dozen of the kurumpala tree, the sacred jackfruit tree of the temple. On the back side, there was a corner and there, over the tall temple walls, I could see the waterfalls rolling down the rocks and hear its roaring sound.

I came out of the temple. ‘I need to know where Chithra Sabhai is’, I said to myself.

The sky was bright and clear outside, with no sight of any cloud. ‘Where did that thunder come from?’

*****

What, If Our Dreams Come True! An Uncommon Meeting with Lord Siva

What If our dreams come true!

First Published: Digital Version through Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing – March, 2014

 

The Author’s earlier works:

Short Stories for Young Readers- Book 1 (2011)

Short Stories for Success for Young Readers: A New Lexicon Unfolded (January, 2014)

 

This book is entirely a work of fiction. All characters and situations are purely imaginary and fictional except a few occasional references to historical names. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, or to any situation is coincidental and not intended by the author.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the Author, Publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.