Episode 1/Chapter 5: What, If Our Dreams Come True! An Uncommon Meeting with Lord Siva

Chapter 5

Every now and then, the thoughts about the sadhu distracted me. Sometimes I felt haunted, other times troubled and often curious. One morning, I decided to take the plunge. ‘Why not I dare the sadhu and question him?’

I trekked to Chithira Sabhai. Not finding him there, I decided to while away my time and wait for him. The entire afternoon passed and he was not in sight. I waited till the evening and darkness was setting in. Depressed, I decided to get back.

I was hungry as I had not eaten anything during the day. Nothing was available to eat. I was now used to very flexible eating habits and was quite accustomed to starving. Many people observed fasting on a number of days for religious reasons and on those days, even I had to observe fasting out of compulsion. So, eating or not eating anything on a particular day didn’t make any significant difference to me. I decided to ignore my hunger and take a small walk on the narrow road leading to the Five Falls. There was a small diversion on the left leading to Chitraruvi (The Small Falls) located at an elevation and then further to Shenbagadevi Falls and Thenaruvi (Honey Falls). People walked to these waterfalls in groups, especially on Full Moon days to worship Goddess Shenbagadevi. The hill side was known for the fragrance of its shenbaga flowers and hence the name for the waterfalls. I ignored the diversion and walked ahead towards Five Falls. The hillock on my left was covered by dense forest and on my right, the land was sloping down, covered by coconut groves and standing paddy crops. Not many braved to live near the hillside unless they could be friendly with wild animals.

On my way, in the dark corners of the hills, I saw someone in saffron clothing moving behind a cluster of dense trees, at the far end. Out of curiosity, I sidestepped the road, wanting to go after him and doubled up my strides. I was sure it must be the same sadhu.

The sadhu moved swiftly into the hills and the nearby woods. He was at one place one time, disappeared mysteriously, only to reappear in another dark corner. ‘How is he able to do that?’ I wondered. I was no match for him for his speed, but I kept following him. It was darker now and I had considerable difficulty in keeping pace with him. The slopes, the bushes, the small rocks and stones were tough on me. I slipped in many places bruising myself in the process. The sadhu went deeper and deeper into the woods and I lost track of him. After some time, I got exhausted and gave up.

I was in the center of the woods and darkness. I was nervous and scared as I struggled to find my way back.

*****

I made enquiries about the sadhu in the neighborhood, but none seemed to know much about him personally. Many believed that he had extraordinary mystical powers and had performed miracles in the lives of many people – some were cured of diseases, some got rid of financial problems, some had children, some got married and so on. The same story about him again.

‘He ought to be a Siddha,’ someone told me. I had already learnt that Siddhas were there everywhere in the entire range of Podhigai hills and that they were mystics, seemingly living for ever, – may be hundreds of years -  possessing extraordinary powers, and presenting themselves at different places at the same time. Many were revered a lot and many were feared. People advised me to be cautious and be wary of the dangerous Sadhus.

My curiosity heightened and I was now determined to confront him.  ‘Why was he avoiding me, when he was the one wanting me to meet him at Chithira Sabhai?” I needed to get some answers.

Somehow, my next several attempts to meet with him at Chithira Sabhai failed, as though he planned it that way.

‘Is he punishing me for not waiting for him to open his eyes when I first sighted him inside Chithra Sabhai?’

On some occasions I thought I spotted him and with the resolution I followed him into the woods. But he always seemed to have a knack of disappearing mysteriously from my sight into darkness. Besides, I was also scared of the woods, hills, and darkness and I couldn’t stretch myself beyond a point.

Six months passed by and the sadhu was still elusive to me, as he continued to play ‘hide and seek’ with me.

My life became more a routine now. A school offered me a part time job to teach small children and I gladly accepted the assignment. It improved my cash flow.

*****

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

Chapter 1

Somehow, I reached outskirts of Courtalam. I left my place with just one rupee in my pocket and I could hardly afford to use up this treasure. The travel on foot and hitchhike took several days. I relied on a number of tricks to survive on the way.

It was the year 1945, or so. Barring a few rich zamindars who owned cars, people used bullock carts and horse carriages for commuting. The motorized vehicles that crisscrossed in many towns and villages mostly belonged to the British and their army. The country was up in arms against the British rule. Even while Gandhiji spearheaded Satyagraha, a silent, non-violent, non-cooperation movement, there was widespread violence against the Whites everywhere. Religious division was rearing its nasty head all over and there was a complete breakdown of trust between Muslims and Hindus. The Second World War was coming to an end. The British seemed to be veering round to a view that it would be impossible to continue to deny freedom to our country and rather, it would be a burden to them if they stayed on here longer. News about serious negotiations for independence was up in the air. News and rumors spread by word of mouth. Confusion prevailed among people as to what to believe and what not to. People gathered in street corners discussing, debating, questioning, arguing and many times fighting among themselves over the pros and cons of freedom and independence. Many had doubts in mind about a free India, though the overall mood was in favor of independence. Whether everyone genuinely believed in having independence or not there was a clamor for it everywhere. People’s expectations about life after freedom was running high, though there was no dearth of skeptics.

Stopping at several places, listening to a number of public speeches at street corners, staying in stone 'mandaps' (open stone halls) for the nights, filling my stomach eating whatever was distributed as 'prasad' in small temples, I managed to reach Shencottai, a picturesque agricultural town near Courtallam. I saw several lakes – big and small – on the way to Shencottai. Fine carpets of green paddy fields surrounded by lush green hills decorated the landscape. Abundant water flowed between mud 'bunds' into the paddy fields. The soil was very rich and fertile. Clouds sat on the hill tops and a gentle breeze Thendral, as they call it, swept through the valley between the small hills. I saw banyan trees everywhere on the way blanketing both sides of the main trunk roads. I constantly felt the rushing of energy in me despite my tiring journey by foot.

As I approached the outskirts of Shencottai, I saw a small congregation of people sitting on the floor, underneath a banyan tree. The people were mostly silent or whispering among themselves. A 'sadhu' in saffron dress, with eyes closed, was sitting before them. Even in the semi-dark twilight, with the only other light coming from a small lamp lit by his side, the 'sadhu' seemed to be radiant. There was a peculiar aura surrounding him. The crowd patiently waited for the ‘sadhu’ to open his eyes.

Out of curiosity, I sat down quietly among the group. I learnt from the person next to me that the 'sadhu' gave divine blessings when he opened his eyes and that his blessings had mystical powers. He told me  that the 'sadhu' had cured many illnesses, finalized very difficult marriage alliances, blessed couples for children, repaired broken relationships and miraculously helped solve a myriad of other problems affecting people’s lives.

Soon the Sadhu opened his eyes, made strange noises, invoked many gods and goddesses, spoke with a gruff voice, offered 'vibhuthi' to some and 'kumkum' to some others, touched a few people on their heads and brushed others away. I watched everything with fun, but soon I got disinterested and left the place. I had to reach Shencottai before it became very dark and find a place to stay for the night so that I could be ready early next morning to leave for Courtallam. Courtallam would be my first destination in my proposed encounter with Lord Siva.

Thanks to a small 'agraharam', a locality where Brahmins lived predominantly, I found a Perumal (Lord Vishnu) temple at one end of the street. The temple offered food generously that night. I ate stomach-full and waited outside for the temple to be closed. Soon the 'agraharam' became quiet. I found a small corner, outside the temple, to sleep.

*****