* Divine Experience **

          

Humans face varied experiences in life, sent their way by destiny, under the dictates of the Almighty. The range, reach and reverberations that they transmit into the concerned individual differ from case to case. Life being a permutation and combination of feelings and emotions, the gamut of such strange happenings also varies in that they bestow varied end results – some sweet, some sour. We should cherish the former and learn lessons from the latter, so as to chart a refined course of action and  tread  the  righteous  path. 

I would like to share a divine experience with everyone. I live in an apartment at Arun Nagar, Vadavalli, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Just about two kilometers from my house, there is a temple dedicated to Lord Muthappan, the presiding deity at Parassinikadavu, near Kannur, Kerala State, of whom I am a devotee. The temple at Vadavalli, Coimbatore was consecrated just a year ago, and the first Pradishtadinam was celebrated on a grand scale in May 2015. 

For the information of the readers, Muthappan is a personification of  Shiva ( called Muthappan ) and Vishnu ( called Thiruvappan ).  Unlike other temples spread over the length and breadth of the country, there is a distinct custom being followed in all Muthappan temples, in that all the lamps inside the main sanctum sanctorum where the deity is installed are  lit only with coconut oil, unlike the commonly used gingelly oil.  The lamps outside the sanctum sanctorum are however  lit with gingelly oil only. Devotees who are aware of this custom offer coconut oil whenever they visit the temple. Apart from personal contribution, appeals for coconut oil contributions are made by me to my friends, relatives and close associates at regular intervals. It is a firm belief among Hindus that contributing oil to temples and lighting lamps inside the temple precincts is a  pious act,  which  in  turn  will  bring  good  luck  not only to  them but also to  their families. The bottom-line of such customs ultimately gets narrowed down to the prayer - “ Lead  kindly  light,  amidst  the  encircling  gloom,  Lead  Thou  me  on “.

The Coimbatore Muthappan Madappura is still in a fledgling stage, with many a work to be completed at the temple premises, which by the Grace of Muthappan will get done within the time frame that the Almighty had earmarked.  During an earlier visit to the temple, a respected  member of the Temple Executive Committee placed a request that it would be helpful if I could,  apart from my personal contribution, get similar offerings  from my friends, relatives and associates, which would be of much help to the Committee. By the Grace of  Muthappan, it can be said with humility that my efforts towards securing coconut oil to the temple,  have borne decent results. 

Last week ( on Tuesday, the 30^th June, 2015 to be precise ), an appeal for oil  donation  was made by me  in  our college Whatsapp group. Within minutes of it getting posted, pat came the reply from two Chennai based friends Mr.Sundar and Mr.Gowrishankar, expressing their willingness to take part in this divine cause. Their confirmatory words quickly got translated into action, whereby each transferred Rs.1000/- to my bank account, requesting me to procure coconut oil and deliver it at Muthappan Temple. The accelerating turn of events made me cheerful as this was another success in my tryst made with the Lord.

As  I  had  to  leave  Coimbatore the next day ( Wednesday, the 1^st July 2015 ),  the coconut oil  purchase was done instantly, ( 11-50 litres in total ) on my way back home. After getting refreshed, I  arrived at the temple premises, took the coconut oil parcel from the car, and placed the same on the platform abutting the door of the sanctum sanctorum, which  was  offered  to  Muthappan  Deivam,  by  the  officiating  priest.

After offering prayers, I trooped inside the office room where two elderly Executive Committee members ( the Joint Secretary and the Treasurer ) were seated. As normal practice would have it, the contributories’ details were handed over, based on which  donation  receipt  and  prasadam  would  be  sent  to them by  post. 

While receiving the details from me, the Joint Secretary exclaimed thus – “ Sir, you have brought coconut oil at the most appropriate moment. There cannot be a better time for the coconut oil to have arrived at the feet of the Lord, as hardly minutes before your arrival, the temple priest informed us that only about a litre of coconut oil was available at the Temple, which would last for just a day or so.  The  Treasurer  seconded  the  opinion  and   nodded   in  agreement.

On hearing those words, an inexplicable feeling ran through my anatomy. Is this not a clear Act of Divinity? Can there be an iota of suspicion about Providential existence? This episode made me ponder over the following points -

a) What  made  me  shoot  the  appeal  that  particular  morning?

b) What prompted my friends Mr.Sundar and Mr.Gowrishankar, to come forth and shell out their contribution immediately so that a sizeable quantity of coconut oil was procured, and found its place at  the  Lord’s feet the same evening?

c) Why should the entire course of events take place at such a feverish pace, so as to replenish the depleted oil stock at the temple?

It took me some moments to get back to normality, and no time was wasted in narrating the event to my friends at Chennai  over phone, who too felt very happy. They thanked me for having given them an opportunity to serve a  Providential  purpose.  I could not give vent to my feelings in any other manner, than prostrating straight  before  HIM  in  total  submission.

The experience reiterated my belief that God will get His dues from devotees at the destined time, whenever and wherever they are placed. He used me as a tool to get my friends’ oil contribution reach the sanctum sanctorum on time that evening, when it was really running short.

Muthappan Saranam.