Tavatiru Balamurugan Adimai’s own account
On the 24th of January 1941 (in the Vikrama year of the Tamil calendar on the 11th day of the month of Thai) in the small village of Kilminnal adjacent to Rathinagiri, a son was born to Śrī Kandaswami Mudaliar and Smt. Sinagarammal. He was named Dakshinamurthy and Sachidanandan, both being names of Lord Shiva. On completion of his schooling he entered the services of the Electricity Department. Soon after, he entered into holy matrimony with Sivakami and was blessed with two daughters and a son.
One day in his 27th year, while on his way to work as a clerk in the Electricity Department, he climbed the Rathinagiri Hill to offer his prayers. There was neither camphor nor incense available at the poor and delapitated temple.
He walked around the shrine with a heavy heart and was suddenly overcome with divine awakening. He fell in a faint to the ground and on waking up was unable to remember his own self. He dressed himself in a loincloth. He took a sacred vow not to leave until the temple was restored to its former glory.
This memorable event of Swami’s spiritual awakening took place on 20th March 1968. Ever since then Swami’s spiritual well being of his devotees has continued unabated. Swami maintains maunam all these years, but he agreed to give the following written account on 27 October 2001
“(Until that fateful day) I was not so fond of bhakti, but I used to pass by this way every day to reach my office work by 9 am. While passing by I would offer worship just like other people.
But on that 20th March 1968 I climbed the hill to have darshan. I asked the priest who was doing puja to burn a little camphor for aradhana. He said, “We have no camphor and no incense.”
I felt like crying. I came out from the moolasthanam and went for pradakshinai (circumambulation) and worship seeing the Deity.
At that moment I lost all my other concerns and made up my mind to have a vow to make the poor sanctum of Rathinagiri to be as glorious as the Lord’s Aru Padai Veedukal.
Then from my heart the inner feelings rose up addressing Lord Muruga, saying, “Oh, what a Deity you are! I heard that you have six Padai Veedukal where you enjoy pujas six times daily. All the devotees visit you there full of confidence in you. At those places you are as a Deity. Here also you are a deity, but what a pitiable situation for you here.”
From that day onwards I have been observing maunam (silence) and doing my prayers. Now when visitors come to the temple, I am offering them food and hospitality. Now you can see the change in status of the temple. It is not I but the Lord or His Grace (that makes this possible).
Now Rathinagiri Bala Murugan Temple has become one of the famous and notable temples of South India. And it will become one among the Padai Veedus shortly.
In my life I feel happy about the Temple. What inspiration on that day 20th March 1968, has been fulfilled by HIM.
This granite temple cost Rs. 20 lakhs during 1977 to 1984 alone, and other works are now in progress. The cost of temple construction over the past 33 years has exceeded Rs 240 lakhs, and over 400 lakhs including the other buildings and projects.
The Kumbhabhishekam alone will cost Rs 25 lakhs to perform next year, plus 15 lakhs for pending work to be finished before then. Within six months, I have to mobilise 40 lakhs.”