X§
It is amazing that Navalar had written on this matter as early as 1874, with such accurate foresight. When famine and disease striked in 1877, people suffered very much. Paddy seedlings were scarce to plant paddy. Navalar took great efforts to procure paddy seedlings from the Government. The then Governor Gregory, formed the Jaffna-Mattakalappu Commercial Agriculture Society for the benefit of locals. Navalar bought 200 shares for Rs.2,000. He organized meetings in Saivaprakasa Vidyalayam and urged the Jaffna people to buy the shares. Those interested to know more about this, please refer to the book, ‘Navalar’s Panigal’ (Navalar’s works), written by Mr. S.Thananchayarajasingam. We will see later about the establishment of Agriculture Farm in Mattakalappu on the advice of Swamigal.§
Swamigal desired that Tamil people should become self sufficient in food production. Only then we can live with respect, he stressed. He advised we should reduce the consumption of rice and increase the intake of small grains. He had emphasized this in the following Natchinthanai song:§
“Oh people! Would there be poverty if you eat rice once? §
Oh you consider placing yourself to the Holy Feet of God §
Full hearted to protect your body”. §
Till 1930 Swamigal made arrangements to do farming in a land near the famous Kandavana Kaddavai Murugan Temple. Before proceeding any further, it would be more appropriate if we first understand the relationship of Yogaswami with this Temple. The Temple’s Manager Thikkam Sellaiyapillai, was one of Swamigal‘s close devotees. He was a true Siva devotee. He attended without fail the Puranam discourses conducted by Swamigal. Navaliyur Scholar Somasundaram had written some long poems about this Temple. Teacher M. Mylvaganam had written the following when they were launhed in the presence of Swamigal. “Once, Yoga Swamigal was sitting with many devotes in the Eastern Hall of Kanthavana Kadavai Kandaswamy Temple. Also present were Sankara Subbaiyar, also known as Satchithnandaaraja Yogi, and Thikkam Sellaiyapillai. Swamigal announced “Let us now we launch Navaliyur Somasunderam Pulavar’s Kandavananatha Nanmanimalai and Pathigam”. Swamigal ordered the famous musician, V. Ramanathan to read that book. He sang in the appropriate tune for each verses, melting the listener’s hearts. Everybody was immersed in the meaning and the music of those verses. At that time a peacock appeared, opened its feathers and started to dance to the amazement of the devotees. On seeing this Swamigal complimented, “Of course, peacock will come and dance when we sing this divine poet’s song”.§
(Elanadu, 11.4.1965).§
The land in Kanthavana Kadavai, which Swamigal acquired for farming, belonged to a German company that produced sugar from sugarcane juice. Thikkam Sellaiyapillai is the owner of the land. The gardeners did some modification to the former horse stable of Germans and converted it as their living place. Mrs. Thikkam Sellaiyapillai had written as follows: “Then in 1930 in the Tamil month of Margazhi, Swamigal with the intention of giving a decent and respectful livelyhood for some of His devotees, invited them to stay in a building within our compound and do farming there. He paid some money to Thikkam Sellaiyapillai and saw to their food supply and other needs. For more than a year the garden work was going on well but then later, all the workers left one by one. Now we are doing the work by ourselves.”§
Yogaswami’s plan for agriculture promotion came into perfect implementation only after Swamigal’s Samadhi. The agriculture farm was attached to Sivathondan Nilayam of Mattakalappu Sengalady. The person in-charge of this project was one of the truest devotees of Swamigal, with the renunciate name, Santhaswami, son of Lord Soulbury. His sole ambition was to fulfil his guru Yoga Swami’s wishes. He received mental peace only from Swamigal, which he could not obtain anywhere else. He did immeasurable sacrifices to experience that peace. The following Thevaram of Appar Swami describes his position more aptly:§
“First, She asked His name, §
Then asked how He looks§
Then asked about His whereabouts,§
Then she became part of Him§
On same day she discarded mother and others§
She forego the tradition of others§
She lost herself, lost her name§
Took refuge in His Holy Feet”.§
Santhaswami had written a letter to his son-in-law in which he had clearly stated the objectives of this agriculture farm. The gist of that letter is as follows:§
“You had enquired about the objectives of this agriculture farm. Like all agriculture farms, the objective of this farm is to reap maximum yield without damaging the soil”. §
Apart from this general objective, there was a special objective too. This was to train the young people between the age of 16 to 25 in agriculture sector. But this is not an ordinary agriculture school. Whoever join here have to follow certain religious disciplines they they spent most of their time in the paddy fields.§
The present era is known for separating the other aspects of life- such as science, arts and philosophy- from religion. In the olden days, whether in the east or west, there was no division like this. Many aspects of life revolved around religion. The neglect of this resulted in the present day chaos of our life. Now, I live among Tamil people. Their life had been revolving based on agricultural farming.§
Sivathondan means slave to Siva. All the work done by Sivathondan is Pooja to Siva. One should not think about reward when doing work. In other words all the proceeds of the work must be dedicated to Siva. This is not a new concept. Bhagavath Gita also says the same thing. I wish that you will read this book when you are grown up.§
I am not sure how much you have understood from what I have written above. So far, no young men have come forward to join. We have a building to live. We have the best field in the whole district. We are doing the farming with hired laborers now. This is also good. We are becoming good agriculturist by experience. We expect the right people to come at the right time. Good if it happens. Good also if it does not happen. There is nothing wrong. Wrong cannot exist any where. Everything is right”.§