The last I wrote was how swamy cut his birthday cake on Nov 23 kept in the altar
in my friend's place in Coimbatore and presented in the cake box 4 silver coins
carrying the image of Lord Ayyappa of Sabarimalai (Kerala, India). On seeing
the coins my first thoughts were that Swami is wanting me to go to Sabarimalai
which I never gave a thought to though I was in Coimbatore at that time for
nearly 5 years.

Soon the President of a leading company in Coimbatore, who is my friend offered
to take me to Sabarimalai and that was on April 14 - happenned to be Vishu -
Malayalee new year. Visiting for the first time and being slightly overweight
the task of walking bare foot for 5 kms uphill was indeed daunting. We
originally planned to start the trek at 5am and come down by 10.30 or so to
avoid the summer heat. But it so happenned that it was already noon when
completed darshan of Swami Ayyappa and we started our return journey down. I
was tired and there were boils on my foot making it absolutely difficult to
walk in the hot sun on a stretch strewn with stones and pebbles. My friend too
had difficulty but he said he was used to this.

I writhed in pain, walking ten feet and looking for a shelter - nowhere to be
seen - that too being non-season the shops were also less. I was in tears. I
cried and prayed to Swami: Swami you only gave me the coins of Lord Ayyappa and
indicated me to go to Sabarimalai. So I have come. What is this heat and I am
unable to trek down. See that it rains or do something. But you should do
something, please. Else I can't go down"

Once this prayer was sent to Swami as me and my friend walked another 5 minutes
we encountered one beggar, could be 65 years, talking Malayalam and partly
Tamil. He offered his rubber sandals to me to be worn and offered to tie an old
clothe to my friend's feet to prevent heat. I was glad for the offer of chappals
for me and asked him where he was going. He told that he was also coming down.
Immediately I asked him "then how will you walk in the heat? You will require
the slippers for you". He said " This heat is nothing new to me, I have
travelled long distances. Only you require the sandals and asked me to wear and
happily climb down". He requested us to drop him in a nearby village on the way
back and came behind us talking....blabberring....commenting "look this young
man is so happy now wearing sandals and he is walking so easily" etc. My task
became easy while my friend managed somehow and with this old man finally all of
us came down.

Immediately we wanted to drink tender coconut and offered this beggar also one.
He sat down and drank and was eating the coconut kernel inside the tender
coconut. Me and my friend were chatting wating for this man to finish so that
we can drop him on the way. We took a few steps and turned back to call him HE
WAS NOT THERE. HE WAS NOT ANYWHERE AROUND. OLD MAN....NO OTHER PLACE TO GO
THERE WITH RIVER ON ONE SIDE, PATHWAY TO CLIMB THE OTHER SIDE. Both were shell
shocked. Madly searched for him - HE WAS NOT THERE. I looked at my foot.
Slippers were intact. I realised BHAGAWAN had come in the form of beggar to
give me slippers and vanished in no time. He answered my call and I realised
when you are suffering the call naturally comes from the depths of the heart
and hence God instantly responds. At that point I recalled reading in one of
the books on Swami that Swami gave darshan to an elderly lady when she visited
Sabarimalai. Swami's head was
seen at the place of Ayyappa's and she "scolded" Swami for obstructing Ayyappa's
view to her. When she went back to Puttaparthi Swami asked her : "How dare you
say no when I give darshan at Sabarimalai?"". Love and pranams to Swami the
universal god.
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