September 10, 2006

Today was the day of the flag hoisting ceremony at the Thiruchendur Murugan Temple. I was very busy helping the priest with all the proceedings. I arrived early 8am and left 8pm that day — with no food or water the entire day. I didn’t even sit down to rest during the day, as the priest was short-staffed and so depended on me to do everything. The first time I sat down to rest was when I got into the car at 8pm to drive home. My first drink was from a water bottle, which I finished with one big continuous gulp as I was driving home that evening. I was dead exhausted and my feet hurt so much that I couldn’t even walk. As soon as I reached home, I went to bed.

That night, I had a dream that I was in the Thiruchendur Murugan Temple. I was standing in front of the big black tall Murugan statue. I saw a devotee strike a coconut with a knife. The coconut cracked in one big perfect straight crack that went completely around the circumference of the coconut (auspicious sign). The strange incident was that the coconut did not split apart (as it normally does) when it was struck. Instead, coconut water (ilani) started spurting out from one area of the crack. The devotee let go of the coconut as it continued to spray ilani in a strong jet-like stream. As other devotees continued to watch the coconut spray ilani, I (for some unknown reason) turned the coconut and aimed the projectile jet-like stream onto the face of the Murugan statue. So, the sweet coconut water was bathing the beautiful Murugan statue. I simply gazed in awe and wonder of my Lord’s beautiful form. I then awoke.