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As a girl my mother had the good fortune to serve the saint, Swami Paramaguru. He was a great sage living in Matale, our Swamiji's birthplace. He was well-known in the area as an enlightened saint. He only allowed my mother to prepare his food and always insisted that the food should be cooked in a prescribed manner and with absolute care and cleanliness. My mother always prepared and served the food to his satisfaction. Swamiji has already explained to you about the great saint's prediction to my mother. Swamiji was her daughter Pushpakanthi's third child. I was the first person to hold him after the birth. Of all the children he was the most attractive. During his schooldays he was, undoubtedly, a very mischievous boy but he was well-liked by his school teachers. However, to my surprise, I came to hear some strange stories about his behaviour in school. Swamiji was always class monitor and the students were fond of him. One morning, he stood in front of the class and told the students, "Today, teacher won't be coming to school as she has a stomach upset." After a short time, indeed that teacher sent a note to the school principal saying that she had a bad stomach and was unable to take classes – yet Swamiji had announced this without any prior knowledge of the teacher's condition. When she returned to school she questioned Swamiji about what he said, but he admitted, "I don't know why I said it but something made me say it. I myself am also surprised that what I said actually happened!" Thereafter I heard that he was materialising chocolates, sweets, sugar candy and other little objects for many friends. These stories did not alarm me because I know he was a mischievous boy! Some years later Swamiji stopped wearing trousers and shirts like the other boys and started wearing the traditional dhoti and jibba (long cloth wrapped around the waist and a small one on the shoulders) which gave him the appearance of a priest. The local people were now calling him "Ravi Swami' . They were saying that he was materialising vibuthi, kungkumam, sandalwood and religious objects to help people with their problems. I thought to myself that he might become a Swamiji. At that time in Sri Lanka there were only a handful of Hindu Swamijis (apart from the Ramakrishna Mission) and most of them were not regarded as great religious men. In those days people looked down on them, thinking that such Swamis were from a very poor family and that taking to monkhood was a way of earning a living. As we were a respectable, well-to-do family, I felt that him being like a Swami was looked down on by others. Unfortunately, I was holding a very respectable and responsible post in government service. Often my friends would joke, saying, "Your Swami-nephew" which would irritate me and so I strongly warned him to stop this nonsense, saying he was bringing disgrace on our family. My efforts, however, were to no avail. He had been a boy who always gave me a lot of respect and listened to my advice. I was shocked and upset to find that this previously obedient lad now turned a deaf ear to my counsel. However, he was my mother's pet and I could not bring myself to punish him in any way. My mother and I frequently quarreled about Swamiji and so I got a work transfer to Colombo, 100 miles away from Matale, in order to get away from this situation. Even though I was so far away from Matale, I got frequent information about Swamiji! All who spoke to me about him had a good word for him and they would tell me that he was almost "superhuman". Some of my good friends felt that I was living in a fool's paradise of pride by not recognising Swamiji, who was, by now, well respected in Matale. I did not give in to these comments. Over the 25 years from 1958 to 1983 I suffered severe financial and property losses. During the 1977 ethnic riots my home was burnt. I accepted all as God's will but my wife (Saraswathy) could not bear the continuing upset and her health suffered. In 1981 she had a stroke which made me realise that a fast social life and pride about status did not bring happiness. I now felt that such things were temporary and foolish. We started to worry about our son's future. At this stage I started to associate more with Swamiji to get some peace of mind. Though I had little faith, my wife and son were his strong devotees and invariably I would scold them after they returned from prayer meetings and bhajan singing. However, I could not prevent them from being devotees and I did not interfere with their belief in Swamiji. At this time Swamiji predicted that in the future I would serve in his Ashram as an active devotee. This was a definite statement and he seemed very sure of his words. Before the 1983 riots I was very worried. Saraswathy was paralysed and my son, Ashokan, had just completed his final school exams. I wanted to educate him well. I contacted Swamiji and we discussed these problems. I asked him if I should stay in Sri Lanka. To my surprise he said that very soon we would face a very drastic ethnic problem in Sri Lanka which would disrupt the life of every Tamil. Swamiji said he was thinking of going to India. I also decided to go there for good. I made this decision mainly because of my wife's critical condition. One month later Swamiji telephoned me and told me he would soon go to India. I also went with my sick wife and son. This was a transition period in my life and I surrendered myself to Swamiji, not as an Uncle but now as a true devotee. From that day I accepted that he is a great saint and a superhuman being. My belief was succesfully proven to me by his effecting a miraculous change in my wife's life. She was in bed unable to move for 6 months. After coming to India and living together with Swamiji in the same house, he actually got her to walk about, performing normal household duties and helping herself. We all went to Rameshwaram (a famous Rama temple) on the coast. It thrilled my heart to see her walking alongside Swamiji, visiting all the ancient sites in this famous, holy place. She walked more than two kilometres! This gave me more and more faith in Swamiji. Eight months later Swamiji told me that Saraswathy's days were numbered and that although she looked well she would not live long. He advised that soon I would have to face up to this drastic change in my life and I should bear up to my wife's passing away with courage. I feel that it was due to his grace that I coped well. Saraswathy told Swamiji, "I want to be relieved of my suffering." Swamiji materialised a Ganapathy statue for her and said that her suffering would be relieved within 48 days. Swamiji went on a short visit to Sri Lanka and during that time my wife had a sudden, severe heart attack. I remembered Swamiji's kind warning that she had a short time to live and I immediately called my son, Ashokan, to India (he was working in Sri Lanka). He was able to be with his mother for ten days. Two days prior to her death Swamiji called me from Sri Lanka and reminded me of his prediction. Exactly on the 48th day after Swamiji gave her the statue she passed away. Swamiji returned to India immediately to join in her funeral rites at the River Cauvery in Trichy. Ashokan and I were overwhelmed with grief. Swamiji managed everything. He arranged for Ashokan's education in the United Kingdom and got him engaged to a close devotee's daughter according to our traditions. Swamiji took over all my problems and solved them quickly, as if they were his own. Although Swamiji had an Uncle called Mylvaganam, no-one knew about it for a long time because of my indifferent and faithless ways. Now the devotees consider me as their common "Maama" (Uncle). This name came to me because I was Swamiji's uncle. Swamiji himself continues to call me Maama. I was blessed to live in Swamiji's holy Ashram in his service actively participating in its activities until those fateful days when we were arrested on false charges. Now I live in hope to see the day when Swamiji will walk free on this earth and all will know of his innocence. May the Truth win. JAI PREMA SHANTI Swamiji's uncle, Mr. Mylvaganam, passed away in 2001. |
I am Swamiji's maternal uncle, the youngest son of Thaiyal
Muthammal , Swamiji's grandmother. I was a government servant
for thirty-five years attached to the Treasury of Sri Lanka.
My mother was a very religious-minded lady who frequently
visited India, mainly to perform such Hindu observances as
Kanda Sasti Viradam (a fast in honour of the deity, Lord Muruga)
at famous shrines such as Tiruchendur on the southern Tamil
Nadu coast. On one such pilgrimage my mother and I were extremely
lucky to have the divine darshan of the great Yogi, Sri Ramana
Maharishi in Tiruvanamalai in 1942. 
I felt that my status in the city was much more
important. I enjoyed my busy social life and fine food and drink.
Yet I was always an actively religious man who believed in the ritual
worship of deities and temple activities. I always returned to Matale
at the time of Sri Muthu Mariyamman cart festivals in order to assist
in the financial management during these celebrations. This was
a considerable task as the temple was very famous and very popular.
When I occasionally called on my mother in Matale, I would take
a keen interest in the progress of my mischievous nephew. Some time
later, when I met friends in various professions (doctors, engineers
and the like) who also related stories about Swamiji with faith
and confidence they made me understand that he cured the sick and
was helping many suffering people. This prompted me to re-think
my opinion about him and I made it a point to meet Swamiji from
time to time. I thought there may be truth in the stories because
many people were going to see him. However, my pride would still
not allow me to get down on my knees and worship him.