CHAPTER 1 The known and the unknown It is a manuscript called ‘The Festival of Forests’ written by a by the name,Shiv Baba who undertook penance in the forest of Agasthyakoodam. Normally, in the olden days, people used to write on palm leaves. Such palm leaf writings would last for a very long time and would be much useful for future generations. But, Kali Baba wrote this book on a piece of white silk fabric using his own blood as ink. He fully used the entire hundred-meter full-length fabric and completed his writing. He folded the fabric carefully and ...Read More

Chapter 2 The black jasmine “Baba, why are you giving this box to me?” Baba said, “I’m giving to you for a reason,” Baba asked me to keep it safe with me. Again out of curiosity I asked, “Baba, shall I read the contents in this fabric?”. “It is not for you to read”, said Shiv Baba. Then....? Kottarathil Sankaran The car entered into Madhavan’s Bungalow. A retro bungalow that was built in the late thirty’s. Like a ‘Manichithira thaz’ bungalow shown in the films, the portico had a beautiful garden full of roses in it and there ...Read More

Chapter 3 Lakshmipuram days ‘You have to keep this box very confidential, no matter whatever may happen, you should open this box.’Shiv Baba, who laid down so many conditions like this, asked me to drop the box in a stream on the day when the thunderstorms stroke and killed humans in masses . I didn’t ask the reasons, because Shiv Baba was a visionary. He would not tell me to do something without any reason. Kottarathil Sankaran The car started its journey… All the three of them occupied the rear seat. Madhavan began to unfold what had happened ...Read More

CHAPTER 4 Varma’s heaven I kept that wooden box very safe with me taking the utmost care. But unfortunately, day, my small kid without knowing its importance opened it quite innocently and pulled the silk fabric out, I tried to put it back immediately into the box, but…” Kottarathil Sankaran. Next day… Varma’s car stopped in front of Sreeksha’s house. Varma came out of the car and walked briskly inside with Sree Latha’s make-up box in his hands. Sree panicked for a moment but she knew how to handle such situations beautifully, she said, “Ji, welcome to the ...Read More

CHAPTER 5 Black and white While keeping the silk cloth back in the box; unknowingly my eyes focused on cloth and read the lines starting with the title ‘The Festival of Forests’, the first line in it was ‘Think about the forests every day, the forests become the smaller than the smallest and bless you, the sky becomes larger than the largest and blesses you. ..’ When I read it, I couldn’t understand anything, but at the same time, the guilt of disobeying the words of Kali Baba pricked my mind. Kottarathil Sankaran On hearing a car horn ...Read More

CHAPTER 6 Mayamma & Mayakutty ‘Although my conscience whispered a big ‘NO’, my unquenched thirst to know unknown forced me to read whatever was there in that silk fabric. I started reading. It was written: ‘Among the forests, ‘Agasthyakoodam’ is the one with full of rare and unique medicinal herbs. In this forest you could find plenty of ‘Arugampul’ which has unique medicinal properties’. The name ‘Agasthyakoodam ’made me think and rethink for a long time. Kottarathil Sankaran. Valluvanadu! Wherever you turn you could see only greenery. In the middle of this you could see bamboo trees ...Read More

CHAPTER 7 Black Rose I continued to read, ‘In Agasthyakoodam, there are some curly-haired people who has won the Their saliva is a medicine for the melting skin. If applied like a Sandalwood paste.’ there I stopped and started thinking. I assumed that what Kali Baba was referring to as a curly haired person is a siddha, who used to live in the forests. What is meant by, ‘Their saliva is a medicine for melting skin.’ I searched and researched. Melting skin means Hansen's disease. May be what he meant to say was their saliva is a medicine for ...Read More

Chapter 8 Black lemon I continued reading the manuscript. It explained in detail Agasthyakoodam, the unique herbs growing there, and the Siddhas livingthere. But still, I was in a confusion about why Kali Baba asked me to protect this fabric with so much confidentiality. Again my subconscious mind told me that there is a valid reason for it. Kottarathil Sankaran. Varma kept on pacing in the hall like a cat who has just given birth to a kitten. Madhavan was observing him for a very long time but could not make out what ...Read More

Chapter 9 Forget me Shiv Baba’s words written with blood in that silk continued to talk with me. The message was very subtle. There are thirty-two ponds in Agasthyakoodam. Out of those, thirty-one of them is always visible. But the thirty second one will be visible, only on the thirteenth day of every fortnight, if also it rains on that day. Anyone who takes bath in all the thirty-two ponds will be relieved from all their karmas. Wa re Wah, if it is so it will be a blessing to all mankind I thought! Kottarathil ...Read More

CHAPTER 10Ya-te-veo There were total of nine secret messages in that silk fabric, about the Agasthyakoodam forest. The most important among them were the ‘Forget me ‘herbs and the ‘Man-eating trees’ in the forest. Shiv Baba might have mentioned it for some specific reasons. Kottarathil Sankaran. Anand found it very difficult to read the manuscript, as the language used in it was not so easy to decipher. Sankaran helped him read it and explained its meaning now and then. The first message said, that even the ordinary grasses in the Agasthyakoodam are very rare ...Read More

CHAPTER 11 The great escape My guru, belonged to a very rich family Kerala, he ran away from his house at a very young age when he started hearing the ‘Pranav mantra’continuosly in his ears. Just like a nomad he wandered in many forests for years.At last he reached the Agasthyakoodam forest. After many years of continuous penance, there he got enlightened. Some forests are very divine and in these forests tiger and deer will drink water in the same pond. He was so amazed by the power of nature once he told me that carnivorous ...Read More

CHAPTER 12 Happened but not happened There are no common rules to identify Siddha. Sometimes they may even take the form of an ordinary beggar and will shower you with blessings. No one can predict their actions, sometimes they throw away what you offer with love and some other times they will share it with you. They can take any form from humans to animals. They cure your disease and accept the same in their body and suffer for you. This understanding made me to look for Siddhas in all forms and walks of life! ...Read More