SINGAPORE, November 6, 2001: About 3,500 Hindu devotees walked barefoot across a 6-meter-long pit of red-hot coals yesterday to celebrate the annual Hindu festival of Thimithi. They gathered at the Sri Mariamman temple in South Bridge Road to offer prayers hours before performing the fire walk, which is a form of penance or thanksgiving in honor of the Goddesses Sri Mariamman and Sri Draupathai Amman. Only men are allowed to perform the ritual. The Sri Mariamman temple was packed with about 6,000 visitors, who had come to give moral support to the participants. A priest from the temple led the way in the firewalk, carrying a karagam–a silver pot containing water, neem leaves, flowers, lemon and other sacred items on his head. He was followed by the devotees. Some walked while others dashed across the pit of burning embers. When they reached the other end of the pit, they soaked their feet in goat’s milk. They then smeared turmeric powder on the soles of their feet and on their forehead so that they would be blessed from head to toe.
A daily summary of world news for Hindus and non-Hindus alike