Fijilive.com
FIJI ISLANDS, July 14, 2003: The first fire walking by the India Sangarma Ikya Sangam devotees took place today in the Sri Raj Maha Mariamman Temple. Chief Priest Pandit Tirthadeva Peruman, who has been doing the fire-walking puja (prayer) for the past five years, officiated. Almost a thousand people attended the celebration, but only about 45-48 people participated in the actual fire-walking ceremony, as it calls for stringent control on the lifestyles of participants. The ceremony was part of a week-long puja held to pay homage to the three Goddesses: Kali, Draupati and Karumari Amman.
Fire walking, where Hindus walk on a pit of smoldering coals, has been done by Hindus in Fiji since 1923, beginning soon after the arrival of South Indians in that country. The native Fijians also have an ancient tradition of fire walking. Scientifically, the fire-walking ceremony has baffled many because those who walk on these smoldering coals come off unharmed.