SINGAPORE – An estimated 4,000 devotees walked barefoot across a pit of hot coals on Oct 12 as the annual fire-walking festival returned to the Sri Mariamman Temple.
The centuries-old ritual is the culmination of more than two months of prayers and ceremonies that began in late July.
Leading the fire-walking ceremony, also known as Theemithi, was Sri Mariamman Temple’s chief priest Venugopal Thirunavukarasu, who has been serving at the temple since 2019.
He walked across the fire pit shortly after 6.15pm, following a 4km procession on foot that began at 4pm from Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple in Serangoon Road to South Bridge Road.
Other male devotees also walked across the bed of glowing embers, before cooling their feet in a milk-filled pit.
Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth David Neo attended the ceremony and observed the ritual from the temple courtyard.
Among the devotees was a father-son duo who have walked the fire pit together for more than a decade.
Mr M. Raveendran, 60, has volunteered at Sri Mariamman Temple for more than 30 years, from when his son was just a child.
“Watching him grow into this role and carry forward the tradition has been truly inspiring,” said Mr Raveendran. “This year, as always, we walked side by side, with faith and devotion.”
His son, R. Manoj Kumar, 31, recalled being nervous the first time he did the ritual. “But when I closed my eyes and focused on the prayers, all my fear vanished. Walking alongside my father in this sacred ritual since then has been a blessed experience.”
Mr Shekaran Krishnan, 59, who took up the post of chairman at Sri Mariamman Temple in June 2024, also walked the fire pit for the first time and said it was a “peaceful and fulfilling experience”.
He added that the temple expanded the public viewing area in 2025, increasing seating capacity from about 300 in 2024 to 350.
More younger devotees took part in 2025, he said, estimating that there was a 15 per cent increase from 2024.
Devotees crossing the fire pit at Sri Mariamman Temple during the annual theemithi vizha, or fire walking festival, on Oct 12.
ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
The preparation of the 5.5m-long and 2.5m-wide fire pit began early on Oct 12. It was ignited at around 9am, using 20,000 pieces of a wild neem wood that burns slowly and evenly to create a bed of glowing embers.
Around 30 volunteers tended to the pit directly, stirring the burning embers with long ladles while occasionally splashing cold water on themselves to cool down.
In addition to the fire-walking, devotees also performed other vows, including the paalkudam (milk pot offering), maavilakku (lighting of flour lamps), angaprathachanam (rolling in prayer around the temple), and kumbiduthandam (prostrating every few steps in devotion). These rituals were completed in the days leading up to the Oct 12 event.
Throughout the day, about 10,000 devotees were served free meals at Sri Mariamman Temple.
The Theemithi festival, which has been observed in Singapore for more than 150 years, re-enacts the spirit of the Hindu epic Mahabharata. It symbolises the fire trial undertaken by goddess Draupathi Amman to prove her purity and devotion, and the ritual of walking on fire is seen as an act of faith, endurance and thanksgiving.
TAMIL MURASU
