sandals of nails - worn by a devotee during Thaipusam
PhotoHunt theme : Sheer/Nails
In multiracial, multicultural Singapore, we celebrate a number of colourful festivals throughout the year. The two annual Hindu festivals that I love to watch are Thaipusam and Thimithi fire-walking ceremony.
Brave the burning coals through sheer willpower and courage!
Thousands of devotees and their supporters and tourists would swarm the brightly-lit Sri Mariamman temple to witness the Thimithi fire-walking which is a form of penance or thanksgiving in honour of the goddess Sri Mariamman.
Two weeks before the fire-walking, devotees would go on a vegetarian diet and fast for 2 days. The male devotees walk quickly across a platform of burning coals and immerse their feet into a pool of milk before applying turmeric powder on their feet to cool them down.
Hi Ecl, I was blogwalking and happen to discover your blog by chance. Nice posting about Thaipusam. Being a Malaysian so far I yet to watch the Thaipusam or the Thimithi fire walking except from pictures or TV. :))
ReplyDeleteMust make it a effort to watch it at least once in my lifetime. LOL
Have a nice day.
Amelia
Hi Amelia,
DeleteIt feels different when you are watching the Thaipusam procession live and joining in the festive celebrations. The fire-walking is incredible. The devotees are ordinary men and they were walking on burning coals! Got to see to believe it.
Hi ECL, yikes! I'm not sure what is less painful, the nails or the hot coals. Kudos to those who can complete them.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful weekend.
Both are as painful..... to me. The men who complete them have very strong willpower and courage. Respect.
DeleteI've attended Thaipusam festivities but never the fire-walking! The closest I've come to that is a celebration/farewell gathering at the end of an archaeology field season when a few drunk archaeologists decided to walk over fire we had previously used to ceremonially burn some of our dirtiest clothes -- and managed to do so without hurting themselves! :D
ReplyDeleteGo watch the fire-walking. Right in front of you, the men will walk on burning coals. When I asked some of them to let me see their soles...., no burnt marks, no blisters. Amazing. No magic show.
DeleteThere were a few accidents, but not too serious.
I see Thaipusam but not fire-walking...
ReplyDeleteThe fire-walking ceremony coming soon. I jio you to watch. :)
DeleteLovely takes!!
ReplyDeleteI know that some people love to sleep on nail beds, but nail sandals I have never seen. Must be a masochist !
ReplyDeleteDid you put on that sandals? :P
ReplyDeleteWow, how fascinating. Those sandals are wild! Thanks for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteThis was amazing to read about!!
ReplyDeletenot something I could do, but wow!
ReplyDeleteCourage and absolute faith. :)
ReplyDeleteSalute their courage ! Must be difficult~
ReplyDeleteWow!
ReplyDeleteI think I will pass ;-)