Hindus observe fire walking prayer week

[Guest guest]

Hindus observe fire walking prayer week

Thursday July 10, 2003

>From Fijilive.com

 

Then India Sanmarga Ikya Sangam society in Suva have been observing

their Annual Theemithi Thirunaal (Firewalking prayers) at the

Arulmigu Sri Raj Maha Mariamman Temple.

 

Chief priest Pandit Tirthadeva Peruman said people from all over Fiji

and some even from overseas had come to observe this week-long event,

which ends with devotees walking on charcoal in a fire pit.

 

He said there were 45-8 devotees who will be doing the actual fire

walking on Sunday after 41 days of strict control on their life.

 

Pandit Peruman said the devotees have been having a vegetarian diet,

abstained from sex and did not attend any social events during the 41

days.

 

Other devotees who do the pooja do not have to follow all these

principles but they have to have a vegetarian diet as the Hindu

religion calls for.

 

Pandit Peruman said they predict thousands of devotees coming to the

pooja on Sunday and that hundreds of devotees had already turned up

for the daily prayers held at the temple since the beginning of this

week.