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VENGADESHWARAN SUBRAMANIAM
Only about a hundred people were present at the Sri Mariamman Temple for the annual fire walking festival, or Theemithi, last Sunday.
Such a low turnout would have been inconceivable in the past when thousands flocked to the temple for the festival every year, chanting "Om Shakti" in homage to the Hindu goddess Sri Drowpathai Amman.
But mass gatherings were impossible this year due to Covid-19.
The festival, though, was watched by thousands.
More than 55,000 viewers watched the proceedings streamed live on Facebook and YouTube by the Hindu Endowments Board (HEB).
Mrs P. Karthigaihini, who watched the festival online, rued the break with tradition. "I have never missed theemithi," she said. "Even as a student, during my O and A level examinations. After I got married, even while I was pregnant, I still went."
The 32-year-old teacher, who has been taking part in the festival for 20 years, expressed her sadness at not being able to participate this year.
"Such a situation should never happen to devotees again," she said. "I regard Amman as my mother. This year, it was like a mother celebrating the festival without her children.
"But it's not necessary to be physically present to worship. We must have the goddess in our hearts".
She is part of the temple volunteer group called Durgaiamman Pillaigal, which has about 40 members. They shared photos and videos of previous festivals and details of this year's event. "I felt very emotional watching the live video coverage with my family on TV," she said.
Every year about 5,000 devotees and 600 volunteers take part in the festival. This year, only 100 people were in the temple during the event: 30 for preparing the fire pit, 30 for the related rituals and 40 were management, medical and safety personnel.
Key temple staff and volunteers - about 60 people in all - walked across the fire pit. They were involved in the month-long events leading up to the fire walk.
These include Kodiyetram (festival flag hoisting), Periyachi Amman puja and plays enacting scenes from the epic Mahabharatha. These usually continue for three months, but this year were compressed into a month.
The fire was started at 9.30am and the Karagam (holy pot) tied at 3.30pm. At about 4.45pm the temple's main priest Venugopal Thirunavakarasu, 38, crossed the fire pit. The devotees followed him.
The entire event concluded at about 5pm and the temple reopened for regular worship by 5.30pm.
Mr David Eng, a 65-year-old Chinese devotee, has been fire walking for 31 years. But this year he watched it online. "I saw the devotees walking across the pit. The music made me feel the divine energy," he said.
Mr Venu Arsh, who has been fire walking for 12 years, welcomed the change in view of Covid-19."We had prayers at home and I watched the live stream with my family. We were happy the festival went on despite the restrictions," said Mr Venu, 41.
In the past, streams of devotees went in a procession from the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple on Serangoon Road to the Sri Mariamman Temple to fulfil their vows. The fire walking normally started at 8pm and ended next morning around 3am.
Generally, about 25,000 pieces of firewood are used for the pit, but this time only about 6,000 were used.
Some felt the festival should have been cancelled this year in view of Covid-19, as in Malaysia and India.
In response, the HEB's Chief Executive Officer T. Raja Segar said the fire walking festival has never been cancelled in Singapore.
"Different countries are experiencing different situations. Those particular countries will have their reasons for cancelling events. In our country, in April nothing could happen. Temples were closed because of the circuit breaker. Now the situation is different," he said.
He added that getting approval from government bodies to continue the festival this year was by itself a huge achievement.
Sri Mariamman Temple chairman Lakshmanan Seenivasakan said: "Devotees, in particular those who could not fulfil their vows, will surely be disheartened. Let's pray to Amman that the situation gets better and that we can resume our normal festivities by next year."
"We had prayers at home and I watched the live stream with my family. We were happy the festival went on despite the restrictions."
- Mr Venu Arsh who has been fire walking for 12 years
