Every year, Vietnamese-style rituals or scenes from myth fade into the sounds of chanting, smoke, and heat — and in Singapore, the Theemithi fire-walking festival at Sri Mariamman Temple remains one of the most vivid displays of devotion. This year, for the first time since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of devotees once again braved a bed of burning embers to fulfil vows, express thanks, and seek blessings.
What went down
- The festival is known as Theemithi (Tamil for “fire-walking”) and is observed in the weeks before Deepavali in honour of the goddesses Sri Mariamman and Sri Draupadai Amman. It involves believers walking barefoot over burning coals as an act of thanksgiving or penance.
- This year, over 3,000 devotees participated at the fire-pit at Sri Mariamman Temple on South Bridge Road, walking over burning coals as part of the ritual.
- The event also included a procession of about 4 km from Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple in Serangoon Road to Sri Mariamman Temple. The procession is led by the chief priest carrying a karagam, a sacred vessel, and is accompanied by chanting and prayers.
- Preparations include building a fire pit about 18 feet (~5.4-5.5 m) long, which symbolises the 18-day war segment in the Mahabharata. About 22,000 pieces of wood are used to construct the pit.
Significance & atmosphere
- For many devotees, walking the embers is deeply symbolic: a gesture of faith, a vow kept, or thanksgiving for wishes granted. Some return annually.
- The event is communal: beyond the walkers, large crowds assemble to watch, pray, and support. Chanting, offerings, and ritual cleansings are part of the ritual’s build-up.
- The return to pre-pandemic scale is significant — both in terms of participant numbers and in allowing full rituals (procession, public presence, etc.) without restrictions.
Challenges & safety
- Rain delayed some preparations this year, affecting the fire pit setup and pushing back the ceremonies slightly.
- Participants undergo various rituals before walking: cleansing baths, certain dietary restrictions, registering in advance and observing religious precepts. These are meant to ensure spiritual readiness, but also help organisers manage safety.
- First-aid stations are in place; organisers and temple volunteers assist watchers and walkers alike to minimise the risk of accidents. The pit is also cooled at certain points after the walk, often with milk or water.
What this means going forward
- The revival of the festival at full scale is a marker of post-pandemic recovery — for religious practice, communal life, and tradition. It shows ritual continuity even in changing times.
- It also underscores how cultural heritage in multi-ethnic Singapore remains robust: traditions such as Theemithi continue to draw large followings, and are supported by organisational bodies like the Hindu Endowments Board.
- With large crowds, ritual safety and logistics will remain important — registration systems, crowd control, fire safety, medical readiness, etc. likely to get even more refined.
