Cool your Dogs on Hot Coals

Demetra, Sophia, Myrna and Ronak looking for hot coals to walk on
Even Ronak knows Ganesha
I wore my team India cricket shirt to blend in with the crowd.
You want to stay on this Deity's good side!
A last look at one of the alters before heading home.

A few weeks ago, as part of the Deepavali season here in Singapore, the Hindu Thimithi Festival (http://events.skyteam.com/sisp/index.htm?fx=event&event_id=62781) took place at the Sri Mariamman Temple. (http://www.usp.nus.edu.sg/post/singapore/arts/architecture/srimar/1.html)

Myrna and I happened upon it last year and missed the coal walking so this year we had a plan. Sophia, Myrna, and me along with work friends Ronak Patel and Demetra Merikas started the evening out with a really tasty Nepalese dinner at a restaurant called Ghorka in Chinatown. (http://www.streetdirectory.com/restaurants/singapore/reviews/restaurant-Gorkha_Grill-1884.php ) The food was really good - Momo appetisers (small filled samosas), great mutton and really fine naan, all washed down with cold Kingfisher beers.

After dinner we wandered over to the temple, which is about three blocks away. The paper said the fire walking was Monday with festivities starting early and the actual walking taking place quite late. As we walked towards the Temple entrance we were able to see that there was a big crowd inside. You see, everyone needs to remove their shoes before entering and there were about 500 pairs of sandals and other assorted footwear all over the sidewalk on both sides of the large doors. We deposited our shoes in the pile and went in. there was a lot of activities but not hot coals or burnt footed devotees. While Ronak, our Hindu expert, was misidentifying the various statues of well known Hindu deities, I found some guys to ask when the walking was set to begin. Sadly, the men who I asked laughed and said that the walking took Place at about 2AM that morning. I guess it was actually Monday, but as usual the local paper, Sraits Times, was a little vague in their description of the exact timing.

We hung around the temple for a while soaking in the ambiance and soon headed our separate ways. Well, at least we had a good dinner that night!