WALKING OVER A PIT OF BURNING COALS

Devotees who have observed the 10-day vegetarian diet waiting to walk across the burning coals
Yellow cloth containing items to be carried over the burning coal pit
The Taiost master saying prayers before starting to cross the burning coal pit
Pomegranate leaves is used to sprinkle holy water onto the pit
A medium in trance channeling his energy to make the fire walk a success
The hot coal pit
Crossing the burning charcoal pit
Prayer paper combusting on the coal pit
Water is used to douse the fire of the burning coal pit at the end
Sharveen testing to see if the charcoal is still hot after water has been poured to doused the fire
Another coal pit in another temple: its about 30 feet long
The Taoist master at the Kiew Ong Yeah temple performing prayers before the start of the fire walk
Devotees getting ready the pit

Today is the ninth and final day of the Festival of the 9-Emperor Gods. One of the most interesting activities is the walking over a burning coal pit by the devotees who had observed the 10-day vegetarian fast strictly according to the precepts that were stipulated.

I invited Sharveen to go with me to the Dou Mou Gong in Ayer Tawar to witness this fire walking ceremony this afternoon. Actually, Eric helped to find out when this event was held so that I could go. According to his friend who gave him the information, the fire walking ceremony is usually held at night but this year it is being carried out at daytime. They started at 3.45 p.m. to be precise. I guess it must have something to do with auspicious hours. If it is carried out at night, we would be able to see the flames more clearly. However, we still knew that the pit was really hot from the heat emanating from it. Furthermore the pit was only about 10 feet long.

After witnessing the firewalking feat at the Dou Mou Gong, Sharveen and I went over to the Kiew Ong Yeah shrine opposite and realised that the coal pit there was very much longer. Both of us estimated it to be at least 30 feet long. Unfortunately, we did not stay to watch the fire walk as it started to rain at around 4.30 p.m. I was told by one of the bystanders that the walk was scheduled to start at around 5.00 p.m.

When I reached home, my neighbour told me that she went to the Dou Mou Temple in Pekan Gurney in the afternoon and also witnessed a fire walking ritual there. The pit there was also around 30 feet long.