A group of Hindu devotees on their way to the firewalking ceremony in Sri Mariamman Temple, saved a Chinese man who was collapsed by the side of the road. While a member of the group did CPR on the man, the others sheltered him until the ambulance arrived.
Facebook user Rajoo Casket Loga in sharing several pictures of the incident said that the Chinese man was fortunate that the devotees kept pumping him until the ambulance came with the CPR machine. It was only then that he started breathing. Rajoo credited the pictures to his friends Kumar Quacker and GK Simon.
The incident happened yesterday (23 Oct) afternoon near a petrol kiosk in Serangoon Road, which is beside Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple, and near Block 685 Race Course Road.
Facebook user Saravanan Rana who commented on Rajoo’s post, shared a picture of the group which helped the man in need.
Firewalking or ‘Theemithi’ (as it is called in Tamil), is a Hindu religious vow in which the devotee promises to walk on fire in exchange for a wish or blessing granted by the goddess Draupadi. Theemithi is an international Hindu festival which originated in South India and is practised wherever there are South Indians.
The vow is observed in Sri Mariamman Temple in South Bridge Road since 1840. The firewalking itself is a culmination of a four-kilometre walk that begins at Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple on Serangoon Road.
The video below shows how the ceremony was celebrated in the year 1913 – complete with the beheading of a goat. Mariamman Temple is referred to as Maman Temple in the video.
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Video credit: Michael Rogge (https://youtu.be/7h3RfcuzpH8)