Devotional Coal Walking

I do not intend to analyze or act as an expert on the Hindu religion or any religion in India. While saying that, I also do believe that I have witnessed and learned a great amount about religion in India. Originally, I wanted to save this topic for a later time in India, learning and absorbing as much as possible. However, after the effects of last night I thought it would be quite all right to write a bit now about the devotion, no matter what religion, I have noticed in many citizens of India.

The night was a perfect declaration to the Indian pace of life and relaxation that is evident. The past week our social work professors have been encouraging us to observe a Hindu ritual/ceremony on the full moon. It so happened that the full moon was last night. As we slowly walked around away from the city concrete buildings slowly dispersed to be replaced by palm trees one by one as green consumed a larger amount of the hills appearing in the distance. Little huts popped up on either side of the narrow tar road when we slowly walked and listened to our professor explain to us the history of the village. One family, with the traditional Indian hospitality quickly came out of their house with several chairs for us Americans as we guiltily and unexpectantly waited for them to return from their neighbors of fifteen feet with more chairs. There we were given a tour of their home. The homes in this village, a rickshaw drive away from the college, had foundations of concrete with a rooftop made of coconut leaves. Quite cool inside under the fan, there were only two rooms, one with cooking utensils and the other with a bed, tv, and some cabinet, housing a couple with maybe two children. We were served hot chai and biscuits while we waited for the hot coal burning ceremony to start.

The ceremony is very important for these people. Of the couple we met and talked with through translations, they were extremely proud to know someone participating in the ceremony. It is an honor. At six pm we were started making our way to were many people of the community were gathering. The decorations put on all the participants were beautiful. It was relatively easy to pick out who would be walking across hot coals by the yellow that they were wearing and the paint on the faces and body. It was easy for us foreigners to react with concern when we saw several young children decorated for later that evening.

Little did we know that seeing children participating in the ceremony would eventually consume the least of our thoughts. As cool and calm as the night started out, it felt as if the temperature soared as we patiently awaited the activities among a large crowd surrounding a mound of fire and hot coals. Within this waiting period, we made conversation with people, but more importantly simply observed everyone. It was not a laughing, happy manner, but more within the realm of a devotional service. It was apparent that people were anticipating and focused on their neighbors, husbands, wives, friends, and fathers to take this initiative, to become a god for that moment. As we learned there, it was not just a one night deal. These people had fasted in one way or another for forty days prior to this night. Now it was their time; after walking through the coals, they were to become a god for that moment. That is what they believe. Those who were able to walk through the hot coals without a significant amount of physical harm were seen to have the god within them. Once the participants started lining up, the atmosphere and air seemed to become more serious, as if a priest just announced the opening hymn in a Catholic mass. One by one men, women, young, and old walked slowly, quickly, step-by-step, some carrying children, walked through the path of hot coals and into a step of water. There was no clapping; only drumming, shouting, and yells of approval. Although not a Hindu, the devotion and passion everyone had here for their gods, for their religion, for something powerful to them was quite contagious. I have never seen so much dedication and belief in a group of people. This has been a quite consistent observation of mine through my time so far in India.

The most extreme part came, as I turned around to see who else was in line. My eyes immediately were caught by a thin metal rod, horizontal to the ground of about five feet. It was not miraculously suspended through the air; instead it was pierced through the cheeks of a middle-aged man. It went in one cheek, through his mouth and out the opposite cheek as if his skin were paper with a whole made simply by a pair of scissors. This was not just one extremely brave soul; it was the beginning of a trend of that evening. Many walked through those coals with a similar piercing. What was more: he danced, a devotional dance before slowly walking on the coals.

It was a silent walk home around 9:00 that night. Many thoughts were streaming through my brain. As foreign and crazy as it may seem as you read about this, it was extremely real and inspiring. Yes, it was a bit scary to see children walk through coals and to know that humans were destroying parts of their body. Regardless of the lack of knowledge I have of the religion (even after living here for a month) and the spirituality I have of my own, I was in awe at how spiritual these people were. I thought when able to soak it all in, would I be that devoted to someone, to my religion, to participate in a ceremony like that?

I must say, I am content just watching J