Devotees walk over burning coal to fulfill their vow to Guan Yin

What say you on the issue below?

THE hundreds of people who queued and walked barefoot across a meter-long path that had burning coal at the Mambang Diawan Guan Yin Temple have one thing in common — faith in their belief.

With clasped palms, and some carrying their young children on their shoulders, they crossed the “fiery mountain” with the hope of getting Guan Yin’s (Goddess of Mercy) blessings on the goddess’ birthday recently.

Driven by encouragement from the crowd to undergo the ritual, Kok Kong Wai, 22, admitted that her initial fear was getting her feet burnt.

“I was told that the ritual can ward off bad luck,” said the 22-year-old cashier from Singapore.

Tight grip: A mother comforting a frightened child while walking over the burning coal.

“I hope my bosses will stop screaming at me from now on,” she quipped.

Undergraduate Chong Kang Ni, 23, who prayed for safety on the road said she was still traumatised by a minor accident last month.

“I was not mentally prepared to walk on the burning coal but decided to give it a try after much persuasion from a friend,” she said, adding that she was surprised that the burning coal was not very hot.

Devotee Lee Muk Chong, 53, said there were three annual celebrations of Guan Yin — on the nineteenth day of the second, sixth and ninth lunar months.

“Today is the third, and the last celebration for this year,” said Lee who owns a medicine shop in the village.

Villagers were also seen collecting the burning coal in steel buckets at the end of the ritual.

“Bathing children with water mixed with the coal can relieve them from frequent nightmares or shocks,” said 45-year-old devotee Lee Ching Boon.

Master of the ritual who only wished to be known as Ah Kiong said his team used 82 bags of coal for the ritual,

Not heavy: Sedan-bearers walking on coal while carrying the statue of the goddess.

“Charcoals burnt less than 10 hours can easily spark fire when they are stepped on,” said Ah Kiong, 50, who was also seen sprinkling a handful of rice and salt mixture on the surface of the burning coal every now and then to help control the fire.

Master Enyoo Chin Leong from Taiping’s Nam Thean Kong Temple also dotted the eyes of a pair of dragons mounted on two pillars of the 60-year-old temple on the auspicious day.

Temple treasurer Chin Toong Fatt said the dotting of the eyes with red ink would bring life to the dragons.

“Dragon symbolises prosperity and spirituality and it will bless the temple and its devotees,” he said.