Topic started by Santosh (@ cronus.singnet.com.sg) on Wed Oct 15 03:51:03 .
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

http://www.the-inncrowd.com/imagesthimithi/

Responses:

• From: Senthil (@ 61.247.248.151) on: Wed Oct 15 06:14:11 EDT 2003
  
  Excellent!
  What about Thimidhi festival in other countries like Mauritius, Seychelles, Reunion, South Africa, Fiji and Guyana?
  I expect anyone from each of these countries come to this forum and explain.
  
  
  
• From: Singapore's Education Ministry Launches CD Roms to teach Tamil (@ cache162.156ce.maxonline.com.sg) on: Wed Oct 15 18:19:07 EDT 2003
  
  Singapore's Education Ministry Launches CD Roms to teach Tamil
  
  http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2002/03/01/stories/2002030102020500.htm
  
  
  Singapore Ministry of Education web site
  http://www1.moe.edu.sg/namnaadi
  
  
• From: Jesudasan (@ sbproxy1.mystarhub.com.sg) on: Thu Oct 16 01:30:51 EDT 2003
  
  Thimithi in Singapore is celebrated on a grand scale at the Sri Mariamman temple in Chinatown.
  
  SRi Mariamman tempel is the oldest temple in Sinagpore, built on land granted to the early Hindu Tamil migrants by the modern founder of Singapore Sir Stamford Raffles.
  
  Thimithi, the fire walking ritualistic ceremony forms an integral part of the Hindu epic Mahabharata.
  
  Its a month long celebration culminating in teh fire walking. 2 important ritualistic ceremonies conducted on the eve of the fire walking are
  
  Chakravarthi Kottai
  
  Part of the story on how Abhimanyu breeches the Chakra formation and then the Kauravas kill him ( as he does not know how to exit from the formation) is re-enacted in Chakra varthi kottai.
  
  Padukalam ( Battle field)
  
  In this ceremony, 2 devotees role play as Krishna and Draupadi. Krishna brings Draupadi to the dead body of Abhimanyu (represented in sand figure on the temple ground). Draupadi blesses Abhimanyu and despathes his soul to heaven.
  
  Next is Duronacarya, who is also granted the heavenly abode, followed by Karna.
  
  Next is Duschasana whom Draupadi sends to hell.
  The last person is Duryodhana, Draupadi recalls the humiliation suffered 13 years ago, when he asked her to sit on his thighs. At that time Bhima made a vow to kill him by hitting him on the same thigh.
  
  After Bhima splits his thighs, Draupadi fulfills her vow to "use his blood as oil for her hair" and bones as comb. With her vow fulfilled Draupadi despatches Duryodhna to hell.
  
  Five humoid sand figures are used to enact this scene.
  
  reference : Celebration of an Epic - re-enaction of the Mahabharata in the temple
  
  Publisher - Modern Montessori International Group for the Sri Mariamman Temple (2003)
  
  
• From: sesu (@ sbproxy1.mystarhub.com.sg) on: Thu Oct 16 02:19:51 EDT 2003
  
  Write up on Singapore Sri Mariamman temple
  
  http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/fr/2003/07/25/stories/2003072501640600.htm
  
  

Want to post a response?