A line of line of South India women wait in line to participate in a fire walking festival in the state of Tamil Nadu. Fire walking is an important ritual practiced by certain sections of Hindu society. The ritual is practiced by many Hindus in south India. The ritual is primarily dedicated to Amman an important female deity associated with the Shakti cult in South Indian and Tamil culture. The fire walking ritual is an act of self-purification. For some of these devotees it is part of a vow in which the devotee promises to walk on fire in exchange for a wish or a blessing by Amman.


A line of line of South India women wait in line to participate in a fire walking festival in the state of Tamil Nadu. Fire walking is an important ritual practiced by certain sections of Hindu society. The ritual is practiced by many Hindus in south India. The ritual is primarily dedicated to Amman an important female deity associated with the Shakti cult in South Indian and Tamil culture. The fire walking ritual is an act of self-purification. For some of these devotees it is part of a vow in which the devotee promises to walk on fire in exchange for a wish or a blessing by Amman.


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Photo credit: © Paul Liebhardt / Alamy / Afripics
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