![mariamman goddess mariamman goddess](https://www.teahub.io/photos/full/135-1351315_samayapuram-mariamman-wallpapers-hd.jpg)
Mahabharata is the story of a gambling session during which the Pandava brothers lose everything they had including their wife Draupadi. Theemithi is not a single ritual performed on a particular day but it is a summit of various religious rituals which is brought into effect or shown from the great Hindu epic Mahabharatha.The fire walking ceremony mainly denotes the victory of the Mahabharata war by the Pandavas with the great Kaurava warriors.
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Though the legend of Draupadi is not very famous behind the ritual of fire walking, it mainly states that by the act of Theemithi one gets purified by the Agni and this is said in numerous ancient Hindu scriptures and also there are lot of mentions about fire walking in the most popular agni pariksha undertaken by Sita in Ramayana after Lord Ram rescued her from Lanka. Sometimes even small children take active part in this ritual or they will be carried by the mother or the father on their shoulders. This ritual is not gender based for both men and women take part in the ritual of theemithi. It is so called because the color of the burning coal looks exactly like heaps of orange flowers. Theemithi is also referred by a local term, Poo Methippu or Pomethipu (flower walking). Also as they worship the Lord Amman and walk on the coal of fire they are believed to come out safe or unscathed if they are showered by the blessings of Goddess Amman. It is more of a ceremony or ritual of self purification for attaining spiritualism. The ritual of Theemithi is dedicated to one of the main female deity Amman and also other various village deities in connection with the Shakti cult in South Indian and Tamil Culture. Preparations for the Theemithi Celebrations -The preparations made for the theemithi celebrations involves nearly two-and-a-half month period during which the story of the epic Mahabharata is enacted depicting almost 18 discernible rites.
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The ritual of Theemithi is not only practiced and celebrated in India but also in other countries like Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia, Mauritius, and South Africa and in countries which have more South Indian population. The fire walking festival is mainly celebrated in the month of Aipasi according to the Tamil calendar whereas in the Gregorian calendar it falls between the months of October and November. The theemithi ritual involves the walking of the devotee on the fire praying to God for his or her wish or desire to be fulfilled by the Goddess Draupadi, the main character of Mahabharata and the wife of the five Pandava brothers. The origin of the fire walking festival is from Tamil Nadu in South India. The sculptor has chosen for a combination of dull golden and royal brown color for this brass statue as it gives a royal look to it.The ritual of walking on the fire is also popularly known as Theemithi which is celebrated as an international Hindu festival.
![mariamman goddess mariamman goddess](https://cdn.exoticindia.com/images/products/original/sculptures/goddess_mariamman_rp79.jpg)
The lion’s long and curvy tail is crafted in an artistic manner. A seven headed cobra, carved in the most enchanting manner rises above her head.Ĭarefully notice the perfect formations and curves of the sculpture and the realistic fearsome expressions and features of the lion, they highlight the sculptor’s immense skill of noticeability and perfection. She carries a damru with a cobra coiled around it making the handle and a noose in her rear hands, while the anterior hands carry a bowl (kapala) and a sword respectively ornamented gracefully, the goddess is dignified with a stylized multiple layered crown that is pointed at the top. This beautiful young woman sits in lalitasana on her vahana, lion displaying her terrific demeanour with the wild mane of hair structured like fire garbed in elegant and fitted attires, carved beautifully, and the multiple hands are symbolic of her extreme power.