Singapore's Hindu Fire Festival Goes Online as Cricket Coach's Family Seeks Justice
Singapore's Hindu Endowments Board has announced it will live-stream the annual theemithi vizha fire-walking festival on November 1, opening the event to a wider online audience. Meanwhile, a year has passed since the murder of Singaporean cricket coach Arjun Menon in Malawi, with his family still fighting for answers.
Hindu Fire-Walking Festival Goes Online as HEB Opens Registration
Singapore's Hindu Endowments Board announced plans on September 18 to live-stream the annual Hindu fire-walking festival, known as theemithi vizha, on its YouTube and Facebook channels. The procession is scheduled for November 1 at Sri Mariamman Temple, located at 244 South Bridge Road, and broadcasting the event online is intended to make it accessible to devotees who cannot attend in person. Devotees who wish to participate actively in the festival's rituals must register online rather than purchasing tickets at the temple, as there will be no walk-in sales on the day. Registration at heb.org.sg opens on September 24 and closes on October 31 at 11pm. The board listed three rituals available for registration: paalkudam, angaprathachanam, and kumbiduthandam. Devotees wishing to walk on or around the fire pit must also register through the same portal. Active participation in the rituals is available from October 17, and participants are required to review the festival's conditions before booking their preferred time slots. Enquiries can be directed to Sri Mariamman Temple's office at 6223-4064. The three-month festival period began on August 17, with the November 1 procession starting from Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple and concluding at Sri Mariamman Temple. HEB's decision to offer a live-stream reflects efforts to reach a broader community of devotees who follow the festival without being able to attend. [3]
Family of Murdered Singaporean Cricket Coach Still Seeking Answers a Year On
A year after the murder of Singaporean cricket coach Arjun Menon in Malawi, his family remains without the answers they have been seeking about the circumstances of his death. Menon was working as a cricket coach in Malawi when he was killed, a career that had taken him from Singapore to work in the southern African nation. His family, including his sister, has continued to advocate for clarity about what happened and to push for accountability in the investigation into his murder. The passage of a full year without resolution has shaped the family's experience as one of sustained grief alongside persistent unanswered questions. CNA, Singapore's main English-language broadcaster, covered the case as a Singapore-specific story, reflecting its significance to the local community. The family's determination to continue seeking answers despite the time elapsed speaks to their commitment to ensuring that Menon's death is not left unexamined. His sister's active role in the family's advocacy has been a key part of maintaining attention on the case over the past year. The case draws attention to the difficulties families face when a Singaporean dies violently in another country and justice must be pursued across international lines. [1]
Sources: [3] The Straits Times · [1] CNA