THE ASIAN INDEPENDENT UK
Bal Ram Sampla
Geopolitics
Faith often leads people to practice unique traditions when asking for blessings. Every year, during a special day called Aadi Amavasai, hundreds of women travel to the Arumugaswamy Paradesi Siddhar Temple in Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu.
They come together for a special ritual because they hope to start a family and have a child.
The tradition is simple but requires strong dedication. Women sit on the stone floor of the temple with their hands behind their backs. They eat blessed food directly off the ground without using their hands or utensils. This act shows deep humility and complete devotion. By placing themselves so low to the ground, the women show that they are entirely open to receiving help from a higher power.
This practice has been around for nearly two hundred years. It honors a famous local Siddhar, a holy person believed to have special spiritual gifts. Families travel from nearby towns and villages to take part in the event. For many, this trip is an essential step in their journey toward parenthood. When families later have a baby, they often return to the temple in future years to give thanks and offer gifts.
The ritual also brings women together to support one another. Trying to have a baby can be emotionally difficult, especially when faced with societal expectations. Doing this ritual in a group allows women to feel that they are not alone. They share the same hopes, prayers, and struggles alongside hundreds of others who understand what they are going through.
In the end, this annual gathering is a powerful example of hope and tradition. To people watching from the outside, eating off the floor might look unusual. But to the women participating, it is a meaningful gesture of faith. It shows how far people will go, guided by love and ancient beliefs, to bring new life into the world.
References
1.https://youtu.be/hYk41PhDxv0?si=Ky6tBKKxvMJfKzrs
2.https://www.viory.video/en/videos/a3066_12082026/fertility-feast-women-eat-off-temple-floor-in-tamil-nadu-ritual-hoping-to-conceive?hl=en-
3.https://www.globalsouthworld.com/article/indian-women-take-part-in-centuries-old-fertility-ritual-by-eating-from-temple-floor
