WALKING ON FIRE

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 57, 8 March 1930, Page 20

WALKING ON FIRE

Barefooted People

Two hundred people—Europeans as well as natives—walked unscathed through a fire-trench before the eyes of a number of scientists at an astonishing exhibition at Poona, India, recently, says ian overseas paper.

"Tiur-gathering was arranged to test the claims of .a' Hindu known as the Cobra Saint on account of his power pyer snakes, and his immunity from jthfeir bites. Stories of his prowess spread like wildfire through the countryside, and when he arrived at'Poona professors of physics, chemistry, biology, and medicine decided to find out the truth of tlieso tales for themselves.

Tho experts supervised the digging of-, the trench, 7ft by 2ft, and 12in deep. 'The fire was lit, and when the wood was burned down to glowing charcoal the ceremony began. The holy man then, chanted some mantras, or Vedio -hymns,,went round the fire five times, Saluted Agni,*the God of Fire, and entered the pit. ' *< To-the amazement of all the spectators, jwho numbered many thousands,, thd man seemed to feel no discomfort. He walked with as much unconcern as ]if ho had been treading on cool turf. ;He immediately called, upon any of the [ crowd to follow his example. All hung 'backj.'.however, until 20 of the saint's disciples—after their feet had also been 'carefully examined —stepped on to the embers, and emerged unharmed. Then followed an amazing scene. No fewcr^than 200 onlookers—many of them "English people—summoned up enough courage to plunge barefoot into tno fire-trench. Not one of them was hurt,. -

V- Whei, the. waiter asked the, saint to , explain "the:■ phenomenon, he.said the "Immunity was due to the chanting, of tHe-nlantras, and that it was only use>,ful for walking over the fire once. He i^iad for this reason warned the people '.notjtft Teturn: over the fire.

% -.:"lrpractiso the chanting while seatMd ii.. water, immersed up to the neck," fc|E;o;saint. went on. "It is necessary to iiepeat it-100,000 times, and it took over aSiX-months to do it." He even claims 'ithat; by/repetition ;of the charm S^OjOOOjOOO times, one would secure periTinanent immunity from fire. jipsltr^vas stated that six Indian priests, {vwhp'gave similar demonstrations at jJOurban, in South Africa, were being /lakes on tour by an Anstraliah manaigetftp.'exhibit these feats in Australia. ■They.'were to receive" £3 a week, with their expenses paid, and they were to give two shows per day. : ,;?; It •will be the first time that this fire-v-wa'lking feat has been turned into a :_vaudeville show, and if the Australian '■eiiterpHse is successful, it ia the intention of this manager to take them on ;a^ world tour, including, America and ;'. >.

Last December was the warmest in England.for, eight-eight years and the wettest ~/<fi*;f ourteen^years. November and De*(.cjnber formed, in maDy places, the wet(cst two-month period on record,