Fakir on nails; procession after fast; ceremonial cutting of fish at river's edge; onlookers take part in ceremonies.




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Background: Morimootoo Chelenbron, aged 70, wanted to demonstrate that right will always triumph over evil. So he undertook a fast for 24 days, lying day and night on a bed of nails.
The fakir began his fast in the tamil temple at St. Hubert, a small village in the south east of Mauritius.
He had decided to fast for 101 days, but villagers persuaded him to persevere for only 24 days.
Before the fast began Chelenbron had caught a fish which he transferred to a pot and kept in the temple grounds. The climax of the fast was to come at the end of the 24 days, when he promised to cut the fish into two pieces and then bring it back to life.
After the allotted time Chelenbron rose from his bed of nails and led a small procession to the river, carrying the fish in the pot.
At the river's edge he sliced the fish half, replaced the pieces in the pot and returned to the temple.
On the return journey members of the procession offered sacrifice by piercing their bodies with hooks and needles.
The fakir prayed briefly at the temple, and was then carried on his nailed bed to the river, where he led the group in further prayers.
He opened the pot in which the dissected fish had been placed and withdraw a living fish.
The fakir - in daily life a sugar estate overseer - has been proclaimed a saint by his followers.