Cavadee Festival – (end of January – February) - This religious festival is celebrated mostly by Indians of Tamil origin and is one of the most impressive festivals in Mauritius. The devotees are after a period of fasting, and many have their cheeks, tongues and chests pierced with needles before going to the temple with their offerings on their backs. The devotees who are considered to be in a trance, walk bare feet to the temple, while carrying on their back the Cavadee (an arc of wood, metal or plastic) symbolizing the sacred mountains. The Cavadee is covered with flowers and with a pot of milk. The arc is laid down in the temple at the feet of the statue of a divinity. As part of the ceremony there is also a fire-walking and sword-climbing rituals which are quite spectacular.