Nô nức đến với lễ hội
There's an old folk saying, "The eighth month is the anniversary of the father's death, the third month is the anniversary of the mother's death." Therefore, every third lunar month, people and pilgrims from within and outside the province flock to the Po Nagar Cham Towers National Special Monument to join the crowds respectfully offering simple gifts and prayers for good fortune to Thiên Y A Na, the Mother of the Land. For over 20 years, during the Po Nagar Cham Towers Festival, Ms. Vu Nhan (Da Nang City) and members of the Tiên Tiên Thánh Mẫu (Fairy Mother) group have made pilgrimages to Thiên Y A Na. “No matter how busy we are, we always try to arrange our schedules to be with Mother Mary on her feast day. Our group of 30 people only prays for national peace and prosperity, favorable weather, and happiness for all families. We have visited many places to worship Mother Mary, but the Po Nagar Tower Festival is still the most well-organized and solemn. Despite the large number of people, each pilgrimage group is arranged by the organizing committee to perform the rituals according to regulations,” Ms. Nhan shared.
People participate in the parade during the Po Nagar Tower Festival.
According to the Organizing Committee, this year's Po Nagar Tower Festival is expected to attract more than 100,000 people, including locals, tourists, and pilgrims. Among them, more than 100 groups practicing the Mother Goddess worship, with approximately 6,000 people from within and outside the province, have registered to participate in the Mother Goddess ceremony with the Organizing Committee. As in previous festivals, this year's Po Nagar Tower Festival is once again welcoming a large number of Cham people to attend the ceremony. “When the Cham people come to worship the Mother Goddess, they usually bring offerings of vegetables, fruits, and chickens. During the ceremony, I usually pray for the families to have good health, harmonious relationships between husband and wife, and well-behaved children who excel in their studies. Returning to the Mother Goddess is a joyful occasion, so everyone only thinks of good things to remember the one who pioneered and nurtured the people,” said Mr. Nam Trau (a shaman in My Son commune, Ninh Son district, Ninh Thuan province).
The Po Nagar Tower National Special Monument was built in the 8th century of the Champa Kingdom to worship the goddess Po Nagar – the Mother Goddess of the Cham people. This is the only Cham monument in the Central region with a statue of the goddess Po Nagar. Here, the religious rituals of worshipping the Mother Goddess have been continuously maintained throughout many historical periods. This is also a cultural and religious center dedicated to the worship of the Mother Goddess. The worship of the Holy Mother Thien Y A Na, a special deity in Vietnamese folklore, has intersected and evolved with the worship of the Mother Goddess of the Cham people. Currently, there are more than 160 folk dance clubs in the province that regularly practice the worship of the Mother Goddess. During each Po Nagar Tower Festival, these groups practicing the worship of the Mother Goddess, along with pilgrims from outside the province, come together to promote this beautiful traditional culture.
Well-organized and meticulous
This year's Po Nagar Tower Festival has several changes in its organization; the rituals are more meticulously performed; security and order during the festival are given special attention; and the various departments and forces are assigned specific tasks and coordinate smoothly. “This is the first year that the Po Nagar Cham Towers Relic Site has been recognized as a special national relic, so the organization of the Po Nagar Cham Towers Festival must be meticulous from preparation to the event itself to ensure everyone has the most comfortable experience. Regarding the rituals, there is a restoration of previously existing ceremonies such as: the water procession, the prayer for peace ceremony of the Cham people, the lantern festival… All activities in the Po Nagar Cham Towers Festival have been elevated to a higher level, aiming to better meet the needs of the people and tourists,” said Mr. Le Van Hoa, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Các thiếu nữ Chăm biểu diễn vũ điệu truyền thống trong đêm khai mạc Lễ hội Tháp Bà Pô Nagar.
Lễ hội Tháp Bà Pô Nagar là niềm vinh dự, tự hào, đồng thời cũng là trách nhiệm của chính quyền, nhân dân tỉnh Khánh Hòa trong việc gìn giữ, bảo tồn, phát huy giá trị cũng như tôn vinh nét đẹp văn hóa, tâm linh, tín ngưỡng dân gian truyền thống. Lễ hội diễn ra trong 4 ngày với nhiều nghi thức, lễ hội truyền thống đặc sắc như: Lễ rước nước; lễ mộc dục; lễ rước kiệu; lễ cầu siêu; lễ thả hoa đăng, lễ cầu quốc thái dân an, lễ dâng hương, lễ cúng thí thực, lễ cầu an của cộng đồng Chăm; lễ cúng, lễ tế cổ truyền… Cùng với đó là hoạt động hát văn, múa bóng của các đoàn thực hành tín ngưỡng thờ Mẫu… Tất cả tạo nên bầu không khí rộn ràng, sôi nổi cũng như thể hiện cho tình đoàn kết toàn dân tộc, nghĩa đồng bào gắn bó keo sơn suốt bao đời nay để cùng nhau hướng về những điều tốt đẹp.