From 16 to 22.4.2025 (aimed at 19-25.3 lunar calendar), the Ponagar Tower Festival-one of the big and important festivals of the Cham community-will officially take place at the special national monument of Ba Ponagar tower, Nha Trang city.
Information from the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Khanh Hoa province said that this year's festival will continue to preserve and promote traditional cultural values, with many unique spiritual rituals, attracting a large number of people and tourists from all over the world.
Honoring the worship of Mau
The Ponagar Tower Festival is an opportunity for the community to express their respect and gratitude to Thien Y A Na Mau - who is honored as the goddess Ponagar in Cham culture. This is one of the typical festivals showing the worship of Mother - National Intangible Cultural Heritage has been recognized since 2012.
This year's festival will take place with many traditional rituals such as: Water procession from Hang Pagoda to Thap Ba (19.3 lunar calendar), Moc Duc Ceremony - Bathing statues and replacement of Siamese for Mother (20.3 lunar calendar), Ceremony, drop flower on Cai River and Opening of the Festival (20.3 Lunar calendar), Ceremony of Thai Dan An and Real Estate Ceremony (21.3 Lunar calendar).
In addition, there are also rituals to mark the return of the Holy Mother, deep offering rituals, bird offerings, flower offerings... solemnly organized to express gratitude and pray for national peace, favorable weather, and a bumper crop.
According to Mr. Le Van Hoa - Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Khanh Hoa province, the Ponagar Tower Festival is not only a special cultural event but also an important activity opening the year's festival series of the Cham people in Khanh Hoa.
This is an opportunity for the community to practice, preserve and teach traditional rituals together, contributing to preserving the intangible cultural heritage in contemporary life.
Along with the rituals, traditional offerings are also elaborately prepared, including chicken, goat, rice tray, fruit cake, egg wine, areca betel... according to the customs of the Cham people, demonstrating the unique Cham - Vietnamese cultural exchange over many centuries.
Nha Trang's spiritual tourism highlight
Ponagar Tower was built in the eighth century, a typical architecture of the ancient Champa kingdom. This place is considered the only worship center that still exists from Quang Binh to Binh Thuan, showing a special spiritual role in the Cham cultural life and later Vietnamese.
Currently, each year Ba Ponagar tower attracts millions of visitors to visit, bringing tens of billions of dong to the local tourism industry.
With attentive preparation, this year's festival is not only an opportunity to honor the traditional spiritual beauty but also an opportunity to promote Khanh Hoa culture to domestic and international friends, contributing to building sustainable tourism, rich in identity.
