Ready for Ponagar Temple Festival

The preparation for Ponagar Temple Festival is being actively done. With some changes in organization method and the time frame (April 28 – May 1) coincident with the occasion of Reunification Day and Labour Day, Ponagar Temple Festival 2024 is expected to see a larger number of participants compared to the previous editions. 

People floating lanterns on Cai River during Ponagar Temple Festival

Enhancing the festival

Ponagar Temple Festival is one of the large-scale traditional festivals in Khanh Hoa Province. Ponagar Temple Festival was recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2012. During the festival, people in Khanh Hoa and other localities flock to Ponagar Temple to perform religious and ritual acts and pray for peace and good things for the country and their families. This year, in order to enhance the scale and level of the festival, Khanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee has formed the festival’s organization committee led by Dinh Van Thieu, Deputy Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee. Reportedly, the document to propose the recognition of Ponagar Temple as a special national monument is underway to submit to the Prime Minister.

Pilgrims performing ritual singing and dancing at Ponagar Temple Festival

The festival will feature traditional ritual acts and ritual activities of the pilgrims, local people and tourists. The opening ceremony taking place from 7:30am to 9:30am on April 29 (lunar March 21) will see the attendance of Khanh Hoa’s leaders. The festival is an occasion to honor Thien Y A Na, the Holy Mother of the land, and raise the sense of responsibility of all levels of authorities and residents in preserving and promoting the typical traditional cultural values. Therefore, the festival is solemnly organized in accordance with traditional ritual acts and the State’s regulations on festivals, religious beliefs, security and safety.

Expecting an impressive festival

This year's Ponagar Temple Festival is expected to receive more than 100 groups of pilgrims in the province and other provinces and cities such as Thua Thien Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Phu Yen, Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, and Ho Chi Minh City. A larger number of visitors compared to the previous years are also expected. In order to ensure the quality of organization and activities as well as safety for the participants, the preparation for the festival is being carried out actively and carefully. 

Cham people performing ritual acts at Ponagar Temple Festival

Khanh Hoa Provincial Department of Culture and Sports has been cooperating with Ninh Thuan Provincial Department of Culture and Sports to promote the festival and provide information and regulations of the festival to Cham people. 

After a 4-year hiatus, lantern floating activity will resume at the 2024 edition of Ponagar Temple Festival. Accordingly, the activity will take place on Cai River from the area of Champa Island to Xom Bong Bridge, starting at 5pm on April 28 (lunar March 20). It is expected that 15,000 flower lanterns will be released on Cai River.

The workshop on promoting the potential of historical and cultural values of Ponagar Temple monument for sustainable tourism development will be held on April 27 morning with the participation of hundreds of delegates, who are managers, scientists, representatives of socio-cultural organizations and businesses, and artisans. The workshop will clarify the historical and cultural values, architectural features, etc. of Ponagar Temple; the intersection of Vietnam’s culture and Cham’s culture, the god worship at Ponagar Temple. The workshop will also promote the cultural values of Ponagar Temple in tourism development and apply technology in digitizing the monument and presenting art performances at the temple.

Giang Dinh
Translated by H.N