The 2013 Goddess Ponagar Festival opened in Nha Trang city, central
Khanh Hoa province on April 30 (or the 21 st day of the third lunar
month), attracting ten of thousands of pilgrims from surrounding
provinces.
The annual event is held to commemorate
the Goddess Thien Y A Na – Holy Mother of the Cham community in the
central region, who, according to Cham legend, taught the local people
to cultivate and make handicrafts.
Taking place
until May 2, the festival involves numerous spiritual rituals and
cultural activities, including a requiem and flower floating, ceremonies
to pray for peace, happiness and prosperity, as well as dancing,
singing and the acting out of old stories.
On this
occasion, Khanh Hoa province will announce a decision made by the
Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism late last year reognising the
festival as a national intangible festival heritage.
The 1,200-year-old Ponagar tower, built using a unique Cham technique,
was recognised as a national historical relic site in 1979.-VNA