Ponagar Tower Festival 2024

Nestled in the heart of Vietnam's coastal city of Nha Trang, the Ponagar Towers stand tall as a testament to the region's rich cultural history. Each year, the Ponagar Tower Festival draws in crowds from near and far to celebrate the traditions and heritage of this ancient site.

The story about the Ponagar Tower Festival

Among the grand religious festivals in Nha Trang, the Ponagar Tower Festival is a significant cultural event. Held annually at the Ponagar Towers from the 20th to the 23rd of the third lunar month, it attracts many domestic and international tourists.

The festival symbolizes national unity and enriches the cultural diversity of Vietnam. With its captivating activities that draw widespread participation, the festival fosters community cohesion, bringing together people. 

The Ponagar Tower Festival carries a strong cultural and traditional value

Every year, as the Ponagar Tower Festival approaches, people from across the country embark on pilgrimages to Ponagar Towers, offering prayers to express reverence and gratitude to the Mother Goddess and seeking blessings. In the hearts of the people of Khanh Hoa province, the image of the Mother stands as a beautiful symbol of women, nurturing and supporting the Vietnamese.

Distinctive features of the Ponagar Tower Festival in Nha Trang

The festival serves as a bridge for cultural exchange, integration, and mutual understanding between the Cham and Vietnamese ethnicities.

The rituals

• Changing ceremony: Conducted on the 30th of lunar March each year. Following the ceremonial bath, the Goddess statue is adorned in fresh attire and a tiara gifted by the locals.
• Floating colored lanterns: Held on the 20th of lunar March, candles and flowers with over ten thousand small lanterns, five large lanterns are released on the river to pray for the departed souls.
• Prayer for national peace and prosperity: Taking place on the morning of the 21st of lunar March, this is a grand ceremony to pray for the prosperity and peace of the country, and the happiness and well-being of the people.
• Ngo worshiping ceremony and ghost offering: The ceremony takes place at noon on the 21st day of the 3rd lunar month at the main tower. This is a ritual offering to the Mother and gives alms for the wandering souls.
• Traditional ritual ceremony: Takes place on the 23rd day of the 3rd lunar month, the offering part is conducted by traditional and solemn rituals.

Many solemn rituals are performed during the festival

The festival activities

Shadow Dance and Literature Singing are the quintessential folk cultural activities performed on the stage in front of the main tower by hundreds of participating groups from both within and outside the province, paying homage to the Mother Goddess.

A highlight of the festival is the water procession contest and fruit tray presentation to the Mother Goddess. The organizing committee collects water from Hang Pagoda and pours it into vessels placed under the Mandapa. Participants then carry these water jars up to the tower to offer to the Mother Goddess. 

The fruit trays, meticulously arranged and beautifully presented by the participating groups, are judged for their aesthetic appeal. The team with the most beautiful fruit tray is honored to offer it at the main tower, while the remaining trays are presented at other towers within the Ponagar Tower complex.

Many unique traditional cultural activities are showcased during the festival

The Ponagar Tower Festival in Nha Trang offers not just religious fervor but also an opportunity to immerse oneself in the rich cultural heritage of Vietnam. Book your Vietnam tour today and discover the beauty and tradition that await you at this iconic event.