The Vietnam Buddhist Sangha coordinated with the People's Committee of Ha Nam Province and the Management Board of the Tam Chuc Pagoda tourist area to organise the opening ceremony of the Tam Chuc Pagoda Festival 2022, on February 12, which falls on the 12th day of the first lunar month.
Water procession at Tam Chuc Pagoda Festival in 2022.
According to the organising board, due to the COVID-19 epidemic situation, the opening ceremony of Tam Chuc Pagoda Festival 2022 does not include festival activities, only spiritual ceremonies to open spring with the main rituals, which include: a water procession from Tam Chuc Lake to Ngoc Pagoda which is a spiritual ritual to show respect and gratitude to Buddhas, gods, saints, and Mothers with the aim to pray for favourable weather and good harvests for the agricultural residents; an incense offering ceremony; and a ceremony to pray for peace and prosperity.
The opening ceremony of Tam Chuc Pagoda Festival
Although the number of tourists visiting and worshiping at the temple is quite large, the prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic at the location is being strictly implemented by the organising board, in accordance with regulations. Visitors to the temple are guided, encouraged and reminded to take measures to prevent the spread of the epidemic according to the 5K rule of the Ministry of Health.
The rituals to open the Tam Chuc Pagoda Festival are reconstructed 1,000 years ago on the pilgrimage route connecting the heritage: Golden Temple - Trang An - Hoa Lu Ancient Capital - Bai Dinh Pagoda - Van Long (Ninh Binh) - Temple Dong Tam (Hoa Binh) - Tam Chuc Pagoda (Ha Nam) - Huong Son Pagoda - Thang Long Imperial Citadel (Hanoi).
A drum performance at the opening ceremony.
This is an important cultural and religious event to introduce and promote to domestic and foreign tourists about the cultural values, traditions of the nation, unique features at the festival, as well as preserving and promoting local cultural values.
Tam Chuc Pagoda is one of the attractive destinations in the journey to connect cultural and spiritual heritage, attracting large numbers of domestic and foreign tourists to Ha Nam.
