Highlights of the Rain Praying Festival

On April 25, 2023 (March 6 of the lunar calendar) at Thai Lac Pagoda, Lac Hong Commune People's Committee solemnly held the opening ceremony of the Rain Praying Festival.

This is a festival imbued with the culture of the Red River Delta, to pray for national peace and prosperity, favorable weather, bountiful harvests, and a prosperous and happy life for the people. At the same time, it is also to preserve, build, and develop an advanced culture imbued with national identity. The rain-praying festival has long been associated with the worship of the Four Dharmas: Phap Van, Phap Vu, Phap Loi, and Phap Dien of the rice-growing agricultural population. Thereby expressing the desire to conquer nature, pray for favorable weather, good crops for the prosperity of the world, and for all things to continuously grow and flourish. Previously, the rain-praying festival was often held during droughts, but later, the festival was not maintained because the pagodas were destroyed by war. In 2005, the festival was restored in the same order and rituals as before. On January 12, 2022, the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued Decision No. 68/QD-BVHTTDL on the announcement of the List of National Intangible Cultural Heritage. Accordingly, the Lac Hong Commune Rain Praying Festival was included in the List of National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The 6th day of the 3rd lunar month every year is the main festival day, on this day, there is a ceremony to welcome Lady Phap Loi and Lady Phap Vu to Thai Lac Pagoda to worship Lady Phap Van. On the 7th day of the 3rd lunar month, there is a ceremony to bring the three ladies Phap Loi, Lady Phap Vu, Lady Phap Van to Hong Thai Pagoda to worship Lady Phap Dien. On the 8th day of the 3rd lunar month, people will welcome the ladies to their pagodas and hold the An vi ceremony.

In particular, during the festival days, in addition to the solemn and solemn rituals and ceremonies, the festival with traditional folk games such as tug of war, pot smashing, blindfolded goat catching, the men playing the moon-beating game... attracts a large number of visitors to attend. In recent years, the Rain Praying Festival has become a big festival, attracting a large number of local people and visitors from all over the world to participate in the festival.

Source: hungyentourism.com.vn