Sparkling full moon night
From afternoon onwards, the area around the Cai Lon River became bustling. On the riverbank, ceremonial tables were solemnly decorated with fresh flowers, lamps, candles, and traditional offerings: flattened rice cakes, bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, and pastries… expressing the reverence of the Khmer people to the Moon God – a deity believed to bless abundant harvests, peaceful villages, and prosperity. When the full moon shone brightly in the clear sky, the sounds of traditional music and the Chhday Dam drums echoed, marking the beginning of the ceremony. Elderly members of the ceremonial committee, dressed in solemn white robes, performed traditional rituals such as paying homage to the Three Jewels, inviting monks to chant blessings, and offering incense to pray for favorable weather, peace, and prosperity for the nation. In that moment, the entire space seemed to quiet down, with only the gentle moonlight and the lamps casting their reflections on the river.
The annual moon worship festival attracts thousands of locals and tourists. Photo: DANH THÀNH
The highlight of the ceremony is the ritual of feeding flattened rice cakes – the part most anticipated by the children. The children line up neatly under the moonlight, and the elders of the ceremonial committee feed them each piece of flattened rice cake, accompanied by questions about their hopes, aspirations, and future lives. The Khmer people believe that by eating flattened rice cakes on the full moon night, the children will receive blessings from the Moon god, grow up quickly, be well-behaved, and excel in their studies. At the end of the ceremony, the offerings are cleared away for everyone to enjoy and watch performances of traditional Khmer music, dance, and singing.
Following the solemn ceremony is the lantern-releasing ritual – a moment that transforms the Cai Lon River into a magical place. Thousands of lanterns are released onto the water, shimmering as they drift downstream, blending with the brilliant moonlight. Each lantern carries wishes for happiness, peace, and prosperity, illuminating the tranquil river landscape. Mr. Danh Phol, a resident of Go Quao commune, shared: “The moon worship night is an occasion for the Khmer people to remember the Moon God, and to express their hopes for a bountiful harvest. I feel proud that our ethnic culture is being preserved and spread.”
From young sticky rice grains to the yearning for the moon festival.
When the full moon of October shines across the fields after the harvest, the lively sound of pestles pounding flattened rice cakes resounds in the villages. Amidst the gentle aroma of young sticky rice and warm laughter, the Khmer people come together to create their traditional dish, flattened rice cakes, a gift from nature, from the harvest, and from their belief in a prosperous and peaceful life.
Flattened rice flakes are made from young glutinous rice, the kind that's just ripe and still contains milky grains. The Khmer people harvest the rice, roast it, and then pound it continuously in a wooden mortar until the grains are thin and the husks come off. Each pounding is a joyful moment, a joy because the harvest is complete, and because heaven and earth have bestowed upon them fragrant and delicious rice. The flattened rice flakes are sifted many times to make them smooth, then mixed with shredded coconut and sugar, creating a unique chewy, rich, and sweet flavor.
Amidst the kitchen smoke, the skillful hands of Khmer women transform each flattened rice grain into a gift of diligence and love. “Flat rice must be made from freshly harvested glutinous rice, still fragrant with the scent of milk, to be delicious. When pounding, you must pound evenly, gently but decisively, so that the grains don't break. Making flattened rice is hard work, but seeing children, grandchildren, and neighbors gathered around to eat together is so joyful, like celebrating Tet (Vietnamese New Year),” said Neáng Sóc Ny, a resident of Phước Lộc hamlet, Ô Lâm commune, while pounding flattened rice.
More than just a food item, flattened rice flakes are also a sacred offering during the moon worship ceremony of the Khmer people. In the moon worship ceremony, flattened rice flakes are not simply a food item, but a connecting thread between people and the heavens, between the present and age-old traditions. Each grain of rice flake carries within it the hope for a bountiful harvest, a peaceful and prosperous life. Sharing a handful of flattened rice flakes is sharing joy, sharing, and solidarity.
“The moon worship ceremony and the offering of flattened rice cakes are not only beautiful folk religious traditions but also express gratitude to heaven and earth, preserving the cultural identity of the Khmer people. Organizing this festival during the annual Khmer People's Culture, Sports and Tourism Festival in the province helps the people become more connected, proud, and work together to build a more developed homeland,” said Venerable Ly Long Cong Danh - Vice Chairman of the Patriotic Monks' Solidarity Association of the province.
RENOWNED CITY
Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/doc-dao-le-cung-trang-a466250.html
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