Unique water procession at Tien La festival

The water procession is an indispensable ritual in the Tien La festival. This is a traditional ritual expressing the people's belief in praying for water with the wish to ask their ancestors for help in favorable weather, good wind, and bountiful crops. The water procession takes place on the afternoon of the 10th day of the 3rd lunar month with the respectful and solemn participation of thousands of local people and tourists from all over.

Procession at Tien La Temple Festival.

The water procession is carried out by both waterways and roads. Before the procession departs, the elders perform a ceremony to invite Buddha at Tien Huong Pagoda and welcome the Holy Mother's incense sticks onto the palanquin. The procession is attended by dragon and lion dance troupes and over 100 groups of male and female mandarins, believers, village elders and monks, brass instruments and eight-tone drums, creating a magnificent and bustling scene familiar to village life since the founding of the country, attracting many people and tourists to participate with the desire to witness the sacred water procession with their own eyes.

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Man, Duong Xa village, Tien Duc commune said: Every year our group goes to the water procession to pray for our health and for the health and luck of our children; we are very excited. Today, when we returned to Tien La temple, we found it very solemn and dignified.

Mr. Quach Van Thoan, Tien La village, Doan Hung commune said: Never before has the water procession been held on such a large scale and with such a large crowd as this year. Participating in the water procession is a joy for the local people, everyone is excited and brings with them the belief of a year of good luck, favorable weather, and successful production.

Dragon dance in the water procession at Tien La festival. Dragon boat docked, bringing water to the temple to offer to Buddha and Saints.

Carrying water is a unique cultural feature in Tien La festival, not only reflecting the spiritual life of rice farmers with the wish to pray for national peace, favorable weather, and good crops, but also the tradition of drinking water and remembering its source of our ancestors, showing gratitude to General Dong Nhung Vu Thi Thuc and the ancestors who have contributed to the people and the country.

Mr. Vu Van Thang, member of the Tien La Temple Management Board, Doan Hung Commune, shared: This year, we arranged 3 dragon boats, drums, flags, and an octet orchestra playing a bustling procession from Tien La Temple to the intersection of the Luoc River with the Red River and Tien Hung River to perform the ritual of drawing water into the jars, because this is where the water is clean and pure. The elders dropped the woven cloth ropes into the river and used a ladle to scoop 9 buckets of water and pour them into the jars with the meaning of completeness, fullness, and fertility. This custom has always been considered a special cultural feature of the Tien La Festival and is the opening ritual for other rituals at the festival.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Diep, a tourist from Hanoi, shared: This is the first time I have come to the festival, the atmosphere is very solemn and respectful. Witnessing the rituals feels very new and attractive. What impressed me most in the water procession was the image of a very long procession. Next year, my family and I will return here to participate in the festival.

Dragon boat carrying village elders to participate in the procession.

The processions participate in the land and water processions. According to custom, water is taken from the middle of the river, representing purity and clarity.

The water procession ceremony is preserved and maintained in Tien La festival, creating a unique and distinctive cultural feature in the intangible cultural heritage of the festival, expressing the community's will to return to its roots, reminding generations of people to preserve the morality of "remembering the source of drinking water".

Thanh Thuy - Thanh Tung

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