Unique Cham culture in Khanh Hoa

Within the vibrant tapestry of Vietnamese culture, Cham culture in Khanh Hoa possesses a unique beauty, reflected in the harmonious blend of religious traditions and indigenous values. The focal point of this cultural flow is the Ponagar Tower.

Ponagar Tower in Nha Trang ( Khanh Hoa ).

It is a unique architectural complex where the worship of the Mother Goddess Thien YA Na blends with Cham rituals, creating an intangible cultural identity that needs to be preserved.

Perched on a hill overlooking Nha Trang, where the Cai River flows into the deep blue bay, the Ponagar Tower has stood for over 12 centuries. The ancient Chams did not place the tower on an isolated mountain as is common in My Son or Binh Dinh, but chose a location where land, water, and sea meet. According to Professor Ngo Van Doanh, who has dedicated his life to studying Cham towers, the Ponagar Tower is one of the very few structures that still retains the "original spirit" of Cham art. Its beauty is not created by its massive scale, but by the harmonious combination of form, materials, and religious aesthetics, like a warm, low note in the long symphony of Cham architecture.

Stepping through the eastern gate, visitors immediately see a wide courtyard opening out to the sea, a sign that this was once a place of festivals and community. Centuries ago, Cham people from coastal villages, from the upper reaches of the Cai River, and even from Phan Rang and Phan Ri... would come here during the third lunar month to celebrate the festival of the goddess, who is considered the Mother of the Land.

The highlight of the Ponagar Tower is the large tower dedicated to the goddess. Nearly 23 meters high, the tower is built of fired red bricks without mortar, yet it has stood firm through hundreds of years of storms, wars, and the passage of time. The motifs on the tower's body are not dense but restrained, using thin lines and simple yet powerful blocks. The Apsara dancers, made of sandstone, though not as elaborate as the statues in Tra Kieu, still possess a graceful and fluid demeanor in their graceful poses amidst divine dances...

Despite the vicissitudes of history, Cham statues have been preserved, Cham festivals have been maintained, but the Vietnamese have added folk rituals deeply rooted in the Mother Goddess religion, offering incense according to their own customs. This gentle adaptation has created a unique religious space where two cultures coexist and complement each other, forming the distinct identity of the Ponagar Tower today.

According to Mr. Tran Duc Ha, Director of the Khanh Hoa Cultural Heritage Conservation Center, by the 19th century, under the Nguyen dynasty, the Thap Ba Tower had been restored many times, and the Chinese-language inscriptions recording these restorations are still present. These stone steles are witnesses to a period in which Cham relics were recognized and cared for by Vietnamese dynasties, becoming an inseparable part of the cultural life of the area.

“Today, during the March festival, the Ponagar Tower is bustling with the sounds of drums, chanting, and singing. Vietnamese women wear colorful ao dai (traditional dresses), while Cham women wear traditional long skirts. Traditional cakes and fruits are placed alongside Cham offerings. The shadow puppet dances are as graceful as the Cai River, while the Cham dances are as decisive as the Nha Trang sea breeze,” Mr. Ha added.

What sets the Ponagar Tower apart is the seamless connection between the past and the present. Many Cham towers in central Vietnam are now silent ruins, but Ponagar lives on – alive in festivals, in the breath of faith, in the spiritual life of the local people. Standing inside the tower, looking up at the high, light-filled dome, smelling the incense mingled with the scent of old bricks, one clearly feels that this is not just a tourist attraction, but a sanctuary of faith that has lasted for centuries.

The architecture of the Ponagar Tower also clearly reflects the spirit of cultural exchange; the restoration work carried out by the Vietnamese did not disrupt the original overall structure of Cham culture, but rather added details suitable to local beliefs. Therefore, the Ponagar Tower possesses a distinct identity, like many other religious relics, retaining the Cham appearance but with a Vietnamese soul. This is what creates the tower's uniqueness, making it both a Cham heritage and a shared heritage.

Professor Ngo Van Doanh once said that Ponagar is "the most eloquent evidence of the gentle encounter between two cultures," gentle because the transition took place in peace and understanding, eloquent because it has remained steadfast, despite all the vicissitudes of history.

Today, standing atop the tower and looking down, visitors see modern bridges spanning the Cai River, the bustling streets of Nha Trang, and boats heading out to sea every morning. The landscape has changed, but the Ponagar Tower remains a vivid testament, a story of people, of faith, and of harmony. It is a place where the past and present hold hands, where people of the past and present bow before timeless beauty. And perhaps, that is the greatest value that the Ponagar Tower leaves behind, not only to be admired, but also to be recounted, as a miraculous journey of architecture and culture by the thousand-year-old seaport.

VU TAN

Source: https://nhandan.vn/doc-dao-van-hoa-cham-tai-khanh-hoa-post932278.html