Cham people celebrate Kate festival in 2024

On October 2, at the special national architectural and artistic relic site of Po Klong Garai Tower in Do Vinh ward, Phan Rang - Thap Cham city, Ninh Thuan province, the Kate Festival of the Cham people following Brahmanism took place.

Kate is the biggest festival of the year for the Cham people who follow Brahmanism. This year, the festival takes place from October 1 to 3, held at 3 Cham temples and towers: Po Klong Garai Tower (Phan Rang - Thap Cham City), Po Rome Tower and Po Ina Nagar Temple (Ninh Phuoc District).

Cham people present offerings to the gods at the Kate Festival 2024. Photo: VNA

From early morning on October 2, tens of thousands of people flocked to Po Klong Garai tower area to attend the main ceremony of the Kate Festival 2024.

During the Kate festival, Cham people living and working everywhere return to reunite and gather with family, friends and relatives. This festival also attracts a large number of domestic and international tourists.

Kate Festival takes place with rituals of carrying costumes, opening tower doors, and bathing statues imbued with the traditional culture of the Cham people.

After the welcoming ceremony, the Cham people performed an art program, gracefully dancing with fans to the sound of Paranung drums and the melodious sound of Saranai trumpets, inviting visitors to join in the joyful atmosphere.

After the main ceremony held in three areas of Cham temples and towers, the Kate festival continues to take place in villages, clans and families of Cham Brahmins in the following days.

Cham girls perform fan dance to the sound of Paranung drums. Photo: VNA

Ninh Thuan province currently has more than 50,000 Cham people following Brahmanism, living in Ninh Phuoc, Thuan Nam, Thuan Bac districts and Phan Rang - Thap Cham city. In recent years, thanks to improved living standards, the organization of the annual Kate festival has become more intimate.

According to legend, the goddess Po Inư Nưgar, or Mother Goddess of the Land, taught the Cham people to grow rice, weave cloth, and raise livestock, helping them have a prosperous life. The Cham and Raglai people are sisters, the Cham is the eldest, the Raglai is the youngest. Because of the matriarchal system, the youngest daughter inherits property and is in charge of ancestor worship. Therefore, all the costumes of the kings and gods are kept by the Raglai people and are only brought down on Kate festivals or New Year's Eve.

The Vu

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/dong-bao-cham-mung-don-le-hoi-kate-nam-2024-post314944.html