The allure of Champa cultural treasures

The Brahma Birth Relief always attracts special attention from tourists due to its high artistic value.

Display with care.

After gazing at the Brahma Birth relief for a long time, the group of tourists from England were surprised to see that the relief depicted a figure wearing a hat with a curved crown that looked quite similar to the traditional costumes of many East Asian countries.

When the tour guide explained that it was an image of a Cham priest performing a blessing ritual, many people nodded in agreement and showed interest.

Currently, the Brahma Birth relief, along with the Apsara relief and the Shiva statue, are among the museum's most recently recognized treasures.

Previously, right from the first recognition in 2012, when the whole country only had 30 treasures, the Cham Sculpture Museum contributed 3 artifacts: the Tra Kieu altar, the My Son E1 altar, and the Tara Bodhisattva statue. Subsequent artifacts recognized as treasures include: the Dong Duong altar, the Ganesha statue, and the Gajasimha statue.

With its primary material being sandstone, conservation efforts are carried out in a sheltered environment with good infrastructure, ensuring adequate humidity and light. The statues and reliefs are all in very good condition. Specifically at the Cham Sculpture Museum, any deterioration at the exhibition area is immediately repaired and rectified by the management.

From the moment visitors enter the museum, they will be greeted by a friendly system of guidance and warnings to ensure that the artifacts, especially the treasures, are not damaged.

In addition to protecting the artifacts with reinforced glass, the museum is also equipped with a surveillance camera system. Security personnel also regularly check on visitors and remind them of any inappropriate behavior.

An interesting question the museum often receives is: are there risks of treasures being stolen if displayed publicly? Mr. Tran Dinh Ha, Deputy Director of the Museum, said that with modern surveillance technology and careful display, not to mention that 7 out of 9 Cham treasures are large and very heavy, there is no need to worry about theft.

“For example, the Gajasimha statue weighs 2 tons, and the altars also weigh tons… so they can be displayed. However, the bronze Tara and Ganesha statues are only opened when welcoming heads of state, for diplomatic purposes, or other special events,” Mr. Ha said.

Researcher Tran Ky Phuong further recounted that during the period from 1978 to 1998, when he was the museum curator, recognizing the value of the Ganesha statue, he had two versions made for display. The original statue was stored away to ensure it wouldn't be stolen. Similarly, the bronze Tara statue is also being displayed in a replica.

Increase the appeal of the treasure.

At the museum, depending on the style of each artifact, they are displayed in different rooms, such as Tra Kieu, My Son, and Dong Duong. Each artifact becomes the highlight of its respective room, so every step of the visitor's journey is a new and exciting experience.

The statue of Bodhisattva Tara is being displayed in a replica to ensure safety.

In 2019, to commemorate its 100th anniversary, the Cham Sculpture Museum released a preliminary report on visitor numbers from 1936 to 2018. During the period from 2005 to 2015, the museum received an average of over 200,000 visitors per year. By 2018, this number had risen to over 300,000 visitors per year, with 90% being international tourists.

Tourism has recovered after the pandemic, although it hasn't reached pre-pandemic levels, but the number of visitors to museums has increased significantly again.

It can be seen that, since the period before 2012, the number of visitors to the museum has steadily increased. After 2012, when the Tara statue, associated with the intriguing story of the loss of two hand-held objects (which were restored at the end of 2023), along with two other artifacts becoming national treasures, the museum's appeal to tourists has also increased.

Mr. Tran Dinh Ha stated that it is thanks to the effective conservation and exhibition work that the collections of artifacts, including national treasures, have been able to realize their value.

Mr. Ha said that, in addition to showcasing artifacts in galleries, the museum also focuses on exhibiting them in domestic and international locations to introduce, promote, and enhance the value of the collection. Exhibition collaborations with many museums around the world have been undertaken, including the Vienna Museum of Ethnology (Austria); the Royal Museum of History in Brussels (Belgium), and others.

Another interesting fact is that, before being recognized as national treasures, artifacts such as the Brahma Birth Relief and the Ganesha statue had previously traveled abroad to participate in exhibitions, with insurance values ​​reaching millions of USD.

Mr. Tran Dinh Ha added that among the museum's approximately 3,000 artifacts, many more deserve to be included in the national treasure dossier. There is still a large potential for national treasures, but the museum prioritizes the dossiers annually.

According to Mr. Ho Tan Tuan, Director of the Museum, three more artifacts are currently being studied by the Central Government for their preservation as national treasures. If officially recognized in early 2025, the Cham Sculpture Museum will increase the total number of treasures it houses to 12. This information will undoubtedly continue to attract tourists…

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/hap-luc-tu-bao-vat-van-hoa-champa-3146936.html