More than 200 boats participate in the water procession at Tam Chuc Pagoda

On the morning of February 9, at Tam Chuc Pagoda, Tam Chuc National Tourist Area, Kim Bang town, Ha Nam province, the opening ceremony took place, starting with a unique water procession ritual, attracting a large number of locals and tourists.

Tam Chuc Pagoda - one of the largest pagodas in the world - has long been a pilgrimage and spring destination attracting a large number of Buddhists and tourists. The Tam Chuc Spring Festival begins with a water procession ritual, praying for national peace and prosperity, and favorable weather.

2025 marks the 7th time Tam Chuc Pagoda has organized a spring festival. After the opening drum beat, the water procession ceremony takes place with more than 200 large and small boats departing from Thuy Dinh wharf, heading to the pole placement in the middle of Tam Chuc Lake, near the ancient Tam Chuc communal house to collect sacred water.

In the middle of the lake, the boats go around the tree and hold a ceremony to ask for water.

Water is taken from the circle with the pole and poured into a ceramic jar.

After the boat docked, the sacred water in the ceramic jar was carried onto three processions and offered to the shrines and Ngoc Pagoda.

The procession brings sacred water to Tam The temple to pray for national peace, favorable weather, and bountiful crops.

Venerable Thich Minh Quang, Deputy Abbot of Tam Chuc Pagoda, said that restoring the Tam Chuc Pagoda Festival on January 12 every year is the desire of the local people and Buddhist followers, while contributing to preserving and promoting traditional cultural values, promoting the image of the homeland's cultural values, and creating conditions for people and Buddhists at home and abroad to visit the Tam Chuc Pagoda Spiritual Tourism Area.

Each water float weighs nearly 1 ton and is pulled by about 30 people for more than 1km to Tam The Palace yard to perform the ceremony.

The water cart has no engine, so steep slopes require many people to push and pull.

Delegates performed the ritual of bringing sacred water to Tam The temple.

At Tam The Temple, the ritual of burning incense, offering water and praying for national peace and prosperity takes place solemnly.

A large number of people and Buddhists from all over were present, joined the procession and attended the incense offering ceremony.

Vietnamnet.vn

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/hon-200-thuyen-tham-gia-le-ruoc-nuoc-tai-ngoi-chua-lon-nhat-the-gioi-2369750.html