Pok Tapah Ceremony (Conferment of the title of Deputy Head Monk)

In the cultural and spiritual life of the Cham community, both in the past and present, religious beliefs are indispensable. They play a crucial role, deeply influencing social life and forming a core element in the identity of the ethnic group. Among these, the Pok Tapah Ceremony (the Ordination of a Deputy High Priest) marks a significant milestone in the maturation of a Cham Brahman priest. This is a rich and vibrant ceremony, involving numerous rituals performed over several days and bringing together many people to create a truly memorable event.

Join author Nguyen Van Anh in exploring this ritual through his work "Pok Tapah Ceremony (Conferring the Title of Deputy Chief Monk)". This photo series was submitted by the author to the Happy Vietnam Photo and Video Contest, organized by the Ministry of Information and Communications .

For Cham religious leaders, the Pok Tapah ordination ceremony is the most important ritual, reenacting the path to becoming a Brahman priest.

Through many years, many ups and downs in history, and the adverse impacts of other cultures in present-day life, the Cham Brahman people have diligently preserved the colors of their ancestors.

Their rituals are unique, full of Cham ethnic identity, and contain many artistic elements. The Pok Tapah ceremony is a source of pride for the individual priest and his family and relatives.

The Pok Tapah ceremony usually takes place over three days. The first day includes preparations such as building the ceremonial house, measuring the tent, and offering sacrifices at the tent (the main offerings include one pig and one goat). On the second day (the opening day), people decorate the ceremonial house, bring the Ong Don Muk Don's robes into the house, and prepare two large candles. Under the direction of the Lady Dom, the ceremony takes place in the afternoon with purification rituals and receiving holy water. On the third day (the fan day), the dressing house (Sang Uok) and the temple house (Sang Xam) are erected. After the opening ceremony of the dressing house and temple house, the purification ritual is performed again as on the second day… Afterwards, the Brahmin priest, officially honored as a Tapah, goes to the Gru Arieng house to pay homage to his teacher (Talabat Gru).

The Pok Tapah rituals recount the journey of a Brahmin ascetic.

Despite the passage of time and cultural integration, the Pok Tapah ceremony has retained its unique characteristics, deeply rooted in the identity of the Cham Brahman people in Ninh Thuan .