Tuyen Quang to open festival honouring Mother Goddesses

March 02, 2017 | 15:14

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A festival honouring Mother Goddesses, which has been recognised as National Intangible Cultural Heritage, will take place at three temples in the northern city of Tuyen Quang on March 8-13, municipal authorities told a press conference in Hanoi on March 1.

The ritual of worshipping Mother Goddesses of Three Realms in Vietnam has been recognised by the UNESCO as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The annual festival at the Thuong, Ha and Y La Temples is dedicated to the worship of the Thoai Mother Goddess, or Water Mother Goddess– one of the three Mother Goddesses. Held from the 11th to 16th day of the second lunar month, it is one of the largest festivals in the region, during which, local residents pray for good health and a bumper harvest.

This year, the event will feature a ceremony on Lo river to bring water from Thuong Temple to Ha Temple and release coloured lanterns on the river. The festival will end on the 16th day.

Along with the rituals, various activities will be held including cooking and sport competitions, a photo exhibition on Tuyen Quang, music performances and folk games.

Thousands of hotel rooms and more than 30 homestays have been made available for tourists.

Mother Goddess worship is a traditional practice in Vietnam with a long history, having stood the test of social changes. The belief in Mother Goddess worship reflects people’s desire for health, wealth and fortune.

The Beliefs in the Mother Goddesses of Three Realms has been practiced in numerous northern mountainous provinces across the nation since the 16th century.

The Mother Goddesses represent the three realms of the universe, namely Thoai who is in charge of Water, Thuong Thien (Lieu Hanh) who is in charge of the Heaven and Thuong Ngan in charge of Mountains and Forests.

VNS

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