Happy day on the sacred mountain top

(Baonghean) - Every year, at the end of the first lunar month, ethnic people in the highlands of Ky Son eagerly look forward to the Pu Nha Thau Temple Festival. This is a unique festival, imbued with the historical and cultural traditions of the locality and containing the cultural identity of the region. And importantly, the people have the opportunity to express their admiration and remember the merits of their ancestors who fought off foreign invaders, kept the country safe, and blessed their villages with prosperity and happiness.

Pu Nha Thau Temple is a provincial historical and cultural relic, located on the top of a sacred mountain in Na Luong village (Huu Kiem commune). The temple is associated with legends and stories that have been passed down among the people, passed down from generation to generation by the local people. Na Luong villagers say that, since ancient times, Princess La Binh, daughter of Son Tinh and My Nuong, granddaughter of the 18th Hung King, was a virtuous and talented person, always loving and protecting the people. She liked to travel everywhere, often going to mountainous areas, villages to teach and help the people, helping the ethnic people to have a peaceful and prosperous life. The people of 9 villages and 10 Muongs greatly admired Princess La Binh and honored her as the Mother of the Mountain. When the princess passed away, the people built a temple on the top of a high mountain in the area to worship and burn incense all year round.

Pu Nha Thau peak festival day.

Pu Nha Thau Temple and Na Luong village are also associated with the event of repelling foreign invaders by Tran Dynasty generals and soldiers in the 14th century. That was around 1335, the Ai Lao invaders crossed the border to invade our country, they burned down villages, looted property, and killed innocent people. Retired Emperor Tran Minh Tong decided to personally lead troops into the borderland to repel the Ai Lao invaders and appointed Doan Nhu Hai (from Hoi Xuyen village, Tuong Lan district, Hong Chau road, now Gia Loc district, Hai Duong province) as the Governor. When reaching Nam Nhung land (now belonging to Ky Son and Tuong Duong districts), the Governor of the Tran Dynasty chose a high mountain in the area of ​​Na Luong village - Huu Kiem commune to set up a camp to train soldiers and observe the activities of the invaders.

The people here were extremely happy when the royal soldiers came to rescue them. Many young men asked to join to contribute their efforts to repel the enemy and keep the village peaceful. Many people in the area contributed their efforts, provided food for the royal soldiers, and encouraged their children to join the army. Among them, there was an old woman who still encouraged her husband and children to join the royal army, practicing with swords to repel the enemy. The old husband still went to the front to fight directly, the son was assigned to protect the weapons and food warehouse to serve the Tran army. The mother was assigned to be a liaison and supply food, cooking for the royal soldiers.

Procession in Pu Nha Thau Temple Festival

Our army set up camp and practiced on the mountain, the enemy tried to attack by surprise. Knowing the enemy's dangerous plan, General Doan Nhu Hai immediately ordered his soldiers to follow the mountainside to the river junction to block their advance. On the way, Doan Nhu Hai was ambushed and sacrificed. After his death, the royal court issued an edict to the people of Nam Nhung hamlet to build a temple and hold a ceremony in early spring, when the crops were harvested and the weather was warm.

Speaking of the mother who raised the soldiers, when her homeland returned to a peaceful life, it was also the time she returned to her ancestors. To express their respect and gratitude to the person who helped the royal generals, the people in the area called the high mountain where General Doan Nhu Hai once set up camp Ba Gia Mountain (in Thai, Pu Nha Thau).

In recognition of the merits of the Tran Dynasty General and the silent contribution of the old mother who raised the army, the people of Na Luong village brought the souls of the generals to worship at the temple of the Mother Goddess of the Upper Realm, then the people contributed their labor and money to upgrade it into a temple. Since then, people from all the villages in Nam Nhung land often come to offer gifts, express their sincerity and pray for peace and prosperity. People often call the temple on the top of the mountain in Na Luong village the Tran Dynasty Temple or Pu Nha Thau Temple. After hundreds of years with many ups and downs, the people in the area have always been conscious of preserving and protecting the sacred temple on the top of the mountain. Even during the years of fighting the Americans, Pu Nha Thau Temple was bombed twice and collapsed, the villagers immediately went into the forest to get wood to rebuild the temple.

Every month on the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month, Ky Son people prepare offerings and go to the temple to take care of the incense. In recent years, there have been many groups of pilgrims coming to admire the beauty of Pu Nha Thau landscape. Because from here, looking out around are majestic mountains, below is the Nam Mo river winding like a green silk strip, creating a poetic and charming beauty. That beauty easily captivates people, alluring and inviting those who love to learn and explore.

During the festival days, Pu Nha Thau peak becomes bustling and crowded with the echoing sound of gongs, flutes, bustling singing and loud laughter. Joining the crowd participating in the procession, visitors will be immersed in the sacred atmosphere. The procession starts from Na Luong village, down National Highway 7A, then follows the road to the top of the mountain, where Pu Nha Thau temple is located. The gods' tablets are brought into the temple, everyone respectfully turns to the upper hall, where the grand ceremony begins. After offering the offerings, the shaman respectfully invites the gods and ancestors to attend the festival and enjoy, blessing the villages with prosperity, prosperity, full fields of rice, full rivers of fish, lush forests, peaceful and united villagers... Next is the festival with a cultural and artistic exchange program, drinking rice wine, lam vong dancing and attractive folk games. In particular, coming to the festival, visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy mountain specialties, prepared by the skillful hands of Na Luong women.

Talking to us, Ms. Cut Thi Nguyet, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Ky Son district said: "Preparations for this year's festival have been completed, Ky Son people are eagerly waiting for the opening of the festival. This is an opportunity to express admiration and gratitude to those who fought the enemy, liberated the village and through that to educate the younger generation about traditions. The festival is also an opportunity to preserve and promote the cultural values ​​of the ethnic groups in Ky Son district, promoting the image of the land and people of the homeland to friends near and far".

Article and photos:TUONG ANH - THU HUONG