Lotus scent of Uncle Ho's hometown

(Baonghean) - I remember the first time I visited Uncle Ho's hometown was on a sunny day in May. At that time, I was just an eager 8-year-old child. And then until now, after decades, how many times I have returned to Sen village, to the simple and rustic thatched houses, to the time-worn souvenirs, to remember him, to immerse myself in that "affectionate" space, that many times I have chosen a sunny day in May...

Provincial Road 540 took me from “my mother’s Tru village” to “my father’s Sen village” in Kim Lien commune (Nam Dan), where Uncle Ho was born and spent his childhood. I wonder when the name Sen village came about? In the memories of the elderly, there used to be a lot of lotus here, lotus growing in the mud, lotus growing in the fields, and in the rice fields, where the water was shallow they grew rice, where the water was deep they grew lotus… That’s where the name of the village came from?!

Lotus in Kim Lien blooms every May.

Being troubled by the two words "Lotus village" while the lotus is increasingly fading, the government and people here have united to bring back the image of the village with the immense scent of lotus in the past. Mr. Nguyen The Dung, Vice Chairman of Kim Lien commune, said: "In early 2012, the People's Committee of Kim Lien commune decided to restore lotus trees on Kim Lien land, reclaiming some areas of ponds for fish farming and converting them to lotus growing. The state supports seeds and growing techniques. The commune does not collect the output, but the people take care of, preserve and sell lotus buds. Compared to raising fish like before, growing lotus does not have high economic benefits, but the people all support it, for the purpose of beautifying Uncle Ho's hometown."

I walked along the road around both sides of Uncle Ho's paternal and maternal hometowns, the lotus ponds had begun to bloom pink and give off a gentle fragrance. The elderly pulled chairs and sat along the lotus ponds telling stories about the village and the country. I met Mr. Duong Dinh Lam (born in 1965) in Tru 2 hamlet, Kim Lien commune, walking along his lotus pond. He said: "Previously, this pond raised fish, grass carp, and pomfret... But since the lotus planting project, the villagers and I no longer raise fish. The lotus was only planted last year, but seeing visitors from all over stop to take pictures, admiring the beauty, I feel excited. Consider it as if we have done something for our homeland."

Tourists visit Sen Village - Uncle Ho's hometown.
Gate to Kim Lien Relic Site.

Up to now, the people in the commune have planted 4 hectares of lotus in ponds along both sides of the road. The lotus variety was brought from Dong Thap Muoi, quickly adapted to the country here, flowering early, with many flowers and blooming evenly. In the future, Kim Lien commune plans to continue to cover the ponds along Highway 540, Xo Viet Road and inter-commune roads. Every year, about 2 - 2.5 million domestic and foreign visitors visit Uncle Ho's hometown, this number is constantly increasing every year. From May, Uncle Ho's birthday, the lotus season also begins to bloom...

More than half a century has passed since the day Uncle Ho could no longer return, there have been many footsteps of his children returning, bowing in the cultural and historical space, their hearts filled with longing. Sen Village has now become a historical and cultural relic, and Kim Lien relic site is also a special national relic (including Uncle Ho's paternal and maternal homelands and the tomb of Mrs. Hoang Thi Loan on Dai Hue mountain range and Chung Mountain relic site).

In May, many students visit Uncle Ho's hometown. They are groups of excellent students from schools, after a long year of studying hard, being good children and good students, being good grandchildren of Uncle Ho, the reward is a trip to visit Uncle Ho's hometown. They are students, remembering Uncle Ho's birthday, coming here to light a stick of incense. I met a group of students from Vinh University who had just got off a bus. Nguyen Thi Huong Giang happily boasted: "We are about to take our semester exams, but we still invite each other to visit Kim Lien. This is the second time I have come back to Uncle Ho's hometown...".

Returning to Uncle Ho's hometown is like returning to the common hometown of all descendants on this S-shaped strip of land. Walking among the immense lotus scent and the affection of Nghe An people, one can still feel the warmth of Uncle Ho somewhere...

Article and photos: Ho Lai