(Baonghean.vn) - As one of the most famous and sacred temples in Nghe An province, although the festival only takes place on the 20th and 21st of the first lunar month, from the 1st and 2nd day of Tet (Lunar New Year), people from all over the province have been eagerly flocking to Cờn Temple (Hoang Mai town) to worship.
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| Many families go to Cờn Temple together for worship. |
Amidst the crowds, Ms. Nguyen Thi Nhu (Ha Huy Tap ward – Vinh City) said: every year on the second day of Tet, her family goes to the Corn Temple to pray for a healthy new year, for her children to excel in their studies, and for everything to go smoothly. For Ms. Ho Thi Thuan (39 years old), originally from Quynh Phuong, the Corn Temple has been a part of the lives of the people in this coastal area. Her husband is a fisherman, so every time he goes out to sea, she goes to the temple to pray for his safety. This year, the second day is considered an auspicious day, so she and her daughter went to the Corn Temple with the hope of a year of favorable weather, family peace, and a boat full of fish.
In a conversation with Mr. Nguyen Van Binh, Deputy Head of the Festival Organizing Committee and Head of the Culture and Information Department of Hoang Mai town, it was learned that: To prepare well for the Corn Temple Festival and the opening of tourism in Hoang Mai town in 2015, and primarily to provide good service to people coming to worship at the beginning of the new year, the People's Committee of Hoang Mai town has established an organizing committee and subcommittees to ensure order and solemnity. The subcommittees for content and propaganda; rituals; security and health; and logistics and reception are responsible for developing the overall plan, preparing the content and program, and implementing propaganda and promotion activities... helping the organizing committee to successfully carry out its assigned tasks.
This year's Cờn Temple Festival is still organized into two main parts: The ceremonial part includes the opening ceremony, the announcement ceremony, the opening ceremony – the new festival ceremony, the fishing prayer ceremony, the joint sacrifice ceremony, the ancestral worship ceremony, the grand sacrifice ceremony, and the thanksgiving ceremony; the festive part includes a photo exhibition, a cultural program, a bird singing contest to welcome spring, and competitions in sports such as boat racing, stick pushing, volleyball, tug-of-war, and traditional local folk games. This year's Cờn Temple Festival has some unique new features and is organized more systematically. The town has also restored and re-staged the tradition of the elephant and horse procession, which had been forgotten for 40-50 years. According to folk beliefs, elephants and horses always bring good luck and peace; in the past, the Holy Mother often rode on elephants and horses during spring excursions.
Some photos taken at Cờn Temple on the second day of the Lunar New Year (Year of the Goat).
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| Mrs. Ho Thi Thich, 75 years old (Quynh Phuong - Hoang Mai town), went to worship at Corn Temple. |
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| Tourists choose to buy the most beautiful flowers. |
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| The offerings were carefully prepared. |
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| The prayer writing table at Cờn Temple. |
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| Wishing you a peaceful new year. |
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| Performing a ritual to ward off bad luck at Cờn Temple at the beginning of the year. |
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| The card translation desk is always bustling with tourists. |
Thanh Thuy
