The Mystery of Ponagar Cham Towers (Nha Trang, Vietnam)

Ponagar Cham Towers are considered Nha Trang's foremost attraction, a quintessential temple complex showcasing the art of Cham architecture and sculpture.

Exquisite Architecture

Ponagar Temple is situated atop a small hill, approximately 50 meters above sea level, also known as Thap Ba Mountain, at the mouth of the Cai River, about 2 km north of Nha Trang city center. The overall architecture of Ponagar consists of three levels, ascending from bottom to top. At the lowest level, at ground level, there was once a gate tower that no longer exists. From there, stone steps lead up to the middle level.

The middle level is called Mandapa (a guesthouse or meditation hall) for pilgrims to rest and prepare offerings. The Mandapa is 20m long and 15m wide, featuring four rows of octagonal columns (including 10 large columns and 12 smaller ones). The large columns have deep mortise holes, symmetrical with the tops of the smaller columns.

The uppermost level is where the towers are located. These towers are built in the Cham style, with bricks laid so tightly that no binding material is visible. The main worship tower in the front row is quite large, standing about 23 meters tall, and is known as Ponagar Tower.

The tower has four levels, each with doors, statues of deities, and stone animal figures. Inside is a statue of the goddess (2.6 m high) carved from black granite (it was previously made of agarwood, and even earlier, gold), seated majestically on a lotus-shaped stone base with her back resting against a large, Bodhi-leaf-shaped stone slab. This is a masterpiece of Cham sculpture, a harmonious blend of round sculpture techniques and bas-relief. At the top of the tower are statues of Shiva riding his bull Nandin and other sacred animals.

Ponagar Cham Towers represent a prime example of Cham architectural and sculptural art. The construction techniques from the 8th to the 13th centuries remain a mystery to this day, despite numerous researchers and scientific studies. It's still not understood how the Cham people managed to stack 20x20cm bricks so perfectly without any visible binding material. This unique characteristic adds to visitors' fascination with this temple complex.

Technically, all these towers are built with bricks and artistically decorated with stone and ceramic materials, with content intrinsically linked to the deities worshipped there. The stone sculptures depict various themes from the Brahman religion, integrated with the temple complex to form a magnificent architectural art display.

Ponagar Tower Festival

Annually, during the days of the Lady's spiritual festival (from the 20th to the 23rd day of the 3rd lunar month), Ponagar Cham Towers welcome tens of thousands of pilgrims and local residents to attend the festival. This celebration commemorates the merits of Thien Y Ana Thanh Mau (whom the Cham people call Po Inu Nagar), the Mother of the Land who taught the people how to work and live.

In historical records and the collective consciousness of the Cham people, the role of the goddess Po Inu Nagar is exceptionally important; she is the only female deity worshipped independently. Everyone believes Po Inu Nagar is a powerful and creative deity. The Mother of the Land not only supported the Cham people from their initial steps in nation-building but continually guided the spiritual lives of individual families and the entire community.

According to researchers, from the mid-17th century until now, the worship ceremony for the Mother of the Land has been meticulously organized by both Cham and Kinh (Vietnamese) people at Ponagar Cham Towers. In 1653, Vietnamese people from the North, following Lord Nguyen to expand the southern territories, settled by the mouth of the Cai River (Nha Trang), establishing villages and hamlets. They brought with them the tradition of Mother Goddess worship from the Kinh people of the Northern Delta. Annually, on the 20th day of the 3rd lunar month, Cham and Kinh people from all over bring offerings and make pilgrimages to Ponagar Cham Towers in Nha Trang, sincerely expressing their gratitude to a woman who taught the people how to cultivate and live by farming.

The main rituals of the Ponagar Cham Towers festival include the Mục Dục ceremony (bathing the statue), the Tế Gia Quan ceremony (changing the robes) taking place at noon on the 20th day of the 3rd lunar month, followed by the Tế Sanh ceremony (offering sacrifices), presenting offerings, and performing shadow dances to invite Thien Y Thanh Mau and other deities to attend the ceremony. According to ritual, the ceremony to worship the Mother Goddess often begins with the Khai Kinh (opening sutras) to pray for national peace and prosperity. The Tế Sanh ceremony begins at midnight on the 22nd lunar night, performed by elders, after which the official prayer ceremony takes place at 4 AM the next day. Famous Cham dances like Apsara, "Love by the Water," and "Neighborly Love," accompanied by the joyful sounds of the Saranai flute and Ghi Năng drums, captivate countless visitors.