Nha Trang is known as a famous city with many beautiful beaches, long stretches of golden sand, and romantic islands. It also preserves numerous historical and cultural destinations, the most renowned of which is the Ponagar Tower. This place is associated with the tourist destination of the Kingdom of Champa and is a special historical monument of Champa architecture, featuring unique works and mysterious stories and history. Ponagar Tower is one of the most important historical and cultural sites in Nha Trang, a coastal city in Vietnam.
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Introduce Ponagar Tower
It is located on Cu Lao hill towards the East Sea in the Vinh Phuoc district of Nha Trang city in Khanh Hoa. Ponagar Tower is the historical and cultural relic of the long-standing art and architecture of the Cham people. It is located on Cu Lao hill towards the East Sea in the Vinh Phuoc district of Nha Trang city in Khanh Hoa. The towers stand on a granite knoll 3km north of central Nha Trang, on the northern bank of the Cai River.
Discover Ponagar Cham Towers Nha Trang was built between the eighth and thirteenth centuries under the Panduranga dynasty of the Champa ancient kingdom. This was one of the religious centers of the Champa Kingdom, which was the place to worship the goddess Ponagar – the mother of the Cham and other people in the region. The legend of the goddess Ponagar – Thien Y A Na is the interference and continuity between the Cham and Indian culture. This is also the Vietnamese culture of worshipping the mother goddesses. The image of the goddess Ponagar and the Cham culture are clearly reflected through the statues, sculpture and architecture in the tower. The Ponagar tower complex has an area of 57,000m2 and is 200m far from the coast and 20m above the sea level.
All the temples face east, as did the original entrance to the complex, which is to the right as you ascend the hillock. In centuries past, worshippers passed through the pillared meditation hall, 10 pillars of which can still be seen, before proceeding up the steep staircase to the towers.
In the area of 57,000m2, the relic is divided into 3 parts. The ground area –consisting of the main gate tower. The subsidiary gates and the fence wall. The middle floor, opposites of the main tower, includes the Mandapa imperial palace, with 22 octagonal pillars in different height. According to the history of the Cham culture, this is the area for preparation before entering the worship tower. The top floor consists of four towers: the Main Tower to worship the goddess Ponagar, the Middle Tower, the South East Tower and the Northwest Tower. This is the main space to organize the cultural activities and festivals of the ancient Cham people. The whole complex is a special architectural artwork made of brick, which is a harmonious combination between architecture and sculpture of the typical Cham culture.
Though the relic has experienced many devastations, due to wars and nature, it still retains the relative architecture in comparison to the other Cham towers in Vietnam. The Ponagar Tower was recognized as the National Monument of Architecture by the Ministry of Culture and Information in 1979, for its exceptional architectural and artistic values.
Mandapa
The name Mandapa of this floor means a retreat house, which is a place for visitors to go on pilgrimage, retreat, and relax. This is also the place where the Cham people prepare their offerings before offering them up. Additionally, 10 large pillars divided into 2 rows, each 3m high and 1m in diameter, are preserved here. Around them, there are 12 smaller columns placed on a pedestal with a height of 1m
Kalan
The second area in this relic has many towers, called kalan in the Cham language, temple or tower in Vietnamese, and the palace by the local people. The main tower is the largest one, which is the place for worshiping the goddess Ponagar and its name is used for the whole relics. Vietnamese people call it the mother goddess palace; the place to worship the goddess Thien Y A Na. The middle tower is the South Tower; a place to worship the god Cri Cambhu (another name for the god Shiva). The Vietnamese call it the god palace, which is the place to worship the North Sea Prince, the husband of the goddess Thien Y A Na. The smallest, outermost tower is the southeast tower, used to worship Skandha (a son of Shiva), the god of war. Vietnamese people called it the Co palace, a place to worship Mr and Mrs Tieu, the adoptive parents of the goddess Thien Y A Na. Ganesa (a son of Shiva), the god of luck and happiness, is located behind the main tower – called the Northwest Tower. Lastly, the Prince and princess’ palace, belong to Princess Quy and Prince Tri, the 2 children of the goddess Thien Y A Na.
Front of the main tower – the largest existing Cham tower in Vietnam. The villagers utilized bricks to form the square platform that measures approximately 23m high. The tower was decorated with five vertical wall pillars. There are 4 small towers under the 4 corners of the roof. These towers have 3 similar roof layers in ascending order from the top to the bottom. The roof was decorated with the images of mascots such as elephants, geese, etc. At the corner of the tower, there are the images of the dancing girls Ápsara. The dome was decorated with a Bodhi leaf stone relief, which represents the Yin of the dancing god Shiva with 4 hands. This relief was dated from the 11th century and is one of the most beautiful Cham reliefs in Vietnam.
Discover festivals
The Ponagar Tower Festival takes place from March 20-23 of the lunar calendar every year. It is a festival held to show gratitude and respect to the god Ponagar, who has brought a prosperous life to the Cham Pa people. Visitors can witness many traditional solemn ceremonies and participate in many other interesting activities, such as the incense offering ceremony at Mau, lion dance performances, lantern release ceremonies, ball dances, and Van singing. This is the biggest festival in the Central Highlands and South Central region.
This festival is associated with the legend of worshiping the goddess Thien Y Thanh Mau Ana. During the festival, visitors can learn more about the legendary story associated with the mother of the Vietnamese and Cham people in the central provinces.
Enjoy Cham dance
This is also a featured activity at Ponagar Tower, where visitors can enjoy unique dances and performances featuring traditional Cham musical instruments.
If you have the opportunity to visit the beautiful coastal city of Nha Trang, remember to explore Ponagar Tower with its unique Champa-period architecture, and experience the historical, cultural, and religious values, while also relaxing and immersing yourself in a peaceful, tranquil space.
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