Participants release doves at the ceremony. (Source: VNA) Ninh Binh (VNA) - The Bai Dinh PagodaFestival kicked off in Gia Vien district, the northern province of Ninh Binh,on February 2 (the sixth day of the first lunar month).
Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh and Secretary of the provincial Party’sCommittee Nguyen Thi Thanh beat the drum to open the festival, which saw theparticipation of dignitaries from the Vietnam Buddhism Sangha and its provincialchapter, and thousands of pilgrims.
Participants released doves and offered incenseto pray for happiness and national development. The event also featured folkgames and artistic programmes.
Addressing the event, Venerable Thich ThanhNhieu, head of the Bai Dinh Pagoda, highlighted the cultural and historicalvalue of the pagoda, saying that the original pagoda, built thousands of yearsago, has become one of the standout landscapes of the old capital.
The pagoda has been upgraded and expanded, whichrepresents the Party’s and State’s attention to the freedom of belief andreligion, he added.
Meanwhile, Thanh said Ninh Binh is home tonumerous relic sites marking the development of Buddhism, including the BaiDinh pagoda.
The pagoda is part of the Trang An LandscapeComplex which was recognised as a world Cultural and Natural Heritage Site bythe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO),Thanh said.
She expressed her belief that the pagoda willcontinue welcoming more tourists and local residents to the site, whilecontributing to the local socio-economic development, poverty reduction,security maintenance for the prosperity and peace of the nation.
The festival will run until the end of the thirdlunar month.
The original 1,000 year-old Bai Dinh Pagoda (BaiDinh Co Tu) is composed of temples worshipping Buddha, the Mountain God, andthe Mother Goddess of the Forest. It lies about 800 metres from the Tam TheTemple of the new Bai Dinh Pagoda area.
The recent additions are considered the largest Buddhist temples complex inVietnam and currently hold several national record-setting relics, includingthe largest bronze Buddha statue (150 tonnes), the largest bronze bell (30tonnes), and the largest number of Arhat statues (500).-VNA
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