Soc Trang (VNA) - Khmer ethnic communities are celebrating theirtraditional New Year Festival – Chol Chnam Thmay – at home this year from April13-16 instead of visiting pagodas as part of the national effort to battle theCOVID-19 pandemic.

In recent days, members of Thach Minh Duong’s family in Dai Tam commune, SocTrang province, have been staying at home except to go out and buy necessities.

The family raises cows so they have been keeping themselves occupied with farmwork. The only rare moment they go out is to sell their milk, and they wearface masks to protect themselves and others.

“We will celebrate this year’s Chol Chnam Thmay Festival at home, limitingcontact with the crowds. The rituals will be conducted as simply as possible whilethe chief of the hamlet will help to bestow our offerings to local monks. Myfriends and relatives will not be gathering either but we will chat with themon the phone. We will have plenty of opportunities to meet when COVID-19 isover,” Duong said.

Like Duong’s family, most other Khmer people living in Soc Trang province arestaying at home. Some have family members working far from home in Binh Duong provinceand Ho Chi Minh City, but they've asked them to stay away until the pandemic isover.

“We used to be very happy to see relatives returning for the Chol Chnam ThmayFestival. However, I have asked my children who are working in Binh Duong provincenot to return this year. We are conducting our rituals at home and we haveother people to take our offerings to the monks. By celebrating in this way, wecan enjoy a happy and safe festival,” said Tra Thi Siel from Thanh Quoi commune.

According to venerable Thach Bonl, chief monk of Preah Buon Preah Phek Pagodain Phu Tan commune, the pagoda and many others in the region had responded tonational and local measures to prevent and control the COVID-19 pandemic bypassing on information to Buddhist followers, telling them to restrict theirvisits to pagodas and avoid gatherings.

“The rituals will be conducted simply. The ceremony at the sand dunes will notbe held while the bathing of Buddha statues has been completed to eliminategatherings,” said the monk.

“Everyone wants to visit the pagodas during the New Year Festival but for ourown safety and our relatives, I decided to stay at home. This was I can stillfulfil my duties as a Buddhist and abide by the recommendations made by theGovernment. After the end of the pandemic, I can visit the pagodas to pray,”said Huynh Thi Ut from Lai Hoa commune.

According to vice chairman of Lai Hoa commune’s People’s Committee, Vo HoangNam, 70 percent of the population in the commune is Khmer. As a remote area in SocTrang province neighbouring Bac Lieu province, local authorities have paidspecial attention to the safety of locals and Buddhists by frequently remindingthem to avoid gatherings and supporting the celebration of the Chol Chnam ThmayFestival from home.

Soc Trang has the biggest population of ethnic minority Khmer people in thecountry with over 400,000, accounting for 30 percent of the province’spopulation.

Traditionally, on celebrating Chol Chnam Thmay Festival, locals flock to thepagodas to bestow offerings to pay tribute to their ancestors and participatein rituals./.