Thua Thien-Hue (VNS/VNA) - A Mother Goddess ritual worshipping festival started onAugust 18 at the Hon Chen Temple, a monument built by the Nguyen Dynasty(1802-1945) kings hundreds of years ago in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue.

The three-day festival will include a grand boat processionfrom a temple in Hue city to Hon Chen sitting on a mountain up the Huong (Perfume)River.

The procession aims to welcome the Thien Y Ana Mother Goddessto the mountain temple for three days of rituals. During that time, mediumswill perform rituals inside the temple while thousands will pray and provideofferings to the goddess.

It is a chance for audiences to enjoy chau van musicand ritual dances with mediums dressed in colourful, old-style costumes.

However, the crowded temples are not for the faint-heartedduring the festival due to the turmoil, heat and thick smoke from the thousandsof sticks of incense.

The festival occurs every year in March and July of the lunarcalendar. Mother Goddess worship is considered a belief in Vietnam, and hasmillions of followers. Some believe deeply in the power of the ritual,including its capacity to bring back the souls of the dead to converse withtheir descendants.

The temple was originally built to worship Goddess Ponagar bythe Champa people. When the dynasty’s kings settled down in Thua Thien-Hue, thedynasty’s second king Minh Mang (1820-1841) restored and named it Hoan Chen, whichlater was misspelled as Hon Chen.

Later, King Dong Khanh (1885-1889) expanded the temple, namedit Hue Nam, and facilitated the practice of Mother Goddess worshipping as hebelieved the Mother Goddess had helped him gain the throne.

However, local residents have continued to call it Hon Chen.-VNS/VNA