On April 25 (on March 6 on the Lunar calendar), at Thai Lac pagoda, Lac Hong people's committee (Van Lam district) held the opening ceremony of 'Praying for rain' festival 2023.'Praying for rain' festival is long-lived associated with the Four deities worshipping namely the Cloud deity, the Rain deity, the Thunder deity and the Lightning deity of the water rice growers to show their wishes to conquer nature, and ask for favorable weather and bumper crops....

On April 25 (on March 6 on the Lunar calendar), at Thai Lac pagoda, Lac Hong people's committee (Van Lam district) held the opening ceremony of 'Praying for rain' festival 2023.'Praying for rain' festival is long-lived associated with the Four deities worshipping namely the Cloud deity, the Rain deity, the Thunder deity and the Lightning deity of the water rice growers to show their wishes to conquer nature, and ask for favorable weather and bumper crops....

On Jan. 12, 2022, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued the Decision ref 68/QĐ-BVHTTDL on the announcement of the list of national cultural intangible assets. Accordingly, 'praying for rain' festival in Lac Hong commune is listed as the national cultural intangible asset.

The festive activities took place in two days from April 25 to Aril 26 (March 6 to March 7 on the Lunar calendar). On April 25, there was the 'praying for rain' procession ritual. From the early morning, the procession took Thunder deity from Nhac Mieu pagoda to Rain deity pagoda in Hong Cau village. Then, they would escort two deities to Cloud deity pagoda (Thai Lac pagoda). Three deities stayed there until the afternoon when monks did the worshipping rituals according to Buddhism and Buddhists prayed for favorable weather, luxuriant crops and peaceful and wealthy people.

On April 26, they held the rituals of water taking and procession rituals for three deities. The water taking ritual was organized from the early morning. The dragon dancing procession led the crowd and left fromCloud deity pagoda to Binh Minh well to execute the ritual. After finishing, three deities were taken to Lightning pagoda and resided here. Cloud deity, Rain deity, and Thunder deity stayed in a three-compartment bamboo house built by the residents facing the pagoda.

Along with the festive part, there were also cultural activities, music performances, sports and folk games.

Nguồn trích dẫn: baohungyen.vn