Nha Trang’s semi-outdoor art program turns Ponagar Tower into artistic stage
Friday, December 29, 2023, 10:25 GMT+7
A semi-open-air art program kicked off at Ponagar Tower in Nha Trang, a popular beach city in Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam on Wednesday night.
The program, jointly organized the Khanh Hoa Department of Culture and Sports and the Khanh Hoa Provincial Monuments Conservation Center, allowed visitors to delve into the ancient Champa kingdom, which spanned large parts of central and southern Vietnam from the sixth to 16th centuries.
There are currently around 178,000 Cham people, descendants of the Champa kingdom, living in Vietnam, over 83 percent of whom reside in rural areas, according to Nhan Dan (People) newspaper.
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| Dancers perform Apsara, a unique Cham dance, in front of the Kalan area at Ponagar Tower in Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam, December 27, 2023. Photo: Tran Hoai / Tuoi Tre |
Wednesday’s semi-outdoor art program featured a diverse array of live performances connected to an overarching storyline designed to introduce Cham culture, the ancient land of Khanh Hoa, and the history of the age-old Ponagar Tower to visitors.
In addition, visitors to the event also enjoyed musical performances featuring the traditional instruments and dances of the Cham people.
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| Worshippers carry offerings to the main tower and temple area, called Kalan, at Ponagar Tower in Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam, December 27, 2023. Photo: Tran Hoai / Tuoi Tre |
According to Nguyen Tan Dung, deputy director of the Khanh Hoa Provincial Monuments Conservation Center, the program aimed to provide locals and visitors with an authentic experience of traditional cultural and artistic expressions.
Dung added that plans are in place to organize similar monthly programs throughout the year in order to achieve Khanh Hoa Province’s long-term goal of establishing a market for nighttime activities and preserving and advancing the province’s cultural heritage values.
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| Dancers perform a traditional dance of the Cham people in the mist at Ponagar Tower in Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam, December 27, 2023. Photo: Tran Hoai / Tuoi Tre |
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| Artists dance and sing at Ponagar Tower in Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam, December 27, 2023. Photo: Tran Hoai / Tuoi Tre |
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| An artisan performs the traditional brocade weaving-craft of the Cham people at Ponagar Tower in Nha Trang City in Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam, December 27, 2023. Photo: Tran Hoai / Tuoi Tre |
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| An artist performs with a Saranai, a traditional reed wind instrument of the Cham people, at Ponagar Tower in Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam, December 27, 2023. Photo: Tran Hoai / Tuoi Tre |
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| Visitors enjoy a performance using Cham people’s traditional instruments at Ponagar Tower in Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam, December 27, 2023. Photo: Tran Hoai / Tuoi Tre |
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| Ponagar Tower is illuminated by countless lights at night in Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam, December 27, 2023. Photo: Tran Hoai / Tuoi Tre |
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