At the heart of the festival are the tower-opening ceremony and the palanquin procession, which have been preserved largely unchanged for generations.

The Kate Festival involves many rituals, including the procession of the sacred palanquin, the tower-opening ceremony, the rituals of cleansing and dressing the deity statue, and finally, the Grand Ceremony.

On the morning of the first day of the seventh month in the Cham calendar, the procession teams assemble with all members dressed in full ceremonial attire. They set off from the Cham villages toward the temple towers, accompanied by Saranai clarinets, Ginang drums, Paranung drums, and gongs.

Along its long route, the procession showcases the colorful Cham ceremonial costumes and traditional folk dances involving fans, drums, and rings. On either side of the procession route, large crowds of locals and visitors watch and cheer.

The palanquin procession men wear white outfits with white shawls draped over their shoulders. The women wear pink blouses with white trousers and matching white scarves. Some carry betel nut trays on their heads. Others wave ceremonial flags.

“They burn incense on the ancestral altar before joining the community worship ceremony at the temple towers. People carry new clothes for King Po Klong Garai. The procession participants dance to invite the deities to preside in the towers and enjoy the offerings,” says Le Xuan Loi, director of the Cham Cultural Research Center.  

When the procession arrives at the temple, the head monk and other dignitaries perform a ritual to ask the deities’ permission to open the temple and bring the clothes in. The villagers carefully dress the deity statues in clean clothes.

“Those who perform the rituals have distinct but equally important roles: Bóng lady, Ca thần, and the head monk. Bóng lady is responsible for organizing and assigning tasks during the ceremony. Ca thần plays the Kanhi fiddle, producing sacred melodies to invite the deities to attend the ritual. The head monk is in charge of presenting cakes, meat, and other ceremonial offerings,” explains Dan Lanh, who is the cleric in charge of Cham rituals and ceremonies in Ninh Thuan province. 

Meanwhile, Nai Van Vuong, a Cham man in Huu Duc village, explains that during the tower-opening ceremony, the head monk presides over the ritual. Ca  than  plays his fiddle and sings epic hymns reciting the names of the Cham kings. Each king has his own song describing his accomplishments – building irrigation dams or expanding the kingdom’s territory. Each hymn reflects the legacy and contributions of a different regime.

Cleric Dan Lanh further elaborates that Ca thần plays the fiddle and sings to guide the ritual. The Bóng lady follows to direct bathing the deities, changing the deities’ costumes, and presenting the ritual offerings. Ca thần is highly trained in all ceremonial practices and has mastered all the sacred chants needed to properly perform the sacred ritual.

After being bathed, each sacred statue is dressed in a resplendent royal robe. The Grand Ceremony then begins, led by the head monk, who offers prayers and presents ceremonial tributes to the deities at the altar.

As the rituals conclude, the festival comes to life. Outside the tower, the air fills with the rhythmic beats of Ginang and Paranung drums, the melodious strains of the Saranai clarinet, and the joyful voices of people singing and dancing.

Together, they pray for divine blessings—favorable weather, bountiful harvests, prosperity, good health, and success for generations to come.

Vibrant Kate festival of Cham ethnic people in southern Vietnam

VOV.VN - Thousands of Cham ethnic people and visitors flocked to the Po Klong Garai Temple in Phan Rang City of Ninh Thuan city in south-central Vietnam on October 14 to joyfully celebrate the traditional Kate festival.