Not only famous as a sacred spiritual destination associated with the legend of Linh Son Thanh Mau at the Ba Pagoda system and the statue of Buddha Tay Bo Da Son and the statue of Maitreya Bodhisattva on the top of the mountain, Ba Den Mountain is also a must-visit place for those who love to explore the unique indigenous culture of the Southern people, especially during holidays.
In Tay Ninh, there are 29 ethnic groups living together, of which Khmer is the largest ethnic minority with more than 7,500 people, and Tay Ninh is considered the cradle of culture . Southern Khmer . Therefore, Chol Chnam Thmay - the New Year festival in April according to the Khmer calendar is always held on a large scale in Tay Ninh.
Since the beginning of April, the Khmer Chol Chnam Thmay festival has been vividly recreated on top of Ba Den Mountain, opening a series of summer festivals on the highest mountain in the South. Going to the top of Ba Den Mountain this April, visitors will be able to "witness" many unique art performances with the unique sound of the Khmer people.
Chhay-dam drum dance is an indispensable part of the Khmer folk culture in Tay Ninh . Initially formed mainly during Chol Chnam Thmay festival, Ok Om Bok festival, Sel Dolta festival or in worshiping and welcoming the gods, then Chhay-dam drum appeared in community activities in phum, soc and became a typical cultural activity with symbolic character of the Khmer ethnic group . At Ba Den mountain, this intangible cultural heritage will be skillfully performed by Khmer artisans in Tay Ninh.
Chhay-dam drum dance requires harmony between movements and sounds, with movements that are sometimes as strong as martial arts, sometimes graceful in beautiful dances. This type of performing art has the meaning of honoring brave heroes of the past. The dances of Chhay-dam drum dance also have the meaning of expressing the strength and bravery of men. The more beautiful and better Khmer boys dance, the more girls will pursue them and the more they will be loved by the people in the village and village.
Along with Chhay-dam drum, Khmer dance is a traditional dance that shows talent, cultural lifestyle , and also shows community solidarity, associated with beliefs, religions and customs of the Khmer people. Coming to Ba Den mountain on weekends, visitors will be able to witness the bustling Khmer dances, performed by Khmer girls wearing long sampot skirts covering the heels with colorful silk shirts, and Khmer boys in traditional sarongs.
Performing pentatonic music is also a typical art form of the Khmer people that many tourists eagerly await at Ba Den Mountain this April. As an orchestra, composed of 5 sets of musical instruments, made from 5 different materials, creating 5 distinct tones: brass, iron, woodwind, wind and leather, the traditional pentatonic music of the Khmer people when played together will create unique sounds, from very low to high, from sweet, melodious to deep, heroic.
If in the North there is the Mother Goddess worship associated with the ritual of spirit mediumship and Chau Van singing, then in the South there is the Lady worship associated with the performance of the ball dance . The ball dance (also known as the golden tray dance) is an art form that has existed since the time of land reclamation and settlement in the South more than 300 years ago, expressing respect for the gods, thanking the Lady for protecting people, and at the same time expressing the dream of a peaceful life, settling down and making a living of the people of the South .
In the hands of the gold tray dancers are votive papers made from various colored papers to create a tower shape, pasted on an aluminum tray. The gold tray dance requires flexibility and dexterity with many movements such as using hands to roll the tray to offer, placing the tray on the head, forehead, chin, lips, passing the tray on the shoulder, back, even using the feet to offer the tray.
The dances , which blend sacred and spiritual elements with the very real joys in the lives of the Southern people, have become a specialty of the border region of Tay Ninh, and are vividly recreated on the highest mountain in the South.
With its unique Khmer cultural space, cool temperatures like a "miniature Da Lat" and amazing cloud phenomena such as cloud caps, seas of clouds, galaxies... continuously appearing in April, Ba Den Mountain is becoming an ideal destination during the April 30 holiday this year with convenient and quick travel from Ho Chi Minh City.
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