This year, the Kate Festival is held from October 20 to 21, taking place at Cham temples, towers and local Cham villages following Brahmanism.

Previously, from the morning of October 20, people and Brahmin religious dignitaries gathered at Po Sah Inư tower in Phu Thuy ward, Lam Dong province. Here, the shamans performed the exorcism ritual and the prayer ceremony to dispel the bad luck of the old year and pray for all the good things in the new year, preparing to start farming, praying for a bountiful harvest.

Linga-Yoni statue bathing ceremony at Po Sah Inư tower, Lam Dong province.

Next are the tower opening ceremonies, bathing the Linga-Yoni altar, and the great thanksgiving ceremony for the goddess Po Sa Po Sah Inư. Along with that are Cham folk festivals such as the Saranai trumpet blowing competition, water gourd carrying obstacle course, rice pounding competition, and Cham folk art performances attracting a large number of people and tourists to enjoy.

Procession of roots at Po Sah Inư tower.

Speaking again at the opening ceremony of the Kate Festival 2025 at Po Sah Inu tower, comrade Dinh Van Tuan, Vice Chairman of Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee affirmed that this year's Kate Festival of the Cham people in Lam Dong province is not only an opportunity for people to express their beliefs and the beauty of folk culture, but also a meaningful activity to celebrate the success of the 1st Lam Dong Provincial Party Congress, term 2025 - 2030. On behalf of the leaders of Lam Dong province, the Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee wished the religious dignitaries, intellectuals, artisans, Cham people and people, and tourists attending the Kate Festival good health, happiness, and success. Wishing the Kate Festival of the Cham people to be united, joyful, healthy, frugal, and safe.

People and dignitaries perform rituals in the Kate festival 2025 at the foot of Po Sah Inư tower.

After the merger, Lam Dong province is the province with the largest natural area in the country, with 49 ethnic groups living together. The Cham ethnic group in the province alone has over 43 thousand people, living concentrated in communes in the old Binh Thuan province.

The Kate Festival at the Po Sah Inư Tower relic was restored in 2005 and held annually to meet the spiritual and emotional needs of the Cham people and become the soul of cultural and spiritual activities, containing many values ​​of folk beliefs and religions. Along with the spiritual life, the economic life of the Cham people in Lam Dong is changing more and more, transforming rapidly and in harmony with the general development of the country.

News and photos: VU DINH DONG

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/van-hoa/doi-song/dong-bao-cham-lam-dong-tung-bung-vui-hoi-kate-889036