The Máspero River flowing through a city in Soc Trang suddenly lit up with water lights.

On the night of November 12, the Máspero River in the heart of Soc Trang city (Soc Trang province) was lit up by water lanterns and Ca Hau boats from Khmer pagodas and localities in the province - an image that can only be fully admired by locals and tourists during the Ooc Om Boc festival.

On the night of November 12, the Máspero River in the heart of Soc Trang city was lit up by water lanterns and Ca Hau boats from Khmer pagodas and localities in the province - an image that can only be fully admired by locals and tourists during the Ooc Om Boc festival.

Water lanterns participate in the performance on the Máspero River in the heart of Soc Trang city (Soc Trang province) in the 6th Ooc Om Boc Festival - Ngo Boat Racing Festival in Soc Trang, Mekong Delta region and the 1st Soc Trang Culture, Sports and Tourism Week, 2024.

Within the framework of the activities of the 6th Ooc Om Boc Festival - Ngo Boat Racing in Soc Trang, Mekong Delta region and the 1st Soc Trang Culture, Sports and Tourism Week, 2024, on the evening of November 12, at the bank of Máspero River, Soc Trang city, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Soc Trang province organized the opening ceremony of the Water Lantern and Ca Hau Boat Performance Program.

20 water lanterns and 200 flower lanterns from 11 districts, towns and cities in the province contributed to making the river more sparkling and brilliant.

Each lamp is the result of the craftsman's serious and creative labor over dozens of days.

The water lanterns are shaped like the main hall or the temple sala, decorated with typical Khmer cultural patterns, accompanied by sparkling lights and lively music. All create an attractive beauty, not only for local people but also for people from far away.

Mr. Lam Hoang Vu - a resident of Dai Tam commune, My Xuyen district, Soc Trang province, commented: "I see that this year there are many people coming, it's bustling. The lanterns are more beautiful than last year, every one is beautiful."

Ms. Kim Duong - Vietnamese Canadian, excitedly shared: "The first time I came here, I felt very happy. The lanterns were beautifully decorated, bright, like a small temple on a ship. I will come back to participate again, Canada does not have this."

Along with the Water Lanterns, equally impressive were the five Ca Hau boats, from four pagodas in the province: Bung Trop, Tum Nup (Chau Thanh), Tra Cuon (My Xuyen), Bung Coc (My Tu) and from the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the province.

The Ca Hau boat was formerly a boat that accompanied the Ngo boat, usually the command boat, carrying Khmer dignitaries, pagoda administrators and performing logistical tasks to supply the Ngo boat team. Many Ca Hau boats still exist today, hundreds of years old.

Ca Hau boats participate in the performance on the Máspero River in the heart of Soc Trang city (Soc Trang province) in the 6th Ooc Om Boc Festival - Ngo Boat Racing Festival in Soc Trang, Mekong Delta region and the 1st Soc Trang Culture, Sports and Tourism Week, 2024.

Mr. Ly Phol - Bung Trop Pagoda Management Board, said: "The boat of Bung Trop Pagoda is over a hundred years old, and was later supported by the State with money for repairs. When restoring this Ca Hau boat, the pagoda and the hamlet were very excited, each person contributed a little, and it took more than a month to complete this Ca Hau boat."

If in the past, Water Lanterns and Ca Hau Boats were only popular in the Khmer community, now, the restoration and performance of Water Lanterns and Ca Hau Boats on every Ooc Om Boc Festival has brought about an opportunity to widely promote to the community the beauty of traditional Khmer culture; at the same time, contributing to the preservation and promotion of intangible cultural values ​​of the province.

Source: https://danviet.vn/dong-song-maspero-chay-qua-long-mot-thanh-pho-o-soc-trang-bat-ngo-sang-ruc-vi-den-nuoc-20241114135534152.htm