Published:  08:45 Tuesday - December 18, 2012

Vietnam’s first ever Cham temple tower built by contemporary architects and artisans opened in Hanoi on Friday with traditional ceremonies organized by Cham people.

A Cham temple tower built by contemporary architects and artisans was opened in Hanoi on Friday

A Tuoi Tre report said Saturday that the tower, located in the recently-opened cultural village dedicated to Vietnam’s ethnic minorities, has been built in accordance with detailed drawings of the Poklong Garai temple tower in the central province of Ninh Thuan.

Cham people consider the ancient tower, which was built between the 13th and 14th centuries to worship King Poklong Garai (1151-1205), as their “soul,” Su Van Ngoc, a Cham artisan and scholar was quoted as saying.

Cham people from Ninh Thuan along with the tower’s monks organized various ceremonies to mark the opening. After the ceremonies, they celebrated the event with traditional dancing and music performances.

That night, the Cham people joined other ethnic minority communities like Raglai and H’re from other provinces in a performance to mark the national Cultural Heritage Day (November 23).

Covering a land area of 605 hectares and a water area of 939 hectares, the cultural village stands at the Dong Mo Tourism Site in Son Tay Commune. It seeks to preserve and introduce the traditional culture and heritages of 54 ethnic minorities in Vietnam.