Southeast Asia Information Port (www.dnyxxg.com) – If the Kata Festival, held annually in July according to the Cham calendar (September 25th to October 25th in the Gregorian calendar), is the largest and most important festival in the spiritual life of the Cham people, then the opening ceremony of the tower and the procession of the palanquin from various Cham villages are the "soul" of the Kata Festival. Through the vicissitudes of history, this ritual has been preserved almost unchanged.
According to tradition, the sacrificial rites of the Kata Festival include the palanquin procession, the opening ceremony of the tower, the bathing of the deity statue, and the dressing ceremony for the deity statue, culminating in the grand ceremony. After the tents for the sacrificial activities are erected, on the morning of the first day of the seventh month of the Cham calendar, the procession prepares its ceremonial robes, palanquin, canopies, flags, and other items. When the horns of the Saranai, the drums of the Jinang, the drums of the Paranen, and the gongs sound enthusiastically together, it is the moment when the procession departs from the Cham villages carrying the elaborately decorated palanquin to the tower. Along the long procession route, the parade showcased the festival's unique features to tourists and the public: colorful costumes, folk dances, various musical instruments, and fan dances, drum dances, and ring dances. Large crowds of people and tourists lined the roads to watch and cheer, further enhancing the festive atmosphere.
During the palanquin procession, Cham men wore white clothing with white scarves draped over their shoulders. Women wore pink tops and white trousers, also with white scarves, and carried betel nut trays on their heads or held flags.
Li Chunli, Director of the Cham Cultural Research Center, explained: "From the moment they leave their homes, people hold ceremonies and pray to their ancestors. Now, they ascend the tower to hold a ceremony for the community. This is a simplified ceremony representing the community; people will carry the robes of King Poklongalai up the tower. Everyone dances in celebration, inviting the spirits back to the tower temple to enjoy the offerings and sacrifices prepared by the Cham people over many years."
Upon the palanquin procession's arrival at the tower temple, the high priest, shamans, and other religious officials will perform a ceremony to request permission from the spirits to open the temple gates to receive the robes. In this ceremony, the process of bathing and changing the deity's attire is particularly important to the Cham people. The high priest presides over the ceremony, thanking the deity and requesting permission.
Tan Lan, a religious official in Ninh Thuan province responsible for Cham family customs and rituals, explains: "The rituals are generally conducted by three people: a shaman, a shamanic singer, and the high priest. The shaman assigns tasks during the ceremony. The shamanic singer plays the kanhi (a seven-stringed zither) to summon the deity back to witness. The high priest offers sacrifices and other items, such as fruits, pastries, pigs, chickens, and ducks."
Nai Van, a Cham man from Hue Duc village, Phuc Hue commune, Ninh Thuan province, explains: "During the opening of the tower, the high priest presides. He plays the kanhi, singing epics and mentioning the names of all the heroic kings of Champa. Each name has a different song with a different meaning, because each king had different achievements; some kings and monarchs built dams, while others expanded their territories. Therefore, the lyrics and chants in the hymns each have different meanings." In this ceremony, the high priest chants the name of a particular king, and the people undress and bathe the idol of that king. Mr. Danlan added, “The priestess’s responsibility is to guide how to do it. For example, with bathing, we know when the priestess plays the kani and the chants begin. We know when the shaman bathes the god, when to change the clothes, and when to offer all the sacrifices. The person playing the kani is the priestess; they must be proficient in all the rituals and memorize all the incantations to complete the ceremony.”
After the bathing and dressing ceremonies, the idol is dressed in a magnificent dragon robe. Then, the Cham people hold a grand ceremony. The high priest, who also presides over the ceremony of thanksgiving to the gods, places the offerings to the gods before the altar. After the ceremony, celebrations begin. At this time, the area outside the tower becomes lively, with traditional Cham songs and dances blending with the sounds of the jinang drum, the paranon drum, and the salanai horn. Everyone prays together for the gods and ancestors to bless them with favorable weather, abundant harvests, good health and prosperity, success in their endeavors, and all their wishes fulfilled. The various sacrificial rituals are the "soul" of the Khat Festival. Despite the vicissitudes of history, these rituals remain unchanged, helping generations of Cham people to reconnect with their traditions and return to their roots.
