The annual festival of Hoa Lu will be organised with only traditional spiritual ceremonies like incense-offering ceremony. (Photo: baodantoc.vn) Hanoi (VNA) - The annual festival of Hoa Lu in the northern province of Ninh Binh will be held without festivities this year, according to the provincial People's Committee.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival will be celebrated on a small scale but its respectful spirit will still be retained to ensure both locals and tourists’ safety, the organisers said.
Instead of holding the opening ceremony of Hoa Lu Festival as usual, Ninh Binh province will exclude its opening ceremony and all other festivities.
Only some traditional ceremonies will be organised by the Hoa Lu District People's Committee and the Department of Culture and Sports of Ninh Binh province, such as the temple-opening ceremony, water procession, the ceremony of Buddha bathing and the thanksgiving ceremony.
The Department of Culture and Sports of Ninh Binh province will preside over the incense offering ceremony.
Earlier, the Ninh Binh People's Committee drew up a plan for the organisation of the Hoa Lu Festival 2021 in November 2020.
The annual festival is one of 100 national intangible cultural heritages. Together with the ancient capital of Hoa Lu, the Hoa Lu Festival is an important part of the World Natural and Cultural Heritage Site of Trang An scenic complex. It aims to commemorate the national heroes Le Dai Hanh and King Dinh Tien Hoang who built and protected the country.
Over the years, the traditional festival has had almost all of its traditional rituals restored, honouring the cultural values of the Dinh-Le (Early Le) dynasty (968-1010).
Held from the 9th to the 11th day of the third lunar month, which falls on April 20-22 this year, Hoa Lu Festival typically attracts thousands of attendees./.
VNA
