Thousands flock to Bai Dinh pagoda festival

At a ceremony held as part of the festival (Photo: VNA)

Ninh Binh (VNA) – Thousands of visitors have come to the northern province of Ninh Binh as the local Bai Dinh Pagoda Festival kicked off on January 27, or the sixth day of the Lunar New Year.

This is the 10th edition of the annual festival since the local Trang An Landscape Complex, including Bai Dinh pagoda, was recognised as a World Cultural And Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO.

The original 1,000 year-old Bai Dinh Pagoda (Bai Dinh Co Tu), located in Gia Vien district’s Gia Sinh commune, is composed of temples worshipping Buddha, the Mountain God, and the Mother Goddess of the Forest. It lies about 800 metres from the Tam The Temple of the new Bai Dinh Pagoda area – also known as the Bai Dinh Buddhism Spiritual Centre, covering 700ha.

The festival, which lasts until the end of the third lunar month, includes palanquin processions and a series of ceremonies praying for peace and paying respect to Buddha, the gods and the goddesses./. 

VNA