Attending the ceremony were Mr. Nguyen Van Loc - Member of Provincial Standing Party Committee, Head of Commission for Mass Mobilization of Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front; Mr. Nguyen Loc Ha - Member of Provincial Standing Party Committee, Vice Chairman of Provincial People's Committee (PPC); Ms. Nguyen Truong Nhat Phuong - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council; leaders of provincial departments, committees, branches, Thu Dau Mot City and thousands of people inside and outside the province.
Provincial leaders burn incense and perform the ceremony of Lady palanquin procession
The Lady palanquin procession is one of the major activities of the Lady Thien Hau Temple Festival, which takes place on the lunar January Full Moon every year. This is said to be the festival with the largest number of participants in the Southeast provinces. The parade procession of Lady palanquin has the meaning of praying for peaceful and prosperous nation and people, good weather, successful and prosperous business.
Performing rituals before the Lady palanquin procession
According to custom, the procession of Lady Thien Hau palanquin will take place on the lunar January Full Moon at Facility 1 of Lady Thien Hau Temple in Phu Cuong ward, Thu Dau Mot city. However, after the Facility 2 of Lady Thien Hau Temple in Hoa Phu ward, Thu Dau Mot city was born, the Lady palanquin procession is also held at Facility 2 on Lunar January 09 every year.
Lady palanquin is processed from Lady Thien Hau Temple in the New city to prepare to "travel"
Accordingly, the Lady palanquin procession at facility 2 officially started at 16:00. Lady palanquin was processed through the main roads around Binh Duong New City. This year's Lady palanquin procession attractted a large number of local people and tourists from everywhere. Along the two sides of the road, people and tourists gathered in large numbers to wait to worship when the Lady palanquin passed, pray for good things in the new year and watch the lion and dragon dance troupes perform with the joyful and crowded palanquin procession.
Leaders of the province, Thu Dau Mot city participate in the Lady palanquin procession
A representative of the Lady Thien Hau Temple's Board of Directors said that during the three years of being affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, the activities of the Lady Thien Hau Temple Festival were interrupted and changed in different forms to ensure safety and adapt to the pandemic's evolution. Up to now, the pandemic has been well controlled, society has returned to a new normal, so the activities of this year's Lady Thien Hau Temple Festival will take place as traditional practices.
Lion and dragon dance troupes participate in the Lady palanquin procession
Accordingly, the great ceremony of worshiping the cross of Thien Hau Thanh Mau (the Holy Mother Thien Hau) to travel will take place on January 30, 2023 (Lunar January 09) at Facility 2 of Lady Thien Hau Temple (Hoa Phu ward) and on February 05, 2023 (Lunar January Full Moon) at the Facility 1 of Lady Thien Hau Temple (Phu Cuong ward).
Delegations participate in the Lady palanquin procession
In addition, at 9 o'clock on February 05, 2023, at the Facility 1 of Lady Thien Hau Temple, the Lantern Festival of Lunar New Year – Year of the Cat 2023 will take place. The Organizing Committee of the Lantern Festival will hold an auction of 9 Thien Hau Thanh Mau lanterns. Accordingly, 9 lanterns are named in order from 1 to 9: Thuận buồm xuôi gió (Everything goes well), Kim ngọc mãn đường (Full of gold and jade), Tài nguyên quảng tấn (Abundant resources), Tứ quý hưng long (four seasons of luck and prosperity), Ngũ phước lâm môn (Five blessings come to home), Thánh mẫu ban phước (Holy Mother blesses), Hợp gia bình an (Peaceful family), Vạn sự thắng ý (A myriad things are better) and Mua may bán đắt (a lot of luck, prosperity and success in business). Funds collected from the auction of lanterns will be used to upgrade facility 1, renovate, repair and maintain facility 2 and carry out charitable social programs.
Reported by Doan Trang- Translated by Thanh Tam