Rija Nagar festival in Ninh Thuan is one of the unique cultural beauty of the Cham people. Through this unique festival, the Cham people want to eliminate all the bad things and risks of the old year to pray for a prosperous new year, good rain, and good crops.
In today’s article, Vinlove will introduce you to this unique Ninh Thuan festival for you to better understand the culture of the Cham people.
When is Rija Nagar festival in Ninh Thuan held?
Every year on the first month of the Cham calendar, the Rija Nagar festival is eagerly organized by the Cham people. Because this is one of the most important major festivals of the year for the Cham people. This festival is full of folk cultural beliefs of the Cham Ba La Mon and Cham Muslim in both Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan provinces. Therefore, mentioning the famous festival in Ninh Thuan can not fail to mention the unique Rija Nagar festival.
Rija Nagar festival is one of the famous festivals in Ninh Thuan
The Cham people often organize many festivals during the year, but the most important one is the Rija Nagar festival in Ninh Thuan. This festival is held for the purpose of praying for good weather, green trees and good growth of animals so that people will have a prosperous and happy life. All evil will be discarded to make room for good luck and goodness. Therefore, for the Cham in Ninh Thuan, Rija Nagar is the most anticipated festival of the year. Every Rija Nagar festival is held, people here welcome many visitors from all over the world to attend.
Rija Nagar festival activities
Rija Nagar festival in Ninh Thuan will take place within 2 days. For Ahier Cham community influenced by Brahmin, Rija Nagar festival will be held on Wednesday and Thursday. For the Cham Awal community due to the influence of Islam, the festival will take place on Thursday and Friday. The calculation of the festival date will be calculated by odd days in January.
Rija Nagar festival of Cham people is the most expected festival of the year for the people here
This Ninh Thuan festival will be held at the Kajang ceremony house and the host of the festival is Maduen and Mr. Ka ing. The Cham’s Kajang ceremony house is built with woven bamboo panels combined with roofing and has only one entrance facing the East. The inside of the ceremony house is decorated with white panels for the purpose of symbolizing the vast and vast sky and in the west there will be a canopy representing the daily life and daily work of the people. This festival also features special participation of trumpeter Saranai and drummer Gineng.
The content held during the Rija Nagar festival is encapsulated by the Cham people in the saying that the day is to worship chickens and the day to worship goats. This festival is organized to eliminate the unlucky and unlucky things of the old year, also known as the day of worshiping the new god and the day when the day comes, we worship the old god.
The first day of Rija Nagar festival in Ninh Thuan is called the new god-worshiping day. On this day, the Cham people will fully prepare offerings to display on the nest table. The offerings included betel village, eggs, wine, sticky rice, chicken, and banana.
The festival will start when the drums and the Saranai trumpet sound. Combined with that is the traditional dance of Mr. Ka ing. Mr. Ka ing will often transform and change costumes to suit the transformation into different gods. Supporting these Mr. Kaing’s dances are the two musicians who beat the drums and blow the trumpets, who will play legendary hymns of each deity.
Master Maduen patted the drum in his hand while singing a hymn to praise the merits of the gods for helping the people here have a full and peaceful life. Next, Mr. Maduen will carry out offering offerings to invite them to attend the ceremony. At the same time, the people in attendance will hold applause and applause to cheer Maduen on the festival rituals.
Art and cultural activities are held at the Rija Nagar festival
Among the people directly participating in the Rija Nagar festival in Ninh Thuan , Mr. Ka ing is considered the typical center of the festival and is also the representative of the Cham community to pray to the gods to bring good luck. and good in life.
The special thing about the first day of Rija Nagar festival is that all deities from old to new will be invited to attend the ceremony. Because it is the tradition of drinking water, remembering its source from many generations, that Cham people always follow and remember.
In addition, the Cham mainly live by agriculture. Therefore, when the festival is held, the Cham will invite the gods of their lives such as the god of earth, sun god, water god, sea god and mountain god to attend the ceremony. Each deity has a very important spiritual meaning to the Cham people. Therefore, depending on each god, there will be separate hymns associated with the legend and legend of that god. This is considered a way of remembrance that the Cham people send to their gods.
Rija Nagar festival of Cham people has many outstanding activities organized
On the second day of the Rija Nagar festival in Ninh Thuan, the representative will carry out the Muslim offering. Salty dishes will be prepared to host shrines and national heroes.
After finishing the Rija ceremony, the doll made from rice flour consisting of a couple of men and women will be released into the river through which to convey the message and wishes of the people to pray for a peaceful life, happy.
Rija Nagar Festival in Ninh Thuan is one of the famous cultural and religious activities of the Cham people. This festival, when combined with typical Cham dances, will create an exciting and fun atmosphere for the participants. Therefore, if you have the opportunity to travel to Ninh Thuan at the time of the changing season between the rainy season and dry rain, take the time to explore this unique festival. This festival contributes greatly to preserving and preserving the traditional cultural values of Cham people.
Photo: Internet