Buzz
In 1885, the Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary was stumbled upon by a French soldier. Since then, it has evolved into a hub for historical and architectural research as well as an enigmatic and captivating tourist destination.
Top 5 captivating secrets of the Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary you might not be aware of
The sole evidence of a vanished Asian civilization
In December 1999, at the 23rd session of the World Heritage Committee held in Marrakesh, Morocco, the Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary was designated by UNESCO as one of the world's cultural heritages under criteria 2 as a prime example of cultural exchange and under criteria 3 as the sole evidence of a vanished Asian civilization. It represents the Champa civilization, an ancient civilization that existed in Central Vietnam from the late 2nd century to the early 19th century.
In the past, this was the Hindu sanctuary of the Champa kingdom. Therefore, after ascending to the throne, every king would come to Mỹ Sơn for purification rituals, offering ceremonies, and temple construction. Apart from ritual functions and communication with divine spirits, Mỹ Sơn also served as a cultural and religious center for Cham dynasties and was a burial site for kings and influential priests.
Purification ritual is a crucial ceremony in Hinduism, conducted to purify and prepare kings before their coronation. According to this ritual, kings are brought to The sacred site of Mỹ Sơn and undergo purification rites performed by Hindu priests. These rites include bathing in holy water, prayers, and offerings. Once purified, kings are deemed divinely chosen to govern the country.
The clusters of towers rotate clockwise
In Cham culture, there's a mandatory rule when constructing temple towers that regardless of the location, the main entrance of the temple tower must face east to welcome the morning sun. Because the sun symbolizes vitality, the source of life that the god Shiva brings. However, The sacred site of Mỹ Sơn currently has up to 5 clusters of towers with main entrances skewed towards the southeast. Hence, it can be concluded that these tower clusters have been rotated clockwise.
The Mỹ Sơn sanctuary is nestled in a lush valley near the source of the Thu Bồn River. The temples are built of red bricks with distinct layers, adorned with bas-relief sculptures crafted from sandstone. These sculptures depict Hindu deities and goddesses, Apsara dancers, animals, and Cham kings. Common decorative motifs such as flames, lotus flowers, trees, the serpent deity Naga, the time god Kala... all bear the hallmark of Hinduism.
An ancient inscription unearthed at the Mỹ Sơn sanctuary records that King Bhadravarman I, the founder of the Champa kingdom, erected temples and dedicated the entire valley (today's sanctuary) to the god Shiva. He fervently urged his successors to uphold the foundation he laid. Over centuries, successive kings expanded the temple complex, with each temple featuring inscriptions in Sanskrit or ancient Cham recounting the tale of the founding king. Approximately 32 stone slabs have been discovered, some preserved intact, while others are exhibited at the Mỹ Sơn display hall.
As per Mytour
***
Reference: Travel guide from Mytour
MytourNovember 6, 2023
