In the Southwest of Vietnam or Mekong Delta, besides Kinh and Chinese people, there are Khmer people. There are many unique traditional festivals of Khmer people happening, in which there are important festivals like Chol Chnam Thmay, Sen Dolta, Ok Om Bok festivals. In this article sphere, we are mention Sen Dolta or Phchum Ben festival.
The Sen Dolta Festival held aims to show deep gratitude to the ancestor, grandparents and parents, pray for dead people and ask good luck for living people. The festival happens for three days, from the twenty-ninth of July to the first of August of the lunar calendar. During three days of the festival, there are many activities of religion, custom, habit.
The first day: Each family cleans and decorates the house, especially the altar. People lay offering on the altar, burning lights and incenses. Then they invite ancestor and spirits of dead people to come back to eat and rest. In the afternoon, people invite the ancestor to go to the pagoda to hear the monks chant prayer-book. After the ceremonial part is a pleasure part. Activities such as Du-Ke sing, Khol-Bac-Sac sing, Lam-Thol dance and so on happen extremely exciting.
The second day: After staying at the pagoda during day-night, people invite ancestor to come back home to eat rice and take pleasure with grandchildren-child.
The third day: Each family lays food, fruit, and cakes like on the first day to offer ancestors before saying goodbye.
This is the good traditional folk festival of Khmer people. It maintains morality being thankful to ancestor, grandparents and parents and love. This is also occasion so that people relax after days working hard. Coming to the Sen Dolta Festival, you can sing and dance with Khmer people, enjoy the ethnic foods and communicate with people having simple character.
Read more about other festivals of Khmer people in Mekong Delta, Vietnam:
