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According to plans, from May 17th to 20th, Tam Chuc Pagoda – the world's largest pagoda in Ba Sao Ward, Kim Bang Town – will host activities as part of the Vesak 2025 celebration. This event, with its profound spiritual and cultural significance, includes the procession of relics of Shakyamuni Buddha from Quan Su Pagoda (Hanoi) to Tam Chuc Pagoda.
The final destination and the place where the Buddha's relics will be enshrined with reverence is the majestic Tam The Hall, located in the center of Tam Chuc Pagoda. The Tam The Hall will become a place where monks, nuns, devout Buddhists, and those with karmic affinity can come to worship and pay their respects.
Over 200,000 Buddhists and tourists expected to visit Tam Chuc to venerate the relics of the Buddha will be provided with transportation and free vegetarian meals.
According to official information from the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Ha Nam province, the procession carrying the relics of the Buddha from Hanoi to Ha Nam was organized solemnly and meticulously, spanning many different stages, from the first moments of early morning until early afternoon on May 17th.
Specifically, starting at around 5 a.m., the convoy of vehicles carrying the Buddha's relics will depart from Quan Su Pagoda, slowly moving along the main roads of the capital, heading south, to the Liem Tuyen intersection, in Thanh Liem district, Ha Nam province. This journey is expected to last until approximately 10 a.m.
On the morning of May 17th, at Tam Chuc Pagoda (Ba Sao town, Kim Bang district, Ha Nam province), a ceremony will be held to escort and enshrine the relics of Shakyamuni Buddha – a national treasure of India – as part of the activities celebrating the United Nations Vesak 2025.
Then, from 10:00 to 11:30, the relics of the Buddha will be escorted to the outer Tam Quan gate, the gateway to the serene space of Tam Chuc Pagoda. From approximately 11:30 to 1:00, a solemn procession will take place around the picturesque Tam Chuc lake before proceeding to the inner Tam Quan gate, the central and most sacred area of the grand temple.
Finally, between 1 PM and 2 PM, the relics of the Buddha will be solemnly carried to the Three Worlds Hall and officially enshrined there. Immediately after the enshrinement ceremony is completed, a prayer for peace will be offered, along with the chanting of scriptures and mantras, marking the beginning of the days of veneration of the relics and signifying the start of a series of solemn and meaningful spiritual activities at Tam Chuc Pagoda during this occasion.
According to information from the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Ha Nam province, the procession of relics from Hanoi to Ha Nam will be held in several stages, lasting from morning to early afternoon on May 17th.
Representatives of the Tam Chuc Spiritual Tourism Area are pleased to announce that throughout the Vesak celebration, all visitors and Buddhists visiting the temple will receive completely free boat and electric vehicle rides. This is a special offer, as the current listed prices for these services range from 250,000 to 480,000 VND per person per trip. To ensure convenient transportation for the public and delegates during this important occasion, the organizing committee has mobilized a large fleet of vehicles, estimated at 300 to 400 electric vehicles, and is ready to use additional buses if necessary.
The pagoda will provide approximately 50,000 free vegetarian meals daily to serve visitors from all over. The organizers anticipate that during the days of the Buddha's relic procession, Tam Chuc Pagoda will welcome a large number of Buddhists and tourists, estimated at 40,000 to 70,000 people per day.
Tam Chuc Pagoda is a famous spiritual site in the northern region, always crowded with people, especially during festivals and the beginning of the year.
Besides the opportunity to venerate the sacred relics of Buddha Shakyamuni, visitors to Tam Chuc Pagoda during this time can also experience many other meaningful cultural and spiritual activities. These include the celebration of Buddha's Birthday on the morning of May 18th, the enchanting lantern festival with prayers for national peace and prosperity, and a pilgrimage along serene paths for spiritual practice.
The organizing committee respectfully announces that, throughout the duration of the grand ceremony, Tam Chuc Pagoda will not accept any fees from people and tourists visiting to venerate the relics. Furthermore, the pagoda will not accept wreaths or offerings, nor will it perform any rituals of offering at the relic enshrinement area, in order to maintain absolute solemnity and purity.
To ensure the security and safety of all visitors and Buddhist devotees coming to venerate the relics, the organizing committee strongly advises everyone to strictly adhere to the instructions of the organizing committee and the authorities. Everyone should queue in an orderly manner, maintain order, absolutely not move across the procession, remain silent and respectful, and refrain from taking photos or videos inside the relic enshrinement area.
The organizers also announced that children under two years old and those wearing attire inappropriate for a sacred space will not be allowed into the area where the Buddha's relics are enshrined. For the elderly, those with health issues, or people with disabilities, the organizers will facilitate access by considering priority lanes, demonstrating care and compassion for everyone.
