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The festival attracted over 400 stalls selling handicrafts from traditional craft villages to serve tourists, and more than 220,000 visitors from within and outside the province came to visit and worship, including tens of thousands who stayed overnight at the temples and shrines.
The ceremonial part includes rituals such as prayers for peace, offerings to the god of agriculture, and offerings to the Goddess of the Land, praising the merits of ancestors and national heroes who contributed to the founding of the country, and praying for a bountiful harvest. The festive part features many games such as blindfolded soccer, can-kicking, tug-of-war, walking on a bamboo bridge, and men's volleyball. The Festival of the Goddess of the Land is one of the two major festivals held annually at the Go Thap historical site.
Mr. Nguyen Huu Ly, Director of the Go Thap Historical Site Management Board, said: "The Go Thap historical site is definitely a must-visit destination for all tourists from all over the country. The image of the Lady of the Land has been closely associated with the lives of the people of Southern Vietnam and has been deified as a unique belief that has existed for hundreds of years in the Southwestern region. The Lady herself is a strong spiritual support that helps people overcome all the hardships of life to live happily and productively."
With faith and reverence, the annual festival honoring the goddess is seen as an opportunity for hundreds of thousands of visitors to immerse themselves in a pure spiritual atmosphere, praying for the goddess's blessings and vowing to do many good things for the world. This year, the Go Thap Goddess Festival attracted over 400 stalls and more than 220,000 visitors from within and outside the province to visit and pay their respects...
