Visitors at the My Son Sanctuary (Source: VNA)Quang Nam (VNA) – The Indian Government has provided financial assistanceworth over 50 billion VND (2.2 million USD) to the central province of Quang Nam to help restore and preserve the world cultural heritage siteof My Son Sanctuary, a local officialhas said.
According to head of the Management Board of the site Phan Ho, a project has been implementing to conserve the site under amemorandum of understanding on cooperation signed between the two countries.
From February this year, scientists and researchers from India have worked withrepresentatives from Quang Nam’s cultural and tourism sector and the managementboard to conduct research programmes of the site in the framework of theproject.
The project was officially launched in March 2017, focusing on field works,training and technology transfer.
New archaeological findings of architecture have contributed to theidentification of new values in the site.
Indian archaeological engineer B. Kumar affirmed the My Son Sanctuary reflects not only construction techniques butalso history values, noting that this is an architectural and art masterpieceas it was built at the place where the natural landscape is in connection with religiousconcepts.
He underlined the need to protect and restore both the architecture and the naturallandscape, thus returning the inherent value and bringing vitality to themonument.
Apart from India, UNESCO and the governmentsof Japan and Poland have also supported Vietnam in the work.
The management board has also coordinatedwith travel agencies to organise activities to attract visitors to the Sanctuary.
In 2017, the My Son Sanctuary welcomed 290,000 tourists, up over 10 percentyear-on-year, raking in nearly 50 billion VND.
Once thereligious and political capital of the Champa Kingdom, My Son Sanctuary islocated in a hilly landscape in Duy Phu commune, Duy Xuyen district, about 70km southwest of central Da Nang city and 40 km from Hoi An city.
It comprises eight groups of 71 monument built throughout the 7th -13thcenturies.
The first construction of My Son dated back tothe 4th century under the reign of Bhadravarman for the worship of GodShiva-Bhadresvara. But later on, the temple was destroyed.
At the beginning of the 7th century, KingSambhuvarman had it rebuilt and rebaptised Sambhu-Bhadresvara. Each new monarchcame to My Son after his accession to the throne for the ceremony ofpurification and to present offerings and erect new monuments, which explainswhy My Son is the only place where Cham art flourished without interruptionfrom the 7th to 13th century.-VNA
VNA
