Hanoi (VNA) - The annual festival of Hoa Lu in the northern provinceof Ninh Binh will be held without festivities this year, according to the provincial People's Committee.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival will be celebrated on a small scalebut its respectful spirit will still be retained to ensure both locals andtourists’ safety, the organisers said.
Instead of holding the opening ceremony of Hoa Lu Festival as usual, Ninh Binh provincewill exclude its opening ceremony and all other festivities.
Only some traditional ceremonies will be organised by the Hoa Lu DistrictPeople's Committee and the Department of Culture and Sports of Ninh Binh province,such as the temple-opening ceremony, water procession, the ceremony of Buddhabathing and the thanksgiving ceremony.
The Department of Culture and Sports of Ninh Binh province will preside overthe incense offering ceremony.
Earlier, the Ninh Binh People's Committee drew up a plan for theorganisation of the Hoa Lu Festival 2021 in November 2020.
The annual festival is one of 100 national intangible cultural heritages.Together with the ancient capital of Hoa Lu, the Hoa Lu Festival is animportant part of the World Natural and Cultural Heritage Site of Trang Anscenic complex. It aims to commemorate the national heroes Le Dai Hanh and KingDinh Tien Hoang who built and protected the country.
Over the years, the traditional festival has had almost all of its traditionalrituals restored, honouring the cultural values of the Dinh-Le (Early Le)dynasty (968-1010).
Held from the 9th to the 11th day of the third lunar month, which falls onApril 20-22 this year, Hoa Lu Festival typically attracts thousands ofattendees./.