EXPLORE NINH THUAN CHAM TOWERS: PO KLONG GARAI CHAM TEMPLE, SYMBOL OF CHAM CULTURE

Cham Towers of Ninh Thuận, situated amidst Vietnam’s dynamic cultural terrain, serve as timeless emblems of the erstwhile Champa civilization. Po Klong Garai Cham Temple is one of these amazing buildings that stands out in particular. I will introduce you this historic site’s history, and travel advice.

As one of the famous symbols in Phan Rang – Thap Cham city, Po Klong Garai is always a must-see destination in Ninh Thuan.

1. Overview of Cham Tower

The most stunning Cham tower cluster still standing in our nation is located in Ninh Thuan and is known by the local name, Po Klong Garai Tower. Records indicate that King Shihavaman (known as Che Man by the Vietnamese) completed the project somewhere between the end of the 13th and the start of the 14th century.

Po Klong Garai Tower is a stronghold of Cham culture, honoring King Po Klong Garai (Jaya Simhavarman), who is credited with numerous accomplishments during the Champa-Panduranga region’s rule.

Po Klong Garai in Ninh Thuan was constructed at a period when Champa sculpture and architecture had attained their highest point, in contrast to the Cham tower clusters in Nha Trang, Phan Thiet.

Despite its 800-year history, the tower cluster—which was built by the deft hands and distinctive building methods of the ancients—remains mostly intact and magnificent. The best of a once-famous culture’s architectural and sculpture creations can be found in Po Klong Garai.

Three towers compose Po Klong Garai: the gate tower (8.56 meters high), the fire tower (9.31 meters high), and the main tower (21.59 meters high).

You can find the statue of King Po Klong Garai in the main tower, which has a sculpture of the six-armed god Siva dancing above and two enormous stone pillars etched with old Cham characters. The fire god tower, which has a boat-shaped roof, is located to the south, while the gate tower is to the east.

Ancient features cover the relic site

2. Where is Cham Tower?

The Po Klong Garai Cham Temple is located in the Ninh Thuan Province, situated in the southeastern region of Vietnam. It is about 7 kilometers southeast of Phan Rang–Thap Cham, the provincial capital. The temple complex is perched on a small hill, offering stunning views of the surrounding landscape, which includes expansive fields and the azure sea in the distance.

Address: Po Klong Garai Cham Towers, Betel Hill, Do Vinh Ward, Phan Rang City, Ninh Thuan Province.

Opening Hours: 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM daily.

3. How to get there?

Cham Towers are about 310km from Ho Chi Minh City.

–By Air: The nearest airport to the Po Klong Garai Cham Temple is Cam Ranh International Airport (CXR), about 50 kilometers away. From the airport, you can hire a taxi or use a ride-sharing app to reach the temple.

–By Train: The Phan Rang–Tháp Chàm Railway Station is well-connected to major cities like Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Once you arrive at the station, you can take a taxi or local bus to the temple.

– By Car: For the more adventurous traveler, renting a car is a flexible option. The drive from Phan Rang–Tháp Chàm to the temple is straightforward and offers a chance to enjoy the scenic beauty of Ninh Thuận Province.

4. The highlight of Cham Tower

Po Klong Garai Tower, the principal tower of the Cham Tower cluster in Ninh Thuan, is a location that essentially exemplifies the beautiful art in the late style of that era.

The Fire God tower, which is 9 meters and thirty-one stories high, is located directly to the east from the main tower gate, between the two towers above. There are three entrances on the tower that lead to the east, north, and south; there is a window on the south side.

The Cham people refer to this structure as the Fire structure because it serves as a place for Brahmin priests and sorcerers to keep the sacrifice fire going and show offerings. The distinctive feature of the tower’s construction is its house-shaped roof, which resembles the roof of a prong house in the Central Highlands or a boat-shaped roof like the top of a bronze drum.

A shrine dedicated to the veneration of Queen Kut’s statue is located in the area below the main tower of the Po Klong Garai temple cluster. Historians’ archives and investigations indicate that this is Queen To Ly. Adjacent to the shrine close to the sports complex’s southern citadel stands a 2 meter-tall stone pillar known as the Linga. An ancient Cham character-adorned three-sided banh u stone faces the northeastern citadel, across from the southern citadel.

One thing to keep in mind about this gate tower item is that it was constructed just after 2000, in addition to the original temple towers. This gate tower item was constructed to replace the eastern gate tower item, which is now inaccessible, near the base of the tower hill in the west.

The Cham people have gathered in the tower for numerous traditional celebrations over the past 800 years, including the Ka Tê festival, the rite of opening the tower entrance, and prayers for rain.

Ka Te event

A narrator at the tower, Sử Văn Tiên, stated: “The Cham community still worships in accordance with the beliefs of four festivals because they view the Po Klong Garai Tower as a center of cultural beliefs”.

The Po Klong Garai Tower is the venue for the Ka Tê event

The most customary event held here is the Ka Tê celebration, which takes place in September or October on the solar calendar but falls on July 1 of the Chăm calendar. The Cham people celebrate their celebration in the tower on this day.

The Po Klong Garai Temple’s use of red brick architecture, which has exquisitely withstood the ages, is among its most distinctive features. The temple’s secluded and ethereal ambiance are further enhanced by its hilltop location, which provides expansive views of the surrounding landscape.

Coming to Po Klong Garai, you can not only admire the remaining beauty of ancient architecture and sculpture, freely take beautiful photos, but also explore the culture and immerse themselves in the sacred festival atmosphere.

5. Tips for travel when you visit Cham Tower Ninh Thuan

This is a spiritual place of the Cham people, so when you come here, you need to follow some mandatory regulations:

–Choose appropriate sightseeing clothes: the shirt should not be too loose-necked and you should avoid wearing a skirt, if you do, you should wear a skirt that is longer than the knee or use a large scarf to wrap it up discreetly.

–Regulations on taking photos: avoid bringing cameras inside the main tower where King Po Klong Garai is worshiped, when taking photos, you must observe and not stand directly in front of the main tower, whether facing out or facing in.

–Join hands to preserve national relics: do not arbitrarily draw graffiti on the bricks at the Tower and remind others when you discover this act of vandalism.

-This is a solemn place of worship, so only talk loudly enough to be heard, avoid making noise that disturbs the sacred place.

Po Klong Garai Cham Temple is more than just an ancient relic; it’s a gateway to understanding the Cham people’s profound cultural and religious traditions. Po Klong Garai promises an enriching experience that connects you with a bygone era of splendor.