Hanoi’s Dong Da district often goes to the pagoda on the first day of
the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday. While most business households visit
large and well-known pagodas, Dung’s family chose one nearest their
house for traffic convenience and to avoid the hustle.
“Apart from praying for happiness, prosperity and good health for
family, visiting pagodas gives us a chance to enjoy the peaceful
atmosphere at religious places,” the 40-years-old Hanoian said.
Visiting pagodas at the beginning of Lunar New Year has become an age-old tradition of Vietnamese people.
While streets in Hanoi are deserted in the first day of New Year, a
stream of people goes on a pilgrimage at Tay Ho, Tran Quoc pagodas or
Ngoc Son and Quan Thanh temples.
Among the religious
destinations, Tay Ho pagoda attracts the largest number of visitors
from both in and outside Hanoi with several thousand each day during
Tet holiday.
Fruit and offering shops in the entrance leading to the pagoda are overcrowded with visitors on the occasion.
Thanh, 70 who is also from Kham Thien street, said he often goes
to Tay Ho pagoda with his old friend on the first day of new year.
“We can go to the pagoda anytime but the first day is a special time
of a year to pray for good things for our family”, he explained.
Meanwhile, many citizens, especially students, chose to visit the Temple of Literature in the new year.
Nguyen Thu Phuong from Quan Su street in Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem
district said she visited on the first day of Lunar New Year to pray to
become a good learner.
“This year, I pray for good
health for my family and wish that I will enter Teachers Training
University,” Phuong said.
The first half of the
first lunar month is the best time for a pilgrimage. Joining the flow of
devotees in the spring’s wonderful atmosphere you may feel the harmony
of the sky and the ground, she said./.
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