Cham Tower Po Klong Garai

It was named after King Po Klong Garai. Po Klong Garay is said to have been born into a poor family and was a shepherd. But his life was such that he became the ruler of the Cham people, and the ruler was wise, just and loved by his subjects. After his death, he was proclaimed a saint, the patron spirit of agriculture, and a temple was built in his honor.

The towers of the temple are made of brown-red brick made of local clay. Between the bricks are connected not by a solution, as one might assume, but by a unique adhesive mixture made from plants. The main tower of the complex was intended for prayer and sacrifice. The entrance to it is guarded by a stone statue of a dog with a bare mouth, above the entrance - a sculpture of the god Shiva, inside - a polished altar. There is also a phallic symbol that represents fertility.

The Po Klong Garai Temple Complex is active. It is visited by ethnic Chams, whose descendants still live in Vietnam. I wonder what they pray on the floor. Once a year, in autumn, the festival of Kate is celebrated in the temple. The day before the start of the holiday at the foot of the tower is a solemn procession with offerings on the altar. Girls in traditional indigo costumes perform folk dances with fans to the accompaniment of drums and percussion instruments. The colorful ceremony, strictly consistent with the ancient customs of the Chams, annually attracts a large number of tourists.