VOVNews reporters made a tour of major pagodas and families in Hanoi to find out how Buddhists observe this special festival.

At Phuc Khanh pagoda, Buddhists were busy preparing for the ritual to take place on the 14^th day of the 7^th lunar month. Le Thi Thai from Dong Da district said that every year she goes to the pagoda several days before other prayers to assist the monks and nuns there. She said that the Vu Lan festival has been of great significance to her since her mother passed away.

Buddhists busy preparing for the ritual

“I always go to the pagoda to pray to Buddha to bring good health and luck to us,” she said. “I think that to pay gratitude to our parents, it is a must to treat them well when they are still alive so that our children will see and follow suit.”

When we came to Quan Su pagoda, the front yard was filled with Buddhists, sitting for morning prayers. The Most Venerable Thich Gia Quang, Deputy Secretary of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, said that the pagoda had chaired morning, afternoon and evening prayers for followers since the 11^th day of the lunar month. On the evening of the 13^th day - the last day of the festival, a large ceremony was held to offer porridge, sticky rice, corn and fruit to the wandering souls.  

Nguyen Thi Thanh from Hanoi’s Ung Hoa district said that she has practised prayers during the Vu Lan festival at Quan Su pagoda for more than 10 years.

“I feel at ease whenever I kneel in front of Buddha statues. I think that I have to lead a better life to set an example for my children,” said Mrs Thanh.

Nun Dam Nhu, who presides over Dinh Quan pagoda in Hanoi’s Tu Liem district, said that since early lunar July, many Buddhist followers have registered for the ceremony during which, monks and nuns pray for peace and prosperity and give offerings to wandering souls.  

Many families like to observe the Vu Lan festival several days before the full-moon by offering votive paper, rice, salt, porridge, corn, sweet potatoes, candies, fruit and many other things to wandering souls. They believe that their ancestors will hear their prayers and accept their offerings.

Tran Thi Dung from Kim Ma street said that her family observed the Vu Lan festival on the 10^th day of the lunar July by preparing a simple tray of fruits and papers.

“No matter how big the party is, the most important thing is to show our deep sentiments towards our ancestors,” said Mrs Dung.

Many other families, however, spend millions of Dong burning paper property such as villas, deluxe cars and mobile phones in the hope that their dead relatives in their afterlife will enjoy the same conveniences as the living do.

Despite different concepts, the Vu Lan festival is a fine tradition of “mutual affection and assistance” which has been deeply rooted in the hearts and minds of the Vietnamese people for generations.