Thiên Y A Na
Thiên Y A Na (
It is widely believed that the deity known as Thiên Y A Na is the Vietnamized version of the Cham deity, Pô Nagar, meaning “Lady of the Kingdom”. When the
The Legend of Pô Nagar
According to the myth of Pô Nagar, she was born from the clouds of the sky and the foam of the sea. Her physical form was manifest in a piece of eaglewood floating on the waves of the ocean. She is also said to have had ninety-seven husbands and thirty-nine daughters who became goddesses like their mother. Pô Nagar was the goddess who created the earth, eaglewood and rice. It is told that there was even the aroma of rice in the air around her. The Chams looked upon her as a goddess of plants and trees. She was considered nurturing like the earth and she granted blessings to her followers.
Vietnamization of Pô Nagar
After the Vietnamese adopted the Pô Nagar deity, they made several changes. They changed her name to "Thiên Y A Na Diễn Phi Chúa Ngọc Thành Phi". Since the Việt were
Thiên Y A Na Cult
Today she is the object of worship for many. The cult that has grown up around her mostly consists of women who participate in Đạo Mẫu. They make offerings to her and ask for her aid in various aspects of their lives. They worship her through the practice of Lên đồng, whereby she is channeled by a spirit medium. Her worshipers often go on pilgrimages to Thiên Y A Na's temples and shrines, where they conduct rituals in her honour. These rituals usually consist of complex performances by a spirit medium and her attendants.
Sites of Worship
There are many shrines and temples dedicated to Thiên Y A Na throughout Vietnam. The most famous of these temples are the Thiên Y A Na temple located in Huế, along the left bank of the Hương River (Sông Hương) and the Pô Nagar Temple near modern Nha Trang.
See also
- Champa
- Cham people
References
- Salemink, Oscar. “Embodying the Nation: Mediumship, Ritual, and the National Imagination.” Journal of Vietnamese Studies vol. 3, issue 3 (2008): 261–290.
- Thế Anh, Nguyễn. “The Vietnamization of the Cham Deity Pô Nagar.” Essays Into Vietnamese Pasts. Ed. K.W. Taylor & John K. Whitmore. New York: Cornell, 1995. 42–50.